i 
APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 355 
lawful avocation from illegal seizure; and to let them know whether they are to 
receive compensation for loss already sustained while pursuing their legitimate calling 
onthe high seas. Itwas hard for him to understand the apathy that had been shown 
by the Imperial Government in this matter. The good sense of the American people 
would compel their Government to take a right action in the matter, if the Imperial 
Government but did their duty by Canada. He was glad to second the Resolution. 
Again the Resolution was put and carried, with loud applause, but no dissenting 
voice. 
Mr. D. W. Higgins, M. P. P., was nextcalled upon. Hesaid that he had had placed 
in his hands the following Resolution, » hich he proceeded to read: 
“ Resolved,—That the time has come :or a speedy and final settlement of the ques- 
tion of our rights i in Behring’s Sea, and we urge upon both the Imperial and Canadian 
Governments “the danger of ‘allowing this question to longer remain open.’ 
He thought this placed the question in a practical form. The other Resolutions 
were longer, but still explicit. He could not, he said, help contrasting the action of 
England when Imperial rights were concerned with her action in this case when 
Colonial interest was at stake. The Delagoa Bay incident came to his memory. 
Certain English property was seized by Portugal, and a cable-message was at once 
sent to England. ‘Three days after a fleet was ordered to Delagoa Bay to protect the 
British interests. It would have been in keeping with this policy if the fleet at 
Esquimalt had long ago been sent to Behring’s Sea to protect British interests. 
Beaconsfield, at the close of his carreer, said: ‘‘I have kept peace with honour.” 
Can Salisbury, if the present policy is continued, say the same at the close of his 
career? He may say, ‘‘I have kept peace,” but at the sacrifice of the liberties of 
the greatest and most warlike natiov in the world. He (Mr. Higgins) had paid a 
visit to the Southern States, and witnessed all the awful desolation apparent just 
after the civil war. He had at that time breathed the prayer that his country might 
never know the horrors of war. War was awful; but there was one thing just as 
terrible—a peace preserved at the loss of national honour. (Loud cheers. ie 
Mr. R. P. Rithet seconded Mr. Higgins’ Resolution. He acknowledged that it was 
humiliating to be compelled to make an appeal for protection to our own nation 
while pursuing a lawful avocation on the high seas. The matter was of no moment 
whether the insult had been offered to one humble subject or tomany. The principle 
wasthe same. British subjects had been illegally made prisoners of on the high seas, 
and had been fined and imprisoned. Like good subjects, they had waited long for 
action to be taken without their demanding it as their right. This action not hav- 
ing been made, however, it was necessary now to emphasize the representations that 
had been made to the Imperial Government. Like Colonel Prior, he himself felt like 
striking back when he was hit. He thought it would have been a good thing if one 
of the British men-of-war lying idly in Esquimalt Harbour had sailed north for 
Behring’s Sea with the ‘‘ Richard Rush” at the beginning of the season; kept in the 
‘““Rush’s” company until she attempted to interfere with some British sealer, and 
then quietly sail between and say, ‘‘ You must not!” 
The United States now claimed that their desire was to protect the sealing indus- 
try from extermination. It was the desire of Victoria’s sealers as well, and they 
would make no attempt to disobey any international regulations that might be made 
for the preservation of the seals. He was fully in accord with the Resolution, which 
he seconded. 
Like its two predecessors, the Resolution passed unanimously. 
Mr. Robert Ward, President of the British Columbia Board of Trade, drew atten- 
tion to the inconsistency shown by the American Government, and carefully 
321 reviewed the question of compensation before moving the following Resolution, 
which was seconded by Mr. J. H. Todd: 
“Whereas no compensation has yet been made to the owners and crews of any of 
the vessels so seized and forfeited, be it therefore resolved, that we urge the Goy- 
ernments of Canada and Great Britain to promptly compensate the sufferers by these 
seizures, irrespective of the merits of the international questions involved.” 
Carried unanimously. 
The Mayor then called upon the Hon. Mr. Robson to move the next Resolution. 
Mr. Robson stepped forward amidst applause. He said the hour was so late, and so 
much had been said, and so well said, that he did not feel justified in occupying 
much of the time of the meeting. He was in perfect accord with the Resolutions 
which had been passed, and was ; hopeful of good results. That some such steps had 
not been taken sooner was matter of surprise and regret. Too long had the glorious 
old flag of which we all felt justly proud been trailed in the dust on these western 
seas with impunity (loudapplause), and true loyalty required that we should employ 
every legitimate means to put a stop to it. Long enough had Drother Jonathan 
been allowed with impunity to twist the tailof the British lion, and now it remained 
for the ‘‘simple fishermen of Victoria” to strike a lucifer under the lethargic old 
animal’s nyse, and arouse it to a proper sense of duty. (Applause.) One speaker 
