226 THE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERY QUESTION. 



The opposition of the Colony to the Arbitration Commission 

 which has been appointed, is regrettable, and the reasons alleged for 

 this opposition by Sir William Whiteway are unreasonable, for he de- 

 clares that a " piecemeal settlement " by Arbitration is strongly to be 

 deprecated, and that no Arbitration will be acceptable to the Colony 

 that does not include all the questions arising under the Treaties. 



Whilst we sympathise with the Prime Minister of Newfound- 

 land in his desire to have all the questions in dispute between 

 Newfoundland and France referred for settlement to Arbitration, yet 

 we cannot agree with him in the opinion that because England and 

 France have agreed to refer the Lobster diflSculty only, which really 

 is the crux of the complications, to Arbitration, therefore it is 

 desirable to have no Arbitration whatever. 



The Government of Newfoundland surely are aware, that H.M. 

 Government have endeavoured strenuously and most praiseworthily, 

 as the Despatches testify, to influence the Government of France to 

 accept the wider proposals of a reference to Arbitration of all the 

 questions in dispute, as for instance in the Despatch of ist July, 1890, 

 addressed by Sir William Whiteway to H.M. Government, and having 

 failed in that direction, they took another step, referred to in the 

 Despatch of the Marquis of Salisbury, of the 17th November, 1890, 

 which was as follows ; — 



' ' That in consideration of a good Bait Bill, and a sum of money to be afterwards 

 agreed upon, the French Government should abandon all their special rights on the 

 shores or in the territorial waters of Newfoundland, and should also discontinue the 

 practice of giving a bounty on fish not consumed in French territory. 



For a second time H.M. Government failed to secure the approval 

 of France, and undaunted by these refusals, they again approached 

 the French Government, and the result was the acceptance by 

 France of a reference to Arbitration of the Lobster difficulty, in the 

 first instance, and by Clause IV. in the Anglo-French Agreement, 

 signed in London on the nth March, 1890, it is more than probable, 

 that the other remaining questions of difference will be considered. 

 That Clause we quote again, and it is as follows : — 



' ' As soon as the question relative to the catching and preparation of lobsters shall 

 have been decided by the Commission, it may take cognisance of other subsidiary 

 questions relative to the fisheries on the above mentioned portion of the coasts of New- 

 foundland, and upon the text of which the two Governments shall have previously 

 come to an agreement." 



The acceptance by the French Government of the proposal of 

 H.M. Government, for a reference of the one vexed question of the 

 Lobster difficulty to a Court of Arbitration, composed of eminent 



