QUESTION FIVE. 139 



Mr. Bagot, as the basis of his instructions, had been furnished 

 with the notes which had passed between Earl Bathurst and Mr. 

 Adams, from which he would clearly understand, as Mr. Madi- 

 son had understood, that the "British limits" comprehended only 

 those bays, creeks, harbors, and waters lying close upon and within 

 three marine miles from the shores of the British possessions. 



The "differences", which Mr. Bagot was undertaking to adjust, 

 consisted of a demand on the part of the United States for "ade- 

 quate accommodation ", both in point of harbors and drying ground 

 on certain portions of the unsettled coast within the British sov- 

 ereignty, on condition that it was distinctly agreed " that all pre- 

 tensions to fish or dry within the maritime limits or on any other of 

 the coasts of British North America should be abandoned." * 



The contention of Great Britain was that the fishermen of the 

 United States should not be permitted to fish or dry within the " mari- 

 time limits " of Great Britain, which were understood to extend three 

 marine miles from the shores, comprehending the harbors and 

 waters lying close upon the shores, except along and upon those 

 portions of the coasts to be designated and agreed upon. It is im- 

 portant that this position of Great Britain, as to what the United 

 States should not be permitted to enjoy, be held in mind for it is not 

 to be presumed that later the American Commissioners and the 

 United States would voluntarily renounce rights, which Great Britain 

 had never even intimated or suggested should be surrendered. 



The negotiations between Mr. Bagot and Mr. Monroe failed of 

 any satisfactory result, and Mr. Monroe advised Mr. Adams Feb- 

 ruary, 1817: 



I have the honor to forward to you, herewith, a copy of my cor- 

 respondence with Mr. Bagot in relation to the fisheries on the coast of 

 Labrador, etc., from which you will perceive that our negotiations on 

 that interesting subject have not had the desired result. * * * 

 In the meantime, he [the President] expects that no measures will be 

 taken by the British Government to alter the existing state of things, 

 and that it will be in your power to obtain a renewal of the order 

 to the naval officers commanding on that station not to interrupt or 

 disturb our fishermen during the approaching season. 6 



Mr. Adams, in April, 1817, informed Lord Castlereagh that the 

 negotiations in Washington had not been successful, but that it was 



U. S. Case, 37 ; Appendix, 289-290. U. S. Case, Appendix, 294. 

 92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 8 ^0 



