174 THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. 



Placentia, where they estabhshed the town of Placentia, for it pos- 

 sessed a harbour admirably adapted for commercial and fishing 

 operations. 



In 1637 letters patent were granted by the Crown to the Marquis 

 of Hamilton, the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Holland, and Sir 

 David Kirke, by which King Charles I. conferred important conces- 

 sions in Newfoundland, which permitted them to levy from foreign 

 fishermen a tribute for all fish taken in the seas, and rivers in and 

 around Newfoundland, and at the time of these rights being granted, 

 the following declaration was made : 



That all other Kings, Princes, ^nd Potentates, their heirs, allies, and subjects, may 

 know our, (the King's), just and undoubted right and interest in, and to the said 

 Continent Island and region of Newfoundland, and in and to all and every the islands, 

 seas, and places, to the same belonging. 



In 1662, shortly after the restoration of the Monarchy in England, 

 •certain subjects of France, availing themselves of the confusion aris- 

 ing from the political state of affairs in England, at a time when the 

 relations of the two Countries in Europe were pacific, provoked 

 serious disturbances in Newfoundland, raised fortifications at Pla- 

 centia, forced the Enghsh Colonists from their settlements, and pro- 

 claimed over the whole of Newfoundland the Sovereignty of France. 

 In 1666, war having broken out between England and France, mili- 

 tary operations were carried on at Placentia, and other parts of the 

 Island, and for a time the encroachments of France were widely 

 extended ; but this exercise of French Sovereignty was but tempor- 

 ary, for by the Treaty of Peace concluded between England and 

 France, at Breda, on the 21st July, 1667, France was compelled to 

 withdraw all her pretensions of Sovereignty in Newfoundland, and 

 to surrender to Great Britain, all the fortresses, islands, or whatever 

 portion of Newfoundland that she had annexed prior to the signing 

 ■of this Treaty. 



From this period Great Britain claimed and exercised unchallenged 

 dominion over Newfoundland, for not only did King Charles II. 

 confirm the letters patent of 1637 and 1661 granted by his Royal 

 predecessor, but in 1670 he made an Order in Council, granting 

 additional powers for regulating the Newfoundland fishery, and the 

 first Article of that Act of the Royal prerogative authorised the 

 subjects of England to fish in all waters and to dry their fish on 

 shore ^n any part of Newfoundland "as fully and as freely as any of 

 the subjects of his Royal predecessors ; " and by Article II. it was 

 declared : 



