186 FISH CULTUEE. 



the Frenchj granting to them the exclusive right of 

 occupying large tracts on the coast, for the purpose 

 of cleaning, packing, &c., with other rights of a judi- 

 cial and imperial nature, l^ow this treaty was at first 

 a secret treaty, entered on without even the know- 

 ledge of the parties most concerned — ^theNovaScotians 

 themselves ; and to give the treaty an air of fairness, 

 a proviso was inserted in it to the effect, that if 

 the treaty were refused by the Government of Nova 

 Scotia, it should he void and of no effect. When the 

 treaty became known to the inhabitants of Newfound- 

 land, meetings were held, and great indignation 

 expressed, as a matter of course. The treaty was 

 indignantly repudiated by the Government, and 

 delegates were appointed to proceed to England, and 

 bring their case before Parliament. Upon hearing 

 this, Mr. Lahouchere assured them, that as they repu- 

 diated the treaty it could not take place, and was there- 

 fore at an end. The deputies consequently, relying 

 upon the word of a member of the Government, did 

 not prosecute their intention, but remained at home. 

 Nevertheless, in spite of this, the French fishermen 

 and authorities proceeded to act upon it, and riots 

 and serious outbreaks occurred at St. John's; and 

 when our Government was applied to for information, 

 either the information was refused, or it was asserted 



