PERIOD FROM 1871 TO 1888. 161 



be observed, the use of the Fisheries was granted without any tariff 

 concession whatever on the part of the United States, even as to the 

 importation of fish. 



Canada could not reasonably expect that this country should, for 

 an indefinite period, incur the constant risk of serious misunderstand- 

 ing with the United States; imperilling, perhaps, the peace of the 

 whole Empire, in order to endeavor to force the American Govern- 

 ment to change its commercial policy; and Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment are confident that, w^hen the Treaty is considered as a whole, 

 the Canadian people will see that their interests have been carefully 

 borne in mind, and that the advantages, which they will derive from 

 its provisions, are commensurate with the concessions which they 

 are called upon to make.'^ 



The Halifax Award. 



The Fisheries Commission referred to in Article XXII. of the 

 treaty of 1871 met at Hahfax on June 15, 1877, for the purpose of 

 determining under the provisions of that treaty, how much, if any, 

 greater was the value of the privileges accorded to the citizens of 

 the United States under Article XVIII. than those accorded by 

 Articles XIX. and XXI. to the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty; 

 and on the 23rd day of November of that year the British commis- 

 sioner and the umpire rendered a decision, the American commis- 

 sioner dissenting, by wliich they awarded "the sum of $5,500,000. 

 in gold to be paid by the Government of the United States to the 

 Government of Her Britannic Majesty." as compensation for the 

 excess value of the privileges accorded to the citizens of the United 

 States over those accorded to the subjects of Great Britain in accord- 

 ance with the provisions of the treaty. 



In the proceedings before the Hahfax Commission it was contended 

 on the part of Great Britain that among the privileges secured to 

 the inhabitants of the United States under the treaty, "the entire 

 freedom of the inshore fisheries on the coast of Newfoundland,''^ apart 

 from the freedom of the fisheries on the treaty coasts under the treaty 

 of 1818, was of immense value. As this privilege was described in 

 the treaty of 1871 as a hberty "in common with the subjects of Her 

 Britannic Majesty," which is the same expression used in the treaty 

 of 1818 with respect to the fishing hberty of the inhabitants of the 

 United States on the treaty coasts under that treaty, the British con- 

 tention with respect to the extent and value of the hberty thus 



o Appendix, p. 640. 



