THE NORTHEAST COAST FISHERIES 517 



(1871) in thus leaving the choice of the third arbitrator to one 

 whose feelings toward the United States might be unfriendly. 



Both Count Beust and Mr. Delfosse were probably un- 

 aware of the proceedings that had taken place between the 

 English premier and Mr. Fish, relative to the selection of 

 a third commissioner. The former would doubtless have 

 evinced some delicacy in venturing to propose Mr. Delfosse ; 

 and the latter, had he felt that he was persona non grata in 

 this connection, would certainly have declined to serve. 



The board convened at Halifax, June 15, 1877. The 

 commission was composed of Sir Alexander Gait (British), 

 E. H. Kellogg (American), and Mr. Delfosse as the neutral 

 member. Secretaries, official reporters, and a host of cleri- 

 cal assistants, together with an array of counsel, combined 

 to make an imposing gathering. 



Newfoundland at once presented a claim for compensation 

 to the amount of $14,880,000, for privileges enjoyed by 

 American fishermen in her waters and upon her shores 

 during the past twelve years, but the argument in support 

 of this claim was met by the answer that such demands 

 were fully covered by the remission of American tariff 

 duties upon her fish. The American counsel further 

 insisted that the jurisdiction of the board was restricted to 

 the duty of ascertaining how much more valuable, if more 

 valuable at all, free Canadian fisheries were to the United 

 States than similar privileges in American waters combined 

 with free importation of Canadian fish into the United 

 States were to the Canadians. On November 23 of the 

 same year the award was found, the following verdict being 

 rendered, together with the dissenting opinion of the 

 American commissioner : 



The commissioners appointed, etc. . . . Award the sum of five 

 millions five hundred thousand dollars in gold to be paid by the 

 government of the United States to the government of Her Bri- 

 tannic Majesty in accordance with the provisions of the said treaty. 



Signed at Halifax, etc. . . . 

 MAURICE DELFOSSE. 

 A. T. GALT. 



