804 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



chase fish caught and sold by Canadians, for the purpose of can- 

 ning as sardines. 



The action of Captain Kent seems to be a gross violation of ordinary 

 commercial privileges against an American citizen proposing to 

 transact his customary and lawful trade and not prepared or in- 

 tending in any way to fish or violate any local law or regulation or 

 treaty stipulation. 



1 trust instant instructions to prevent, the recurrence of such un- 

 friendly and unlawful treatment of American citizens may be given to 

 the offending officials at St. Andrews, and reparation be made to Mr. 

 Balkam. 



I have, &c., T. F. BAYARD. 



Mr. Harding e to Mr. Bayard. 



BRITISH LEGATION, 



Washington, July 17\ 1886. (Received July 19.) 

 SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of 

 yesterday's date, protesting against the action of Captain Kent, of the 

 Dominion cruiser General Middleton, in expelling Stephen R. Balkam 

 from the harbor of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and in refusing to 

 permit him to purchase fish, caught and sold by Canadians, for the 

 purpose of canning as sardines. 



I have, &c., CHARLES HARDINGE. 



Earl of Rosebery to Mr. Phelps. 



FOREIGN OFFICE, July 23, 18S6. 



SIR, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of 

 the 16th instant, inclosing a copy of a telegram from Mr. Bayard, 

 in which he calls upon Her Majesty's Government to put a stop to 

 the action of Canadian authorities towards United States' fishermen, 

 which he characterizes as unjust, arbitrary, and vexatious. 



Mr. Bayard further states that the readiness of the United States' 

 Government to endeavour to come to a just and fair joint interpreta- 

 tion of Treaty rights and commercial privileges is ill met by per- 

 sistent and unfriendly action of the Canadian authorities, which is 

 rapidly producing a most injurious and exasperating effect. 



I cannot help regretting that the tone of this communication should 

 not have more corresponded with the conciliatory disposition of Her 

 Majesty's Government, for the expressions which I have cited can 

 hardly tend to facilitate a settlement of the difficult questions in- 

 volved. 



I beg, however, to state that the views of the Canadian Government 

 upon the whole matter will very shortly be communicated to the 

 United States' Government in a despatch which I have addressed to 

 Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, in reply to the various com- 

 munications which he has received from Mr. Bayard. I shall have 

 the honour to place a copy of the despatch in question in your hands. 



As regards the disposition expressed by Mr. Bayard to come to 

 a just and fair joint interpretation of Treaty rights, Her Majesty's 

 Government have already displayed their full readiness to negotiate 



