1490 NORTH ATLANTIC COAST FISHERIES ARBITRATION. 



I must crave pardon for having used short names. My attention 

 has been called to the fact that I have been confusing by using the 

 short title " Sir Robert," the distinguished representative of Great 

 Britain who is here, and concerning whom it is impossible to think 

 without enthusiasm and well-nigh impossible to speak without terms 

 of compliment, the expression of which his presence forbids that I 

 have been, as I have said, confusing Sir Robert Finlay, who is here, 

 with Sir Robert Bond. I shall endeavour most carefully to use the 

 entire names hereafter. 



Governor MacGregor says, on behalf of his Ministers, of whom Sir 

 Robert Bond was chief, at the bottom of p. 1013 : 



"My Ministers, however, still desire to aid His Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment as far as possible consistently with their duty to this 

 Colony, and the preservation of its rights ; they will, therefore, grant 

 permission to the fishermen of the Treaty Coast to sell to Americans 

 during the coming season on the receipt of an assurance from His 

 Majesty's Government that the terms or reference to the Hague 

 Tribunal shall include the question of the right of American vessels 

 to fish or trade in any of the bays, harbours, or creeks of that portion 

 of Newfoundland Coast between Cape Ray and Quirpon Islands, 

 together with all other questions that may be raised under the 

 Treaty." 



I suppose it is quite clear from that, that Sir Robert Bond had quite 

 fully opened Question 6 with the British Government at his visit 

 the previous spring, and it is quite evident from that that the British 

 Government had not received the suggestion with any approval. 



The long-suffering Lord Elgin, seeking to continue peaceful rela- 

 tions, sends this telegram of the 2nd September, which is to be found 

 at the bottom of p. 1014 : 



" Your telegram, 1st September. It will be necessary to refer to 

 United States Government the question of the terms or arbitration; 

 but provided that your Government now accept proposed modus 

 vivendi, His Majesty's Government would favourably consider the 

 reference to arbitration of question of bays. I do not, however, 

 gather from your telegram whether your Ministers propose to accept 

 modus vivendi, and to permit American vessels to employ New- 

 foundland fishermen on terms mutually arranged, or merely to allow 

 Newfoundland fishermen to sell fish to Americans. 



" There is no chance of American Government accepting any ar- 

 rangement under which American vessels not allowed to employ 

 Newfoundland fishermen." 



It seems to have been out of the willingness to placate Sir Robert 

 Bond by having this question of bays (Question No. 6) presented, 

 that its actual presentation at this Tribunal has come about. 



The British Government, neither before nor then, nor up to the 

 framing of this arbitration, presented or discussed any such ques- 

 tion as that ; and, one cannot but admire the loyalty and courage with 

 which our friends of the British, Canadian, and Newfoundland bar 



