516 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



Austrian. An extension of time, however, was agreed upon,, 

 for Canada, still anxious for reciprocity, had sent proposals 

 to Washington for a new treaty of commerce and fisheries 

 which would do away with the proposed board of arbitra- 

 tion, and entirely dispense with all additional compensa- 

 tion for the freedom of her fisheries. A draft of treaty 

 was presented, the provisions of which almost totally 

 removed protective duties from Canadian products, but 

 guaranteed in return perfect freedom to American fisher- 

 men. The proposition was submitted to the Senate in 1874,. 

 and met with an unfavorable report the following year. 

 The matter of the unselected commissioner accordingly 

 revived. 



The stipulated time as extended had passed, and in 1875- 

 the British premier requested an identical note to the 

 Austrian Ambassador in London, asking him to name the 

 third commissioner. For various reasons the correspon- 

 dence dragged on for over a year without results, but 

 at length the Secretary of State, finding himself between 

 Scylla and Charybdis, and being exceedingly desirous of 

 closing the matter as quickly as possible, decided that 

 Mr. Delfosse's selection would likely prove the lesser evil of 

 the two ; he accordingly suggested to the British authori- 

 ties, in 1877, that the United States would not oppose the 

 appointment of the Belgian if the British Government still 

 desired his selection. It was agreed, however, upon a 

 request from London, that in conformity with the treaty 

 stipulations, Count Beust, the Austrian Ambassador at Lon- 

 don, should name Mr. Delfosse, which he proceeded to do< 

 at once. 



Thus the United States was placed in the unfortunate and 

 wholly false attitude of having requested Mr. Delfosse's ap- 

 pointment, and was therefore all the more hopelessly estopped 

 from afterward excepting to any reward he might see fit to- 

 make. Much adverse criticism was expressed in the United 

 States when all the correspondence was published, which 

 brought to light the clever diplomatic tactics of Great Britain 

 in taking advantage of the American commissioners' blunder 



