830 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



% Mr. Bayard to Sir L. West. 



DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 

 Washington, August 18, 1886. 



SIR: Grave cause of complaint is alleged by the masters of several 

 American fishing vessels, among which can be named the schooners 

 Shiloh and Julia Ellen, against the hostile and outrageous misbe- 

 havior of Captain Quigley, of the Canadian cruiser Terror, who, upon 

 the entrance of these vessels into the harbor of Liverpool, Nova 

 Scotia, fired a gun across their bows to hasten their coming to, and 

 placed a guard of two armed men on board each vessel, who remained 

 on board until the vessels left the harbor. 



In my note to your legation of the 9th instant I made earnest re- 

 monstrance against another unfriendly act of Captain Quigley, 

 against the schooner Rattler, of Gloucester, Mass., which, being fulfy 

 laden and on her homeward voyage, sought shelter from stress of 

 weather in Shelburne Harbor, Nova Scotia, and was then compelled 

 to report at the custom-house, and have a guard of armed men kept 

 on board. 



Such conduct cannot be defended on any just ground, and I draw 

 your attention to it in order that Her Britannic Majesty's Govern- 

 ment may reprimand Captain Quigley for his unwarranted and 

 rude act. 



It was simply impossible for this officer to suppose that any inva- 

 sion of the fishing privileges of Canada was intended by these vessels 

 under the circumstances. 



The firing of a gun across their bows was a most unusual and 

 wholly uncalled for exhibition of hostility, and equally so was the 

 placing of armed men on board the peaceful and lawful craft of a 

 friendly nation. 



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



Sir L. West to Mr. Bayard. 



WASHINGTON, August 18, 1886. 



(Received August 19.) 



SIR : With reference to your note of the 2d ultimo reporting to me 

 the detention of the American schooner City Point, of Portland, Me., 

 by the Canadian authorities at the port of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, 

 and protesting against their action in so doing, I have the honor to 

 inform you, in accordance with instructions which I have received 

 from Her Majesty's Government, that the master of the schooner 

 City Point committed a breach of the customs laws of the Dominion 

 by not reporting to customs and landing part of the crew and lug- 

 gage. The vessel in question was subsequently released on deposit 

 of $400. 



I have, &c., L. S. SACKVTT.T.E WEST. 



