THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. l8l 



fishing rights on the littoral, from Cape Bonavista to Cape St. John, 

 and receive in exchange an equivalent of coast-line from Cape St. 

 John to Cape Ray, where her rights might be exercised on the con- 

 ditions contained in the Treaty of Utrecht of 17 13. 



TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1783. 



The result of these negotiations between England and France was 

 a declaration in the Treaty of Versailles of 1783, as follows : — 



Article IV. 



His Majesty the King of Great Britain is maintained in his right to the island of 

 Newfoundland, and to the adjacent islands, as the whole were assured to him by the 

 13th Article of the Treaty of Utrecht ; excepting the islands of St. Pierre and 

 Miquelon, which are ceded in full right by the present Treaty to his most Christian 

 Majesty. 



Article V. 



His Majesty the most Christian King, in order to prevent the quarrels which have 

 hitherto arisen between the two nations of England and France, consents to renounce 

 the right of fishing, which belongs to him in virtue of the aforesaid article of the 

 Treaty of Utrecht, from Cape Bonavista to Cape St. John, situated on the eastern 

 coast of Newfoundland, in fifty degrees north latitude ; and his Majesty the King of 

 Great Britain consents, on his part, that the fishery assigned to the subjects of his 

 most Christian Majesty, beginning at the said Cape St. John, passing to the north, 

 and descending by the western coast of the island of Newfoundland, shall extend 

 to the place called Cape Ray, situated in forty-seven degrees fifty minutes latitude. 

 The French fishermen shall enjoy the fishery which is assigned to them by the present 

 article, as they had the right to enjoy that which was assigned to them by the Treaty 

 of Utrecht. 



Artie te VI. 



With regard to the fishery in the gulf of St. Lawrence, the French shall continue 

 to exercise it, conformably to the 5th Article of the Treaty of Paris. 



Accompanying this Treaty of Versailles of 1783, his Britannic 

 Majesty George III., in consequence of the demands by the French 

 Government, made the following important declaration : — 



Declaration of His Britannic Majesty. 



The King, having entirely agreed with his most Christian Majesty upon the articles 

 of the definite treaty, will seek every means which shall not only insure the execution 

 thereof, with his accustomed good faith and punctuality, and will besides give, on his 

 part, all possible efficacy to the principles which shall prevent even the least foundation 

 of dispute for the future. 



To this end, and in order that the fishermen of the two nations may not give cause 

 for daily quarrels, his Britannic Majesty will take the most positive measures for 

 preventing his subjects from interrupting in any manner, by their competition, the 

 fishery of the French, during the temporary exercise of it which is granted to them 

 upon the coasts of the islands of Newfoundland ; but he will, for this purpose, cause 



