CORRESPONDENCE 399 



uninterrupted even in time of war. He knew, for instance, that the Dutch had been, 

 for centuries, in the practice of fishing upon the coasts of this island, and that they were 

 not interrupted in this occupation even in ordinary times of war. It was to be inferred 

 from this, that, to interdict a fishery, which has been enjoyed for ages, far from being 

 a usual act in the peaceable relations between nations, was an indication of animosity, 

 transcending even the ordinary course of hostility in war. He said that no such 

 disposition was entertained by the British Government; that to show the liberality 

 which they had determined to exercise in this case, he would assure me that the 

 instructions which he had given to the officers on that station had been, not even to 

 interrupt the American fishermen who might have proceeded to those coasts, within 

 the British jurisdiction, for the present year; to allow them to complete their fares, 

 but to give them notice that this privilege could no longer be allowed by Great Britain, 

 and that they must not return the next year. It was not so much the fishing, as the 

 drying and curing on the shores, that had been followed by bad consequences. It 

 happened that our fishermen, by their proximity, could get to the fishing stations 

 sooner in the season than the British, who were obliged to go from Europe, and who, 

 upon arriving there, found all the best fishing places and drying and curing places 

 pre-occupied. This had often given rise to disputes and quarrels between them, 

 which in some instances had proceeded even to blows. It had disturbed the peace 

 among the inhabitants on the shores; and, for several years before the war, the com- 

 plaints to this Government had been so great and so frequent, that it had been impos- 

 sible not to pay regard to them. I said that I had not heard of any such complaints 

 before, but that, as to the disputes arising from the competition of the fishermen, 

 a remedy could surely with ease be found for them, by suitable regulations of the 

 Government; and with regard to the peace of the inhabitants, there could be little 

 difficulty in securing it, as the liberty enjoyed by the American fishermen was limited 

 to unsettled and uninhabited places, unless they could, in the others, obtain the 

 consent and agreement of the inhabitants. 



The answer which was so promptly sent to the complaint relative to the warning 

 of the fishing vessels, by the captain of the Jaseur, will probably be communicated 

 to you before you will receive this letter. You will see whether it is so precise, as to 

 the limits within which they are determined to adhere to the exclusion of our fishing 

 vessels, as Lord Bathurst's verbal statement of it to me, namely, to the extent of one 

 marine league from their shores. Indeed, it is to the curing aftd drying upon the shore 

 that they appear to have the strongest objection. But that, perhaps, is because 

 they know that the immediate curing and drsang of the fish, as soon as they are taken, 

 is essential to the value, if not to the very prosecution of the fishery. I have no expec- 

 tation that the arguments used by me either in support of our right, or as to the policy 

 of Great Britain, upon this question, will have any weight here. Though satis- 

 fied of their validity myself, I am persuaded it will be upon the determination of the 

 American Government and people to maintain the right that the continuance of its 

 enjoyment will alone depend. . . . 



NOTE FROM LORD BATHURST TO MR. ADAMS, OCTOBER 30, 1815 » 



Foreign OrriCE, October 30, 1815. 

 The undersigned, one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, had the 

 honour of receiving the letter of the Minister of the United States, dated the 2Sth 



' Appendix, British Case, pp. 69-72; Appendix, U. S. Case, p. 273. 



