UNITED STATES AND CANADA 217 



" Your Lordship will observe that the Plenipo- 

 tentiaries have exchanged Protocols on the subject 

 of a modus vivendi for a period of two years, in 

 order to allow ample time for the consideration 

 by the Senate of the United States and by the 

 Legislatures of Canada and Newfoundland of the 

 principal instrument. 



" By this arrangement, United States fishermen 

 will enjoy temporarily the advantages and com- 

 mercial facilities contemplated by the Treaty in 

 consideration of a licence issued at a moderate 

 fee by the Governments of Canada and Newfound- 

 land. 



" It may be hoped that in this way all possibility 

 of the recurrence of the irritating incidents which 

 marked the fishery season of 1886, and in a less 

 degree that of 1887, may be obviated. I venture to 

 hope that these arrangements will be approved by 

 Her Majesty's Government, and that they may 

 assist in confirming and extending the friendly and 

 cordial relations between the United States and 

 Great Britain. 



" I have great pleasure in saying that the relations 

 between the British Plenipotentiaries have been of 

 the most cordial and harmonious character through- 

 out the whole of this protracted discussion. The 

 desire felt by Sir Lionel West and myself to remove 

 all just cause of irritation has been fully shared by 

 Sir Charles Tupper, whose intimate knowledge of 

 the subject of controversy has materially contributed 

 to the successful issue of the negotiations. I have 

 also to acknowledge the great advantage I have 



