328 BALCH— THE AMERICAN-BRITISH [April 22, 



on certain coasts, bays, harbours, and creeks of His Britannic Majesty's 

 dominions in America, it is agreed between the high contracting parties, that 

 the inhabitants of the said United States shall have forever, in common with 

 the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, the liberty to take fish of every kind 

 on that part of the southern coast of Newfoundland which extends from 

 Cape Ray to the Rameau Islands, on the western and northern coast of New- 

 foundland, from the said Cape Ray to the Quirpon Islands, on the shores of 

 the Magdalen Islands, and also on the coasts, bays, harbours, and creeks from 

 Mount Joly on the southern coast of Labrador, to and through the Streights 

 of Belleisle and thence northwardly indefinitely along the coast, without 

 prejudice, however, to any of the exclusive rights of the Hudson Bay Com- 

 pany: And that the American fishermen shall also have liberty forever, to 

 dry and cure fish in any of the unsettled bays, harbours, and creeks of the 

 southern part of the coast of Newfoundland hereabove described, and of the 

 coastf of Labrador; but so soon as the same, or any portion thereof, shall be 

 settled, it shall not be lawful for the said fishermen to dry or cure fish at 

 such portion so settled, without previous agreement for such purpose with 

 the inhabitants, proprietors, or possessors of the ground. And the United 

 States hereby renounce forever, any liberty heretofore enjoyed or claimed by 

 the inhabitants thereof, to take, dry, or cure fish on, or within three marine 

 miles of any of the coasts, bays, creeks, or harbours of His Britannic Majesty's 

 dominions in America not included within the above-mentioned limits; Pro- 

 vided, however, that the American fishermen shall be admitted to enter such 

 bays or harbours for the purpose of shelter and of repairing damages therein, 

 of purchasing wood, and of obtaining water, and for no other purpose what- 

 ever. But they shall be under such restrictions as may be necessary to prevent 

 their taking, drying or curing fish therein, or in any other manner whatever 

 abusing the privileges hereby reserved to them. 



By this new agreement both sides gave up something, and, as 

 they thought at the time, they also in that way expected to peace- 

 fully adjust the whole northeastern fishery question for the future. 

 The march of time and events have shown how far wrong the two 

 governments were in the latter hope. And to-day what is meant 

 by the language of the first article of that treaty is in dispute be- 

 tween the two powers, and the fishery question remains for all 

 practical purposes as unsettled to-day as it was before the negotia- 

 tion of the convention of 1818. 



A comparison of the provisions of the Treaty of 1783 and that 

 of 1818 in reference to the fisheries, shows that the right of Amer- 

 icans to catch fish in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, on the New- 

 foundland Banks, and at all other places in the sea, remain the 

 same. In other words, that both diplomatic agreements confirm 

 the rights of Americans to take fish on the high seas, that is in all 



