26 



of St. Pierre and Miquelon to France, regards them as ceded for the 

 purpose of serving as a real shelter to the French fishermen, and in fiill 

 confidence tluit these possessions will not become an object of jealousy 

 between the two nations, and that the fishery between the said 

 islands and that of Newfoundland shall be limited to the middle of 

 the channel." 



In the " counter declaration" on the part of France, it is said that — 



" Tlie King of Great Britain undoubiedly places too much confidence 

 in the uprighTness of his Majesty's intentions not to rely upon his con- 

 stant attention to prevent the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon from 

 becoming an object of jealousy between the two nations. As to the 

 fishery on the coasts of Newrbundland, which has been the object of 

 the new arrangements settled by the two sovereigns upon this matter, 

 it is sufficiently ascertained by the 5th article of the treaty of peace 

 signed this day, and by the declaration likewise delivered this day by 

 his Britannic Majesty's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary; 

 and his Majesty declares that he is fully satisfied on this head. In re- 

 gard to the fishery between the island of Newtbundland and those of 

 St. Pierre and Miquelon, it is not to be carried on, by either party, but 

 to the middle of the chaimel; and his Majesty will give the most posi- 

 tive orders that the French fishermen shall not go beyond this line. 

 His Majesty is firmly persuaded that the King of Great Britain wiU 

 give like orders to the English fishermen." 



The fishery at St. Pierre and Miquelon, at the period of the French 

 revolution, was in a prosperous condition; but the confusion and distresses 

 of civil war soon produced a disastrous change, and the fishing-grounds 

 were in a great degree abandoned itjr several years. In 1792, the 

 number of men employed both at Newfoundland and Iceland was less 

 than thirty-four hundred. The hostile relations with England which 

 followed the domestic commotions caused additional misfortunes, until 

 the peace of Amiens, in 1802.* 



In the year 1800, by a treaty between the United States and France, 

 concluded at Paris, it was stipulated that "neither party will interfere 

 with the fisheries of the other on its coasts, nor disturb the other in the 

 exercise of its rights which it now holds, or may acquire, on the coast 

 of Newfoundland, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or elsewhere on the 

 American coast northward of the United States. But the whale and seal 

 fisheries shall be free to both in every quarter of the world." Napoleon, 

 at this time, was "premier consul of the French republic." 



The French cod-fishery at Newfoundland was hardly re-estabhshed 

 at the peace of Amiens, when renewed hostilities with England occa- 

 sioned fresh calamities. Until the downfill of Napoleon, in 1814, this 

 branch of distant industry was pursued without vigor, and with severe 

 losses. 



* The fishing privileges wliich were contiuued to France were again the subject of complaint 

 at the peace of Amiens. The Eight Hon. "William "Windham, in a speech in rarliament, Novem- 

 ber 4, 1801 , said that, by the terms of the proposed peace, " France gives nothing, and, excepting 

 Trinidad and Ceylou, England gives everythmg;" and in the enumeration of cessions which 

 " tended ouly to coutirm more and more the deep despair in which he was plunged in con- 

 templating the probable consequences of the present treaty," he mentioned, "in North 

 America, St. Pierre and Miquelon, with a right to the fisheries in the fullest extent to which 

 eaey were ever claimed." 



