8 



icaii people as an evidence ol* weakness on the part of Great 

 Britain, and of an indisposition to raaintaii] the rights of the 

 colonies." The answers of the Canadian Government to the 

 despatches from the imperial authorities are distinguished 

 throughout by an assertion of the rights and interests of 

 Canada. Concession after concession was made to the 

 United States, until at one time it did look, as Mr. 

 Mitchell, the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, pointed 

 out to his colleagues, there was every danger that " the 

 hesitation on the part of England to assert an undoubted 

 national right would be misconstrued and be made the 

 ground for othiu' and mores serious exactions, until such a 

 point is reached that neither country can recede from with 

 honor." However, the Canadian Government acquiesced in 

 the suggestion of Her Majesty's Ministers at the very outset, 

 and adopted the temporary expedient of issuing season 

 licenses to Americum tishing vessels, at a nominal tonnage 

 rate, " so as tV)rmally to preserve the light of sovereignty 

 without occasioning any dangerous complications, such as 

 were api)rehended by the imperial authorities." American 

 fishermen were restraintid at first to bays under ten giu)- 

 graphical miles, and subsequently to those only under six 

 miles in width — a concession entirely in accord with the de- 

 mands of the United States bi^fore and since 1854. During 

 tilts four years this system remained in force it was evaded, 

 and at last became practically worthless. In the first year 

 of its existence 354 licenses were taken out, but they dropptul 

 to '25 in 1869. Vice-Admiral Wellesley, then in com- 

 mand of the North American fleet, considered it his duty to 

 point out to tlu! Secretary of tlm Admiralty that, "as acon- 

 seipience of the continued indulgence towards the Ameri- 

 cans, very few colonial fishermen are engaged in fishing, 

 owing to the taritt* inq)t)sed by the United States on fish 

 imported in colonial vessels, and colonial fishermen, there- 

 fons, in consid(!rable numbers, man American vessels," The 

 government of Canada, led then, as now, by Sir John Mac- 

 (lonald, felt called upon to state that they viewed " with 

 iiery serious concern tJie ejf'cct upon our niaritinie population, 

 of such dependence upon American cntjiloyers. It creates syni- 

 p((t}iy vntJi forc'ujn sentiments amlinstitutions, and affords op- 

 portunities for instiUing into the minds of our people ideas 

 and expectati(ms altoijcther inimical to British connection. 

 Tlicrc is actualli) presenicd to theiu the exxunplc of subjects of 

 a repuhlican power and citizens of a ftreign State prosecutinxj 

 their call'imj at the very doors and in the exclusive li'mits of 

 lintish suttjects in Canada, who arc themselves shut oitt of 

 the Duirkets of th<d coiudri/ hij a prohUntive tariff] adopted in 

 the interest of their own. fshermcn, while ours cannot awn, 

 enjoy their own crclusive privileges. The injiucnce of these 



