2l6 THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. 



The British man-o'-war, the Emerald, commanded by Sir Baldwin 

 Walker, was present in the Bay when this extraordinary incident 

 took place, and when the people, assembled in public meeting to 

 protest against this overt act, and appealed for protection from the 

 English man-o'-war, the officer in command Sir Baldwin Walker, 

 refused to interfere, or if he did interfere it was in support of the 

 action of the French officer. 



This incident is but a succession of similar incidents, equally 

 deplorable, enacted by the Naval Power of France over the 

 littoral permitted for French fishing operations ; for on repeated 

 occasions, when Newfoundland vessels have been engaged in the 

 various harbours and bays on the West Coast of Newfoundland, or 

 have been suspected by the French Naval Authorities to have been 

 engaged in fishing operations, they have been commanded to cease 

 operations, to weigh anchor, and leave the harbours or bays, and it is 

 not to be wondered at that such commands, given under the cover 

 of the guns of a French man-o'-war should be vigorously pro- 

 tested against by the Colonists. 



Under such circumstances as these there can be no security of title, 

 no right of occupation or possession for the Newfoundlanders of any 

 kind whatsoever on the territory within which the French have fishing 

 rights; and the practical effect of the open vindication of these 

 claims raised by France must be an insuperable obstacle to the 

 development of the resources of Newfoundland, for the result has 

 inevitably been the locking up of what is believed to be rich resources 

 in agriculture, in mineral, and in forest wealth, over the most valuable 

 part of Newfoundland. 



It is a well-known fact that English and Americans have been wil- 

 ling to invest capital for the development of the mineral resources 

 in Newfoundland, but the action of France in regard to her Treaty 

 rights have been always an insuperable obstacle, and these valuable 

 enterprises have been put aside to the great injury of the Colony. 



To such an extent have the English rights of Sovereignty been 

 challenged by France, that the Government of Newfoundland and the 

 Imperial Government at home, have been prevented to carry out a 

 project for the building of a railway across Newfoundland, because the 

 terminus at St. George's Bay on the west coast would have been 

 within the limits of what are called the French Treaty rights. 



