QUESTION SIX. 255 



thousand men. They assembled to put at rest the question of 

 the effect of the War of 1812 upon American fishing liberties, and to 

 prevent the recurrence of another war. Everyone believed for nearly 

 ninety years that they had been successful in putting that question at 

 rest forever. 



It was reserved for SijjjRobert Bond to discover that they had 

 been unsuccessful and that two countries had slept in peace for well 

 nigh a century in blissful ignorance of their insecurity. 



Second. The result would be that American fishermen would have 

 no right by this treaty to seek shelter in any of the bays, harbors, and 

 creeks, of the west coast of Newfoundland, and of the Magdalen 

 Islands, off which they are admittedly at liberty to fish. 



The proviso at the end of Article I of the treaty is as follows : 



Provided, however, That the American fishermen shall be admitted 

 to enter such bays or harbours for the purpose of shelter, and of 

 repairing damages therein, of purchasing wood and of obtaining 

 water, and for no other purpose whatever. 



u Such bays or harbours " are of course the bays and harbors last 

 mentioned in the treaty, fishing in which had been " forever " re- 

 nounced. These are the bays and harbors which are "not included 

 within the above-mentioned limits," i. e., not on the treaty coasts. 

 Accordingly, if the Bond contention were correct, American fishing 

 vessels may seek shelter and repair damages and procure wood and 

 water in every bay and harbor of His Majesty's dominions except 

 those of the west coast of Newfoundland, and of the Magdalen 

 Islands, off which admittedly they have a right to fish. 



Under this contention, although American vessels may engage 

 freely in fishing off the treaty coasts, the bays and harbors would be 

 closed to them in time of danger and disaster. They may fish, but 

 they would have no right under this treaty to enter bays for shelter 

 or repairs, wood or water, until they have passed around to the south, 

 beyond the Kameau Islands, or to the north beyond the Quirpon 

 Islands. 



Third. The result would be that, on the southern coast of New- 

 foundland the American fishing vessels would have the right to take 

 fish outside the bays, creeks, and harbors, from Cape Kay to the 

 Rameau Islands, but would be excluded from fishing in those bays, 



