PERIOD FROM 1871 TO 1905. 641 



separately with the Fisheries, and to endeavor to find some other 

 equivalent; and the reciprocal concession of free fishery with free 

 import of fish and fish oil, together with the payment of such a sum 

 of money as may fairly represent the excess of value of the Colonial 

 over the American concession, seems to them to be an equitable solu- 

 tion of the difficulty. It is perfectly true that the right of fishery on 

 the United States coasts, conceded under Article XIX, is far less 

 valuable than the right of fishery in Colonial waters, conceded under 

 Article XVIII, to the United States, but on the other hand, it 

 cannot be denied that it is most important to the Colonial fishermen 

 to obtain free access to the American market for their fish and for 

 fish oil, and the balance of advantage on the side of the United States 

 will be duly redressed by the Arbitrators under Article XXII. In 

 some respects a direct money payment is perhaps a more distinct 

 recognition of the rights of the Colonies than a tariff concession, and 

 there does not seem to be any difference in principle between the ad- 

 mission of American fishermen for a term of years in consideration 

 of the payment of a sum of money in gross, and their admission under 

 the system of Licenses, calculated at so many dollars per ton, which 

 was adopted by the Colonial Government for several years after the 

 termination of the Reciprocity Treaty. In the latter case, it must 

 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 misundertand- 

 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, when 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. There cannot be a question as to the great 

 importance to Canada of the right to convey goods in bond through 

 the United States, which has been secured to her by Article XXIX; 

 and the free navigation of Lake Michigan, under Article XXVIII, 

 and the power of transhipping goods, under Article XXX, are valu- 

 able privileges which must not be overlooked in forming an estimate 

 of the advantages which Canada will obtain. Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment have no doubt that the Canadian Government will readily 

 secure to the citizens of the United States, in accordance with Article 

 XXVII, the use of the Canadian Canals, as, by the liberal policy of 

 the Dominion, those canals are already opened to them on equal 

 terms with British subjects; and they would urge upon the Dominion 

 Parliament and the Legislature of New Brunswick, that it will be 

 most advisable to make the arrangement as to duties on lumber 

 floated down the St. John River, upon which the execution of Article 

 XXX as to the transhipment of goods, is made contingent. 



The freedom to navigate the St. Lawrence, which is assured to the 

 United States by Article XXVI, has long existed in fact, and its 

 recognition by Treaty cannot be prejudicial to the Dominion, which 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 3 2 



