SipnjM'fP of Ilcci' 

 pioriiv Treaty, 

 1834.' 



ftS 



In for the purpose. The Bill was, iiowcvvi-, thrown out, iiml (Vom one riwt.*'.: nv 

 another nothing; was done from that time until lH5'i, when ;i «li'»iire vvum evinced on 

 the |)urt of ihc United States' Government to come to an arrangement on the subject, 

 and a draft Convention having tieen prepared, a copy thereof was sent home by the 

 British Minister on the 19th December, 1852, together with remarks made by the 

 President thereon. 



A good deal of correspondence passed l>etween the two (lovernments on the 

 subject, but, owing to difticulties connected with the question of Tariff, the United 

 States' Government appeared anxious to have the l*ishcri''S Question dealt with 

 separately, but to this the British Government would not assent. The fishing 

 season of 18S3 accordingly opened without any agreement having been come to 

 with the United Slates, and fortunately, owing to the measures taken by both 

 Governments for the preservation of British rights, came to u close without the 

 occurrence of further causes of dissatisfaction. 



In the meantime, negotiations for u Treaty had been continued by the two 

 Governments ; and in the month of May, 18')4, Lord KIgin, who was on his way to 

 resume his duties us Governor-General of Her Majesty's North American Provinces, 

 received instructions to visit Washington, and to ascertain the views of the United 

 States' Government, and, if any favourable opportunity presented itself, to conclude 

 a Treaty on the subject. So succcssiully were Lord Klgin's negotiations conducted, 

 that in a letter dated 12lh June, 1854, he was able tu announce that he had 

 executed a Treaty with Mr. Secretary Marcy, relative to fisheries and reciprocity of 

 trade between the United States and the British provinces in North America. This 

 was the Reciprocity Treaty signed on the ."ith June, 18.')4, and confirmed by the 

 United States' Senate on the 3rd August of the same year. Its main provisions 

 were as follows : — 



British waters on the eost coast of North America wore tlirown open to United 

 States' citizens, and United States' waters north of the .^Otli degree of north 

 latitude were thrown open to British fishermen, excepting always the salmon and 

 shad fisheries (which were exclusively reserved to the subjivts of each country), 

 and certain rivers and mouths of riv<»rs to be determined by a C'ommission to be 

 appointed for that purpose. Certain articles of produce of the British colonies and 

 of the United States were admitted to each country respectively free of duty. The 

 Treaty was to remain in force lor ten years, and, further, for twelve months after 

 either party should have given notice to the other of its wish to terminate the 

 same. 



Some difficulty was experienced in regard to Newfoundland, but at length a 

 clause was agreed to, providing that if the Imperial Parliament of Great Britain, 

 the Provincial Parliament of Newfoundland, and the Congress of the United States 

 should agree that Newfoundland should be included, all the provisions and stipula. 

 tions of the Treaty should apply to that colony. 



The Commission for the designation of the places reserved to each country 

 from the common right of fishing met subsequently, and was engaged for some 

 years in determining the places to which the exclusive right of fishing applied. It 

 is, however, unnecessary here to do more than notice this fact, as the r(>servations 

 in question are expressly mentioned under Article XX of the Treaty of Washington, 



From the year 1854 until 1865 the Reciprocity Treaty continued in force, and 

 no further difficulties appear to have arisen on questions connected with the 

 fisheries; but on the 17tb of March of that year, Mr. Adams, the United States' 

 Minister in England, informed the British Government that he was instructed to 

 give notice that at the expiration of twelve months from that day the Reciprocity 

 Treaty was to terminate. This notice was given in pursuance of a Resolution of 

 Congress approved by the President of the United States. 



Efforts were made on the part of Her Majesty's Government towards « renewal 



itcriprocity Treaty, of the Treaty, but these, from various reasons, proving unsuccessful, the Treaty 



Cmiventio'n of camc to an end on the 17th of March, 18G6 ; and, as a consequence, the provisions 



8IH. of the Convention of 1818 revived on the same day, and remain in effect at the 



present moment, except in so far as they are affected by the stipulations of the 



Treaty of Washington of 1871. 



In the meantime a notice had been issued by Lord Monck, warning the citizens 

 of -the United States that their right to fish in British waters would cease on the 

 17th of March, 1866; and it became necessary to consider what measures should 

 be adopted for the protection of British rights. Her Majesty's Government were 



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Terminnlion of 



