252 THE ARGUMENT OP THE UNITED STATES. 



ernor McGregor's " responsible advisers," of whom Sir Robert Bond 

 was chief, as of sufficient importance to form a part of their " chief 

 desire," nor to be dignified even by mention among the matters to be 

 left " in abeyance." 



If any question existed as to the full recognition by Great Britain 

 of rights of American fishermen in the bays of the treaty coasts, it 

 was set at rest by Sir Edward Grey's note to Mr. Eeid of February 2, 

 1906, in which he insisted that the denial of commercial privileges to 

 American fishermen did not entitle "American vessels to exemption 

 from light dues in the ports in which they fish." 



Sir Edward Grey was equally precise in the same note in again 

 fixing the bays as places where Americans may fish. He stated in 

 regard to reporting at customs-houses : 



* * *, but it must be remembered that, in proceeding to the 

 waters in which the winter fishery is conducted, American vessels must 

 pass in close proximity to several custom-houses, and that in order to 

 reach or leave the grounds in the arms of the Bay of Islands, on which 

 the fishery has been principally carried on during the past season, they 

 have sailed by no less than three custom-houses on the shores of the 

 bay itself. So that the obligation to report and clear need not in any 

 way have interfered with a vessel's operations. It must also be 

 remembered that a fishery conducted in the midst of practically the 

 only centres of population on the west coast of the colony affords 

 ample opportunities for illicit trade, and consequently calls for care- 

 ful supervision in the interests of the colonial revenue. 



* **** 



It is, moreover, to the advantage of the American vessels engaged 

 in the winter fishery in the Bay of Islands that they should report at 

 a colonial custom-house. Owing to the extent and peculiar configura- 

 tion of that bay, and owing to the prevalence of fogs, vessels that 

 enter its inner waters may remain for days without the local officers 

 becoming aware that they are on the coast unless they so report. In 

 such circumstances it is difficult for the Colonial Government to in- 

 sure to American fishermen that protection against lawless interfer- 

 ence for which Mr. Root calls in the concluding part of his note. 



In order to sail by three custom-houses in the Bay of Islands, a 

 vessel must have passed at least ten miles through the bay and into 

 the Humber Arm. 



Sir Edward Grey evidently knew that the fishing grounds were 

 inside the bay. The remark was not an inadvertence, for it is re- 

 peated in almost identical language in his note of June 20, 1907, to 

 Mr. Reid. 6 



U. S. Case, Appendix, 975. *U. S. Case, Appendix, 1006. 



