178 THE ARGUMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 



men of the United States, some such compensating advantages as are 

 pointed out in my despatch No. 271 of the 17th September, 1844. 

 will be demanded and obtained for the fishermen of Nova Scotia, 

 and I take the liberty of again requesting your Lordship to bring this 

 important point under the notice of the secretary of state for foreign 

 affairs. 



The Government of Great Britain did not notify the Government 

 of the United States through its minister at London, or in any other 

 manner, of its final conclusion, which was to be made after the notes 

 complaining of the seizures had been brought to the attention of the 

 colonial office. 



The protests of Nova Scotia against the decision of the British 

 Government to concur in the interpretation of the Government of the 

 United States, accompanied by the suggestion of negotiating until 

 some compensating advantages could be obtained for the fishermen of 

 Nova Scotia, did not result in any attempt to enforce the Nova Scotia 

 interpretation of this renunciatory clause. The American fishermen 

 were not molested in the pursuit of their occupation in the great outer 

 bays along the coasts of the British possessions. 



THE NOVA SCOTIA THEORY NOT ADOPTED BY THE OTHER 



COLONIES. 



The Journal of the Legislative Assembly of Newfoundland in 1845 

 contains a report of a committee of the Assembly : 



Your committee in referring to-4he American fisheries have also 

 to say that they have no data to ground a correct estimate of them, 

 but they can state that it is very extensive, employing from 1,500 to 

 2,000 sail of decked vessels, averaging from 40 to 100 tons burthen. 

 The catch of fish in the British waters has been estimated at 1,100,000 

 quintals, which must give employment to 25.000 fishermen and sea- 

 men. The American fishers are observed in great numbers on the 

 Grande Bank and on the fishing grounds in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 all along the shores of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward's Island, New- 

 foundland, and the shores of Labrador.'' 



This committee understood that "by the convention of 1818, the 

 Americans of the United States are allowed to fish along all our 

 coasts, and harbours, within three marine miles of the shore (an 

 indefinite distance)." It is evident that the Newfoundland Gov- 

 ernment did not agree with the Nova Scotia interpretation, for, if 

 the fishermen of the United States were entitled to fish along all 

 the coasts and harbors of Newfoundland, within three marine miles 



British Case, Appendix, 150. U. S. Case, Appendix, 1068. 



