56 CASE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The protocols of tile conferences " show that three drafts in all of 

 the jBsheries article were proposed during these negotiations. The 

 first was proposed by the American Plenipotentiaries at the third 

 conference, which was held on September 17, 1818, and was accom- 

 panied by an explanatory memorandum. A counter proposal was 

 made by the British Plenipotentiaries at the fifth conference, which 

 was held on October 6, 1818. To this counter proposal the Ameri- 

 can Plenipotentiaries raised objections which were set forth in a 

 memorandum submitted by them to the British Plenipotentiaries on 

 the following day, and at the sixth conference, which was held on 

 the 9th of October, 1818, the American Plenipotentiaries declared 

 " that they could not agree to the article upon the fisheries brought 

 forward by the British Plenipotentiaries at the preceding confer- 

 ence." The third proposal, which proved to be the final one, was 

 made by the British Plenipotentiaries at the next following confer- 

 ence which was held on the 13th of October, 1818. The fisheries 

 articles thus proposed was agreed to practically without change at the 

 next conference, held on the 19th of October, 1818, and became 

 Article I of the treaty which was signed on the following day. 



The first draft of the article as proposed by the American Pleni- 

 potentiaries was in the following form: 



Article A. 



Whereas differences have arisen respecting the liberty claimed by 

 the United States for the inhabitants thereof to take, dry and cure 

 fish on certain coasts, bays, harbors, and creeks of His Britannic 

 Majesty's dominions in America : It is agreed between the high con- 

 tracting parties that the inhabitants of the said United States shall 

 continue to enjoy unmolested, for ever, the liberty to take fish, of 

 every kind, on that part of the southern coast of Newfoundland 

 which extends from Cape Eay to the Ramea islands, and the western 

 and northern coast of Newfoundland, from the said Cape Ray to the 

 Quirpon island, on the Magdalen islands; and also on the coasts, 

 bays, harbors, and creeks from Mount Joli, on the southern coast of 

 Labrador, to and through the straits of Belleisle, and thence, north- 

 wardly, indefinitely, along the coast; and that the American fisher- 

 men shall also have liberty for ever to dry and cure fish in any of 

 the unsettled bays, harbors, and creeks of the southern part of the 

 coast of Newfoundland here above described, of the Magdalen islands, 

 and of Labrador, as here above described; but so soon as the same, 

 or either of them, shall be settled, it shall not be lawful for the said 

 fishermen to dry or cure fish at such settlement, without previous 



a Appendix, p. 308-317. 



