MISCELLANEOUS. 1053 



have at different times already stated to Mr. Clayton and yourself, 

 viz.: that her Majesty's government would see with pleasure any ar- 

 rangement, either by treaty or by legislation, establishing a free in- 

 terchange of all natural productions not only between Canada and the 

 United States, but between the United States and all her Majesty's 

 North American provinces; and furthermore, I am willing to say 

 that in the event of such an arrangement, her Majesty's government 

 would be ready to open to American shipping the waters of the river 

 St. Lawrence with the canals adjoining, according to the terms of a 

 letter which I addressed to Mr. Clayton on 27th March, 1850, for the 

 information of the Committee on Commerce in the House of Repre- 

 sentatives, and to which I take the liberty of referring you, whilst I 

 may add that her Majesty's government would in this case be like- 

 wise willing to open to American fishermen the fisheries along the 

 coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, according to the conditions 

 specified in the enclosed extract from instructions with which I am 

 furnished. 



The willingness to grant to American citizens on such reasonable 

 conditions two important privileges so long enjoyed exclusively by 

 the subjects of Great Britain, will testify clearly to the spirit by 

 which the British government is on this occasion animated; and as 

 affairs have now arrived at that crisis in which a frank explanation 

 of the views of either party is necessary for the interests and right 

 understanding of both, I take the liberty of begging you to inform me 

 whether you are disposed, on the part of the United States, to enter 

 into such a convention as will place the commercial relations between 

 the United States and her Majesty's North American colonies on the 

 footing which I have here proposed ; or whether, in the event of there 

 appearing to you any objection to proceed by convention in this 

 matter, you can assure me that the United States government will 

 take the earliest opportunity of urgently recommending Congress to 

 carry out the object aforesaid by the means of legislation. 



I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you the assurance of 

 my highest consideration. 



H. L. BULWER. 



Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER, &c., &c., &c. 



[Inclosure.] 



Lord Elgin and Kincardine to Sir H. L. Bulwer. 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE, 



Toronto, June 7, 1851. 



SIR: I have the honor to transmit for your excellency's information 

 the copy of a memorandum and accompanying documents, which has 

 been submitted to me by the Honorable Mr. Hincks, inspector-general 

 of public accounts in this province, on the subject of the closing of 

 the Canadian canals to foreign vessels. You are, I believe, aware .that 

 a measure, such as that recommended by Mr. Hincks, has been for 

 some time contemplated by the Canadian Government. 



I have been most unwilling to have recourse to it, more particularly 

 after the representations made by the gentlemen from Oswego, who 

 visited this city some time ago. 



The discussion which took place in the legislative assembly last 

 evening, to which Mr. Hincks refers in his memorandum, indicates, 



