NORTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES DISPUTE 9 



Newfoundland but, under this regulation, they were confined to the 

 'Treaty Shore' and forced to catch it themselves. This involved three 

 handicaps — 'they do not carry the proper gear nor enough men for such 

 work, bait is not obtainable there till late in the season and this area is 

 too remote from the cod-fishing grounds. The Act could also seriously 

 cripple their winter herring fishery at bay of Islands. ' 



In 1888, as already mentioned, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain and Mr. 

 Bayard negotiated the, so-called, Chamberlain-Bayard Treaty which was 

 rejected by the United States Senate. Pending the completion of the 

 negotiations, a modus vivendi was arranged, Newfoundland granting in- 

 shore fishing privileges to United States fishing vessels on payment of an 

 annual license fee of $1.50 per ship ton. This was extended during the 

 negotiations that resulted in the Bond-Blaine Convention. 



Bond-Blaine In 1891, a draft Convention between Great Britain and 



Convention the United States for the "Improvement of Commercial 

 Relations between the United States and Newfoundland" was negotiated. 

 It provided for : purchase of bait by United States vessels ; the admission 

 to the United States, free of duty, of Newfoundland fish — except 'green' 

 cod ; the reduction by Newfoundland of the duty on flour, pork and other 

 articles of food and on coal oil and the admission free of duty of agri- 

 cultural implements, raw cotton, etc., imported from the United States. 



This Convention, commonly known as the Bond-Blaine Treaty, was 

 protested by Canada on the ground tliat. as the Newfoundland fisheries 

 were the common property of all British subjects, that colony could not 

 dispose of them in return for concessions to herself only. The Govern- 

 ment of Great Britain, accordingly, declined to ratify it pending the 

 negotiation by Canada of a reciprocity treaty with the United States. 



The Newfoundland Statutes of 1892, provided for: 



(a) Compulsory pilotage for the port of St. John. 



(b) Close season for herring, salmon and bait fishes. 



(c) Size of mesh of net. 



(d) Forbade the unlicensed exportation or sale of bait fishes. 



In 1893, an Act was passed forbidding unlicensed foreign fishing 

 vessels to purchase bait-fish or to engage Newfoundlanders. The ' ' Cust- 

 oms Act," 1898, provided for the entering and clearing of all foreign 

 vessels arriving at, or departing from, the coasts of the colony. An Act 

 of 1899, levied light dues on all vessels "other than coasting, sealing or 

 fishing vessels owned and registered" in Newfoundland. 



Bond-Hay November 8, 1902, another treaty was negotiated. The 



Convention terms of the new Convention were similar to those of the 

 1891 treaty except that the free list of United States imports into 



