244 THE FISHER Y LA WS. 



Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France and the Netherlands 

 (power being reserved for Sweden and Norway to come in). 

 It contains rules as to lettering, numbering, and official 

 papers ; as to the duty of boats not to interfere with each 

 other's fishing, with a special prohibition of " any instrument 

 or engine which serves only to cut or destroy nets ; " * and 

 as to the manner in which the Convention is to be carried 

 out, and the superintendence of the fisheries exercised, by 

 the cruisers of the several contracting Powers. This Con- 

 vention has not yet acquired legal force as regards British 

 fishermen ; but it is understood that a Bill to confirm it will 

 be introduced in the present session of Parliament. When- 

 ever the North Sea Convention takes effect, the present 

 anomalous relations between England and France as to 

 the Channel fisheries will have to be reconsidered. It will 

 be remembered that British fishermen are under one law 

 and French under another ; and an additional complication 

 may be introduced by the limits of the new Convention, 

 to which France is a party, overlapping those of the old 

 ones at some points. This seems not unlikely to lead to 

 total abrogation of the former Conventions, and the adoption, 

 as between England and France, of the North Sea Con- 

 vention (with whatever not inconsistent additions the local 

 circumstances may require) for the Channel fisheries also. 



The Treaty of Washington, made in 1871 between 

 England and the United States, contained articles (after- 

 wards confirmed by Parliament) 2 giving American fisher- 



1 Such an instrument, known as the "devil," has been used by 

 Belgian sailors and fishermen to the great grievance of the fishermen 

 of other nations. Its use, sale, and manufacture are now prohibited 

 by a Belgian law of March 27, 1882. 



2 35 & 36 Viet. c. 45. The Act seems to have been required only for 

 the purpose of repealing earlier inconsistent statutes. 



