PERIOD FROM 1836 TO 1841. 89 



master to go oil', he declined doing so, offering notliing in vindica- 

 tion but scurrilous contempt, and my means were inadequate to 

 enforce any measures of redress.** 



The Secretary of State rephed to the British Charge, on January 18, 



1836, stating that although the case of the schooner Bethel was the 



only encroaclnnent specifically mentioned — 



the President, desirous of avoiding just ground of complaint on the 

 part of the British government on this subject, and preventing the 

 injury which might result to American fishermen from trespassing 

 on the acknowledged British fishing grounds, has, without Vv-aiting 

 for an examination of the general complaint, or into that respecting 

 the Bethel, directed the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the col- 

 lectors to inform the masters, owners, and others engaged in the 

 fisheries, that complaints haA^e been made, and to enjoin upon 

 those persons a strict observance of the hmits assigned for taking, 

 drying, and curing fish by the American fishermen, under the con- 

 vention of 1818.^ 



Pursuant to the direction of the President as above stated, the 

 Secretary of the Treasuiy issued, under date of January 21, 1836, 

 the f olloAving circular letter of instructions : 



Representations have been made to our government through the 

 charge d'affaires of his Britannic Majesty, of encroachments by the 

 American fishermen upon the fisliing-grounds secured exclusively 

 to British fishermen by the convention between the United States 

 and Great Britain, bearing date the 20th day of October, 1818. 



The President, being desirous of avoiding any just cause of dis- 

 satisfaction on the part of the British government on this subject, 

 and with a view of preventing the injury which might result to the 

 American fishermen from trespassing uf)on the acknowledged British 

 fiisliing-grounds, directs that you will inform the masters, owners, 

 and others employed in the fisheries in your district, of the foregoing 

 complaints; and that they be enjoined to observe strictly the limits 

 assigned for taking, drying, and curing fish, by the fishermen of the 

 United States, under the convention before stated. 



In order that persons engaged in the fisheries may be furnished 

 with the necessary information, the first article of the convention, 

 containing the provision upon this subject, is annexed to this 

 circular.'^ 



Seizures in 1838-1840. 



The only seizures of American fishing vessels which occurred 

 during the period from 1836 to 1840 were made on the Nova 

 Scotia coast in the years 1838, 1839, and 1840 under the Nova Scotia 

 Act of 1836. It has already been shown that the only part of the 

 treaty to which the provisions of this act related was the renuncia- 

 tory clause, including the provision in respect of restrictions at the 



o Appendix, p. 409. 6 Appendix, p. 410. c Appendix, p. 410. 



