591

A.—s

products of Newfoundland and of the neighbouring Dominion were to have free entry into the markets of the United States. On the Ist of July, 1885, that Treaty was terminated by the Congress of the United States, and the fishing rights of United States' citizens reverted back to those outlined in the Treaty of 1818. One month later, namely, on the Ist of August, 1886, a telegram was received by the Officer Administering the Government of the Colony of Newfoundland from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, intimating that His Majesty's Government deemed it " desirable that steps should be taken "by the Government of the Colony to decide definitely on the exact nature of "the proposals to be made to the Government of the United States in " anticipation of the negotiations which we're contemplated in view of the " termination of the temporary arangements that were made by His "Majesty's Minister at Washington with the United States Government " arising out of the termination of the. fisheries articles of the Treaty of " Washington of 1871, on the 30th June, 1885." The answer which was given by the Government of Newfoundland to this representation was the introduction of the Bait Act in the year 1886. The reasons that prompted the adoption of that measure were set out by the then Governor of the Colony in a despatch to the Colonial Office, bearing date 25th day of May, 1886, wherein he stated that:— " The people of Newfoundland, like those of Canada, desire to use the right to withhold a supply of bait as a means of inducing the American Government to remove the import duties on British fish." And again, in another despatch from Sir G. William Dcs Vceux to the Colonial Office, bearing date 4th of January, 1887, in support of the Bait Act. which was held in abeyance by His Majesty's Government for 12 months, he stated that:— " American fishermen are protected in the markets of the United States, which take all their produce by a duty of 56 cents per quintal, which is almost prohibitive to the results of British industry," and " Though the measure, if allowed, would, to a large extent, place the fisheries in this neighbourhood within the control of the people of this Colony, they have no desire to monopolise them, and I feel satisfied that they would willingly modify the provisions of the provisions of the measure in favour of such Governments as would grant a reciprocity ... I have good reason for believing that as regards the United States, the right of obtaining bait would be restored on the opening of the American markets to Newfoundland fish . . . in a word, the principle that the colonists desire to maintain is ' live and let live' and they merely object to that of let others live by killing us." Following upon this despatch from Sir George Dcs Vceux to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and under date the 16th June, 1887, a letter was received by the representative of the Newfoundland Government, then in London, from the Office of Legation of the United States, intimating that:— " Should the Government of Newfoundland see fit to give notice that American fishermen be admitted to the ports of that province for the purpose of obtaining supplies, the proposal will be cordially accepted and acted upon by the Government of the United States. Tn that event there would be no objection on the part of the United States Government to entertain suggestions for an independent agreement in respect to the fisheries of Newfoundland, and if made by the authorised agents of the Imperial Government."

Fifteenth Day. 14 May 1907.

Newfoundland Fishery. (Sir R. Bond.)