222 THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. 



ablest statesmen of Great Britain, notably Lord Palmerston, and only last year by the 

 Marquis of Salisbury. We feel that your honourable House will recognise the justice 

 of our prayer, and that the definitions of those high authorities shall not continue to 

 be mere theoretic pronouncements which France is permitted to contravene ; but that 

 they shall be carried out in their time significance to their full practical effect. 



On the 23rd April, the House of Lords was the scene of unusual 

 interest, as their Lordships had consented to receive at the Bar of 

 that august Assembly the Delegates from Newfoundland, and, in view 

 of the earnest desire- on the part of the Colonial Parliament, to hear 

 objections which they entertain against the Bill proposed by H.M. 

 Government for the enforcement of the modus vivendiior 1891. 



The Petition, or Address above referred to, having been presented 

 and read by Lord Dunraven, who from the first has evinced con- 

 siderable interest in the mission of the Delegation, his Lordship 

 moved that Sir William Whiteway, Prime Minister and Attorney 

 Geiieral of the Colony, be heard in propria persona in support of 

 the Petition, and this proposition having been seconded by H.M. 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Knutsford, it was agreed 

 to nemine contradicente. The Delegates having advanced to the 

 Bar, their spokesman. Sir William Whiteway, delivered an exhaustive 

 speech to their Lordships, which set forth the objections, and the 

 reasons for them, held by Newfoundland, not only to the special 

 legislation for the enforcement of the modus vivendi, but also to 

 the reference by Arbitration decided upon for the settlement of the 

 lobster difficulty, and moreover, against the whole policy, from first 

 to last adopted by the Imperial Government towards Newfound- 

 land. 



SIR W. WHITEWAY'S SPEECH REVIEWED. 



This speech of the Prime Minister of Newfoundland must be con- 

 sidered as the last contribution, may we not say the ultimatum, from 

 the Government of the Colony to H.M. Government, and therefore, 

 it demands, as it no doubt will receive, the close and serious atten- 

 tion of the people and Parliament of England, and on this account, 

 if for no other reason, we are bound to examine carefully its scope 

 and character. 



At the outset, Sir William Whiteway referred to the Treaty of 

 Paris, 1763, and the Treaty of Versailles, 1783, and recom- 

 mended attention to Article VI. of the former Treaty, and 

 Article IV. of the latter Treaty, which restored to France the fishing 

 rights under the Treaty of Utrecht of 17 13, and, as will be seen at 



