ARGUMENT OF SIB WILLIAM EOBSON". 1759 



We have never had any difficulty about deciding whether she is an 

 American vessel or not. That has not been the difficulty, and I do 

 not anticipate that we shall have any. If a vessel comes and produces 

 her register and her papers, and we are satisfied that she is American, 

 that is quite enough for us. At least I should say so. I may be 

 speaking here without knowledge of some acts on the part of New- 

 foundland, which are not present to my mind at the moment; but 

 anyhow, as far as Great Britain is concerned, we say : " By all 

 1064 means come; show us your papers. You are an American 

 vessel. Pass on." That has nothing to do with this argument 

 as to whether that American vessel is entitled to carry a crew of for- 

 eigners or not. That is the point. And the moment you substitute 

 the word " master " for the word " vessel," which Mr. Root says we 

 may, then the proposition becomes perfectly harmless. We none of 

 us disagree with him. We all agree. 



Then, the next is the question about the vessel's national char- 

 acter : 



" When a vessel has produced papers showing that she is an Ameri- 

 can vessel, the officials of Newfoundland have no concern with the 

 character or extent of the privileges accorded to such a vessel by the 

 Government of the United States. No question as. between a registry 

 and licence is a proper subject for their consideration. They are not 

 charged with enforcing any laws or regulations of the United States. 

 As to them, if the vessel is American she has the Treaty right, and 

 they are not at liberty to deny it. 



" If any such matter were a proper subject for the consideration of 

 the officials of Newfoundland, the statement of this Department that 

 vessels bearing an American Registry are entitled to exercise the 

 Treaty right should be taken by such officials as conclusive." 



What does it all mean ? What is the purport of all these observa- 

 tions about an American vessel? The object of it is not to treat 

 " vessel " as though it were an equivalent term for '' master," though 

 Mr. Root says that is all it is. The object is to get the idea of the 

 master, who is an inhabitant, out of our heads, and having got that 

 idea out of our heads, and put a vessel in its place, then it follows 

 easily that a vessel means something with a crew, and a crew may 

 mean Japanese, Chinamen, Newfoundlanders, Nova Scotians any- 

 body you like. And there is your treaty gone. 



That is the object of the six propositions, and they are all seen to be 

 inapplicable when you come back to your treaty, and see the treaty 

 does not talk about vessels. It talks about inhabitants. You may 

 come in any vessel you like. You may swim, if you please. You 

 may come as you like, but you must be an inhabitant. If you say 

 that you cannot do your work by yourself and must have people and 

 servants with you, then you must get more inhabitants. That is all. 

 And if you say then : " I want to bring a foreigner," and come with 

 your vessel to my 3-mile limit, you find there you are faced by my 



