2246 NORTH ATLANTIC COAST FISHERIES ARBITRATION. 



tent, and of nearly equal amount, on each side. It seems better not 

 to entangle the question of peace with their discussion, with respect 

 to the third point although the British Government will be pre- 

 pared to enter into it, with every desire to come to an understand- 

 ing, they do not conceive that the war ought to be protracted on 

 this ground alone. 



The main question, then, seems to be, upon what general prin- 

 ciples is the British. Government ready to terminate the contest, as 

 far as relates to boundaries and the Indians I state upon what 

 general principles for, until the American Commissioners are pre- 

 pared to agree to certain fixed principles as the basis of a provisional 

 article, the discussion of details can be productive of no possible 

 advantage. 



Upon the point of frontier, you may state that the views of the 

 British Government are strictly defensive. They consider the course 

 of the lakes, from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior, both inclusive, 

 to be the natural military frontier of the British possessions in 

 North America; as the weaker power on the North American con- 

 tinent, the least capable of acting offensively, and the most exposed 

 to sudden invasion, Great Britain considers itself entitled to claim 

 the use of those lakes as a military barrier. It is quite obvious that 

 a boundary-line, equally dividing these waters, with a right in each 

 State to arm, both upon the lakes and upon their shores, must be 

 calculated hereafter to create a perpetual contest for naval ascend- 

 ency, in peace as well as in war a species of conflict which is likely 

 to be productive of an extent of expense and jealousy, equally to 

 be deprecated by both Governments. It becomes, therefore, neces- 

 sary, for the sake of peace, to decide to which Power these waters 

 shall, in a military sense, exclusively belong; and, for the reasons 

 above stated, Great Britain considers that she is entitled to lay 

 claim to them. 



To give practical operation to this principle it seems necessary that 

 the Power to whom the lakes belong shall have the military command 

 of both shores, to effect which a scope of territory, with a suitable 

 frontier, is important. 



The British Government is prepared to assign, for delibera- 

 1358 tion, a boundary in execution of this object ; but, as this would 

 necessarily extend their possessions to the southward of the 

 lakes, and as territory, as such, is by no means the object they have in 

 view, they will be disposed to leave the sovereignty of the soil undis- 

 turbed, and, as incident to it, the free commercial navigation of the 

 lakes, as at present enjoyed by the United States, provided the 

 American Government will stipulate not to preserve or to construct 

 any fortifications upon or within a limited distance of the shores, or 

 maintain or construct any armed vessels upon the lakes in question 

 or upon the rivers which empty themselves into the same. 



If this can be regulated there will then remain for discussion the 

 arrangement of the northwestern boundary between Lake Superior 

 and the Mississippi, and on the side of lower Canada, such a line of 

 demarcation as may establish a direct line of communication between 

 Quebec and Halifax. The free navigation of the Mississippi must 

 also be provided for in the arrangements to be made. 



With respect to the Indians, you will repeat that their being ex- 

 pressly included in the peace is considered to be a sine qua non; and, 



