THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. 2lS 



And again, as previously referred to, when the renewal of the 

 Modus Vivendi of March 12th, 1891, for another period of twelve 

 months, became necessary and was pressed for the acceptance of the 

 Government of Newfoundland ; the Colonial Parliament, following 

 the precedent of last year, and supported by the Charter of its Con- 

 stitutional rights, again refused to sanction any legislation in its 

 favour, and therefore, H.M. Government, in order to enable the 

 Naval authorities to carry out the modus Vivendi oi 1891, without 

 being liable for an action at law in the Colony, have applied to 

 ParHament for the necessary powers for its enforcement. 



The questions at issue between Newfoundland and France, 

 and therefore between Great Britain and France, are of supreme 

 importance, because they not only involve the future prosperity 

 of the Colony, but what, perhaps, is of more momentous im- 

 portance, they jeopardise, so long as the questions in dispute are 

 unsettled, the friendly relations which it is so necessary to maintain 

 between Great Britain and France. 



These questions at issue strike at the very foundation of the 

 territorial and maritime rights of the inhabitants of the Colony of 

 Newfoundland; in a territorial sense extending inland from the 

 coast, it may be one, two, or even three miles, just as the French 

 authorities and the French fishermen may consider favourable 

 to their fishing interests ; and in a maritime sense, extending 

 over the immense area of. 700 miles, more than one half of the 

 littoral of Newfoundland. 



Consider for a moment the last incident recently enacted in St. 

 George's Bay on the west coast of Newfoundland, as it is a forcible 

 illustration of the overt action by France, by its Naval power 

 for the eriforcement of its so-called Treaty rights. 



What are the facts of the case ? The Newfoundlanders, peace- 

 fully exercising their fishing industry, and firmly relying on their own 

 Sovereign and independent rights, were suddenly called upon, by a 

 French vessel of war, the Andre, at anchor in St. George's Bay, to 

 take up their nets, and to cease from their fishing operations ; and 

 subsequently a French officer in naval uniform is despatched from 

 the Andre to the mainland, and gives peremptory instructions 

 forbidding in the future any interruption to the French fishing 

 operations, and ordered the fishing establishments of the Colonists 

 to be taken down. 



