A. D. 1783. 5 



alfo added on both fides, expreflive of the defire of the fovereigns to 

 eftablifla commerce on the mod favourable footing for both nations. 



By the treaty with the United ftates of America 



Article I ) His Britannic Majefly acknowleged the United ftatcs, viz. 

 New Hampfhire, MalTachufets bay, Rhode illand and Providence plan- 

 tations, Connedicut, New- York, New-Jerfey, Penniylvania, Delaware, 

 Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to 

 be free, fovereign, and independent, ftates ; and relinquiflied all claims 

 to the government, property, or territorial rights,. of them. 



2) The boundary was fixed to commence from the River S\ Croix, 

 and to proceed from the fource of it *, by feveral pofitions, which will 

 be much better underftood by a glance upon the map of the United 

 ftates than by verbal defcription, to the great lakes, through the middle 

 of them, and weft from them to the Lake of the Woods, whence the 

 boundary joins the River Mifliflippi, and proceeds down the middle 

 ftream of it to 31° north latitude, whence it breaks off", in a line nearly 

 eaft, to the head of the River S'. Marys, and proceeds down that river 

 to the Atlantic ocean, which forms the eaftern boundary, comprehend- 

 ing all iftands within twenty leagues of the coaft, except thofe belong- 

 ing to the province of Nova Scotia. . 



3) It was agreed, that the people of the United ftates (hould continue 

 to enjoy unmolefted the right to take fifti of every kind on the Great 

 bank, and on all the other banks, of Newfoundland, in the Gulf of S'. 

 Laurence, and all other parts of the fea, where they ufed to fifh former- 

 ly ; and alfo that they ftiould have liberty to catch fiftx on thofe parts of 

 the coaft of Newfoundland ufed by Britifti fifliermen (but not to dry 

 or cure them on that ifland) and alfo on the coafts of all other parts of 

 the Britifh domijaions in America, with liberty to dry and cure fifh in 

 any of the unfettled bays, harbours, and creeks, of Nova Scotia, Mag- 

 dalen iflands, and Labrador, fo long as the fame remain unfettled, and 

 no longer, except by permifllon of the inhabitants f. 



4) It was agreed, that the creditors on either fide ftiould meet with 

 no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in fterling mo- 

 ney of all bona-fide debts. 



5) It was agreed, that the congrefs ftiould earneftly recommend it to 

 the legiflatures of the different ftates to reftore all property taken from 

 individuals for their attachment to the caufe of Great Britain, they re- 



* Which of the feveral branches of this tiver ' without the knowlege of the; French minifters, 



was to be taken fur the boundary, became a doubt- ' and contrary to orders from Congrefs, fuddertly 



ful qucl\ion, which required the appointment of ' ligned the provifional articles with our negotiator, 



commiflaries on both fides to decide it. The Nile ' who (ignorant of the above circumftance, al- 



of Egypt is not the only river, which has puzzled ' though known to many at Paris) had explained 



people to fay, where is its head I < that he was ready to fign on any terms, and 



t ' France did not intend, the American ftates * readily gave up the Newfoundland fifliery.' 



' Ihould have a Oiare of the Newfoundland fifliery, ^L^rd Sheffield's Obfervations en the commerce of 



' which, it is faid, coming to the knowlege of the jim:nca,p. 6g,JixSh ed.'\ 

 ' American commiflipr.ers, they immediately, and 



