STATUTES 465 



belonged to him in virtue of the aforesaid article of the treaty of Utrecht, from Cape 

 Bonavista to Cape Saint John, situated on the eastern coast of Newfoundland, in fifty 

 degrees north latitude, and His Majesty the King of Great Britain consented, on his 

 part, that the fishery assigned to the subjects of His Most Christian Majesty, begin- 

 ning at the said Cape Saint John, passing to the north, and descending by the western 

 coast of the Island of Newfoundland, should extend to the place called Cape Rage, 

 situate in forty-seven degrees and fifty minutes latitude: the French fishermen should 

 enjoy the fishery which was assigned to them by the said article, as they had the 

 right to enjoy that which was assigned to them by the treaty of Utrecht: And whereas, 

 by a declaration delivered by His Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary to His Most 

 Christian Majesty, bearing date also on the said third day of September one thousand 

 seven hundred and eighty-three, His Majesty engaged not only to insure the execu- 

 tion of the last mentioned treaty with his known good faith and punctuality, but to 

 give all possible eflScacy to such principles as may prevent dispute; and, that the 

 fishermen of the two nations may not give cause for daily quarrels, was pleased to 

 engage that he would take the most positive measures for preventing his subjects 

 from interrupting in any manner, by their competition, the fishing of the French, 

 during the temporary exercise thereof which is granted to them upon the coasts of 

 the Island of Newfoundland, and that he would, for that purpose, cause the perma- 

 nent settlements which should be formed there to be removed; and that he would 

 give orders that the French fishermen should not be incommoded in the cutting of 

 wood necessary for the repair of their scaffolds, huts, and fishing boats; and that the 

 thirteenth article of the treaty of Utrecht, and the method of carrying on the fishery 

 which had at all times been acknowledged, should be the plan upon which the fishery 

 should be carried on there, and that it should not be deviated from by either party, 

 the French fishermen building only their scaffolds, confining themselves to the repair 

 of their fishing vessels, and not wintering there; the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, 

 on their part, not molesting in any manner the French fishermen during their fishing, 

 nor injuring their scaffolds during their absence : And whereas it is expedient, in con- 

 formity to the definitive treaty of peace and the declaration aforesaid, that His Majesty's 

 subjects should be prevented from interrupting in any manner, by their competition, 

 the aforesaid fishery of the subjects of His Most Christian Majesty, during the tem- 

 porary exercise thereof which is granted to them on the coast of Newfoundland; and 

 that all permanent establishments on that part of the coast allotted to the French 

 fishermen should be removed; and that such fishermen should be in no manner mo- 

 lested, contrary to the tenor of the said treaty, and the good faith thereof: in order, 

 therefore, that His Majesty may be the better enabled to carry the said several treaties 

 and declarations into faithful and punctual execution, and to make such regulations 

 as may be expedient, respecting the fishery in the manner herein after mentioned," 

 be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and con- 

 sent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament 

 assembled, and by the authority of the same, that it shall and may be lawful for His 

 Majesty, his heirs and successors, by advice of council, from time to time, to give 

 such orders and instructions to the governor of Newfoundland, or to any officer or officers 

 on that station, as he or they shall deem proper and necessary to fulfill the purposes of 

 the definitive treaty and declaration aforesaid; and, if it shall be necessary to that 

 end, to give orders and instructions to the governor, or other officer or officers afore- 

 said, to remove, or cause to be removed, any stages, flakes, train vats, or other works 

 whatever, for the purpose of carrying on fishery, erected by His Majesty's subjects 



