'■ Tilt iiv, ii.'i.s nC til.' • \\'iiHliiiii{toii,' cii' tln-ir li!Knl ri'iiro>tt'UtntivoN, ore tliereforo (!iilil)tMl Ui roiiipmi- 

 Siitiuii ; ,iii(! ;iii' jificliy awiii'ilril, iidI Uif ;uiiiiiiiil nf lli('ir claiiii ;'«liirli is e\t'(!»'si\('\ Iml tin- sum nl' 

 .■'.,111)0 ddllius (liic nil tlic I'ttli (ir.liinimi), 18"i.")," 



The intentinn of t\w frameis of the Convention of 1818 appears from a letter of 

 Mr. Riclinnl Rush, one of its neg;otiators, to the Secretary of State, July 18, 185;{, 

 referring- to that instrument: — "In signing it we believed that we retained tho 

 right of fishing in the sea, whether called a bay, golf, or by whatever term desig- 

 nated, that washed any pari of the coast of the British North American i^rovinces, 

 w ith the simple exception that we liid not come within a viarine leuijiifi of the shore. 

 We inserted the clause of renunciation. The British Plenipotentiaries did not 

 desire it. 



Thi' conclusion of the Reciprocity Treaty, June 5, 18r>4, rendered controversy 

 of IK) iinportanc*', and tlisposed of all the other questions, for the time being. 

 During tlio time when this Treaty was in force no complaints of any kind were 

 made by the Canadians, wiio were fully satished that the benefits derived from 

 the Treaty were I'ar more valuable than anv loss they receivetl from the using of 

 their inshoic Hshcries by the Americans. The United States, however, perceiving 

 that the value of the fisheries did not equal the loss of revenue from the duties 

 on Canadian goods imported into the United States, and that the Canadian fisher- 

 men, by tlieir nearness to the fishing-grounds and the cheapness of labour and 

 materials for building boats in the provinces, rendered unprofitable the prose- 

 cution of the lisheries by the Americans, gave notice, Mari:h 17, 1865, to 

 abrogate the Treaty in one year from the time of the notice. 



Apiil 12, !^U)(1, tlie following instructions for the guidance of the naval officers 

 on the co.ist nf tlie North American Provinces were sent from the Secretfiry of State 

 for lii(> Colonies to the Lords of the Admiralty : — 



" Vmu lii'liPir ilio coiiL'lii.sioii 111' till? Itt'ciin-ipiitv TriMiy, lltT Maji'Sty's Ciovernment Imd consented 

 to I'mvi;!! I lie cNi'n i-ii' ol' its strict ri<,'lil In cmIihIi' Amciiruu tlslieiiiii'ii rioni the I'lW ol' Fimdy ; luul lliey 

 iue of (i|iiiiiiiii llml, iluriii;,' the iufsi'iil sfiismi. llial liglil 'jlioiild noi, be exercised in the Iwdy ui' the 

 Jiay (if rmidy ; miil tliiil Ameri(.'aii lishernieii slanild nut in- intPrlered with, eithitr hy notice or otlier- 

 wise, iinii--^ t!ie\ .lie fiiuiui within throt^ niilcs nl' iIm' ■<1ioic, or within three niih-s of a line drawn 

 iieiipss ilii' iiiuiiili dl a hay or creek which is less liiaii icii i;co<n'ni)liical miles in width, in confovinity 

 Willi the Miraii'^i'iieiil made with France in 1,S.".'.t. 



■ Her Maic-,iv's ("loverninent do not desire (hilt the iirnliiliition to enter Kritish bays .shouhl be 

 j,'ciieially iiisi.-iicd 'ipoii, except when there is reason to apiirehend some substantial invasion of British 

 ri),'hts. And, in |iarticnlar, they do not desire American vessels to be prevented from navi^atinj; the 

 tint of Cansii, IVniii which Her Majesty's Ciovernment are advised they may lawfully be excluded, unless 

 it sliall appeal lliat this permission is used to the injury of colonial Hshermen, or for other improper 

 objects." » 



The Canadian Government then resorted to the system of issuing licences 

 permitting American fishermen to fish in the inshore fisheries. The number of 

 licenses taken out the first year, 18G6, was 3.')4, at 50 cents per ton. The license 

 fee for the next year was I dollar per ton ; and the number of licenses diminished 

 to 281. Ill 1W)8, the license fee was raised to 2 dollars per ton, and only 56 licenses 

 were taken out. In 1869, only 25 licenses were taken out. 



In 1870, the Canadian Government, liaving decided to issue no more licenses to 

 foreii^ii fishermen, the following correspondence ensued between the two Govern- 

 ments : — 



Ml!. Fish th Mk. Tiiuknton, AritiL 1, 1870. 



" Information has reached this Department to the effect that it was announced, on behalf of the 

 Canadian .Minister, in the I'arliament of the Jiomiiiiun nf Canada, on the 9th ultimo, that it was the 

 intr'iitiou of the (Jovernment to issue no more licenses to I'oreijin ti.shermeu ; and that they were takinj; 

 every step possible to protect their fisheries." 



Mr. Thornton to Mn. Fisii, Acuii. 2, 1870. 



" In reply to your note of yestenJay's date, I have the honour to inform you that, although I am 

 aware of the announceiueiil recently nuide by the Canadian Government of their iutcutioii to issue on 

 iDoiv licenses to foreign tibhermeu, 1 have received no otlicial information tg that effect from the 

 Governor-General of Canada." 



Mr. Fish to Mr. Thornton, April 21, 1870. 



• 1 ha\o the honour to acknowledce the receipt of your note of the 14th instant. F must invite 

 youi atteuti'iii. and that of Her Mujest\'s authorities, lo the first paingruph of the Order iu Council ol' 



