IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

1.1

l^|28 |25
■2i Kii 12.2

Ul
lU

■u

lit

12^

■AO

1 2.0

1.8

L25 IIIIIU .6

^^

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

Wf^iSTER.N.Y. 14SS0

(716)872-4503

>»^;^^

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

D

D

D

D
D

D

Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur

I I Covers damaged/

Couverture endommag^e

Covers restored and/cr laminated/
Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicuide

I I Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

□ Coloured maps/
Cartes gdographiques en couleur

Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de coulei>r (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/

D

Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/
Relid avec d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

Lareliure serrde peut causer de I'ombi-e ou de la
distortion le long de la marge intdrieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
11 se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes
lors d'une restauration apparaivsent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas 6t6 filmdes.

Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppl6mentaires;

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger uno
modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage
sont indiqu6s ci-dessous.

I I Coloured pages/

D

Pages de couleur

Pages damaged/
Pages endommag6es

Pages re^.tored and/oi

Pages re^taurdes et/ou peliiculdes

Pages discoloured, stained or foxe(
Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqudes

Pages detached/
Pages d6tach6es

Showthrough/
Transparence

Quality of prir

Quality in^gale de I'impression

Includes supplementary materii
Comprend du nriatdriel suppt^mentaire

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

I I Pages damaged/

I I Pages re^.tored and/or laminated/

rr^ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/

I I Pages detached/

I I Showthrough/

I I Quality of print varies/

I I Includes supplementary material/

I I Only edition available/

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible Image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellenent
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont 6t6 filmdes d nouveau de fa^on d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

The cc
to the

1
L

The in
possifa
of the
filmini

Origin
begini
the lai
sion, (
other
first p
sion, I
or illut

The la
shall c
TINUE
which

Maps,
differc
entire
begini
right i
requir
metho

This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous.

10X 14X 18X 22X

26X

30X

n/

12X

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:

Thomas Fiiher Rare Book Library,
University of Toronto Library

L'exempiaire film« fut reproduit grdce A la
ginirositA de:

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library,
University of Toronto Library

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le
plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et
de la nettetA de l'exempiaire filmi, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol ^»- (meaning "CON-
TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.

Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprim6e sont film^s on commenpant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
derni6re page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second
plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires
originaux sont fiimis en commenpant par la
premiere page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la derniire page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la
dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbols — ^- signifie "A SUIVRE", le
symbole V signifie "FIN".

Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely included in one exposure are filmed
beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams illustrate the
method:

Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre
film6s i des taux de reduction diff<^rents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre
reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 A partir
de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche & droite,
et do haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
iilustrent la mithode.

1

2

3

32X

1

2

3

4

5

6

[THE CANADIAN FISHERIES.]

THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION.

A LETTER FROM

HON. WILLIAM

McDOUCtALL, C.B.

y'li the lulilor of tJu- " .)r,>ii/r,;i/ Jf.ni/,/ :"

Tlic puhlicity givim in tlif L'nitwl Siati's, as well as in
Canada, to the views expressetl \)y iiic in an olt-lianil iiili;r\ it-w
with a member of the Ottawa press, on the proper construc-
tion of the Convention of iSiS has occasioned some incpiiries
fnjm abroad anil sonu? ad\t;rst; criticisms at home. The
straineil predicament of our international relations is un-
doubtedly a serious ([uestion for Canadians. I have betui, as
you were good enough to inform your readers, a Minister of
the Crown in this, my nati\e country, and claiming to be a
loyal subject of Her Nlajest)- (whose hand I ha\e kissed and
whose personal hospitality 1 have enjoyed), I am e.xceeilingly
an.xious that no misajiprehension of nu:aning or misrepresen-
tation of motive shall be possible in my case. Will you,
therefore, kindly pul)lish the following re-statement of my views
as to the true interpretation of Article I of the Convention of
iSiS, iiicludiiitj; a few of the authorities I rely upon tf) sustain
it. The intluential position and wide circulation of the Herald,
as well as my sympathy with its political i)rogiammi!, incliiu;
me to ask this favor.

The following are the material portions of tlu? text to be
construed :

"Article I. Whereas ilifferences have ariscin respixting
the liberty claimed by the Unittal State's for the inhaliitants
thereof to take, ilr)', and cure hsh in certain coasts, bajs,
harbors and creeks of His Britannic Majesty's dominions in
America, it is agreed between the high contracting parties
that the inhabitants of the said L'nitetl -States sh.dl ha\e for
ever, in common with the subjects of His Hritannic Majesty,
the liberty to take fish of every kind" on certain specified
parts of the coast of Xewfoundlanil, the Magdalen Islanils,
Labrador, &c., "with liberty forever to dry and cure fish in
any of the unsetded bays, harbors and creeks," &c., of the
described coasts, but reipiiring previous agreement with the
settlers, if any, for this purpose.

"And the United .States hereby renounce any liberty here-
" tofore enjoyed or claimed by the inhabitants th(;riM)f to take,
"dry, or cure fish on or within three marine miles of any of
"the coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors of His Hritannic Majes-
"ty's dominions in America not included within the above-
" mentioned limits; provided, however, that the American
" fishermen shall be [jermitted to enter such bajs or harbors
"for shelter, and of repairing damages theinnn, ol purchasing
"wood, and o*" obtaining water, and for no other purpose
"whatever. But thej- shall be under such restrictions as may

"lie necessary to previ'iit their lakin.i^-, drying;, or ciirini^ fish
"tlierein, (ir in any oilier manner \vhale\er aiiusin.i,'- tin: priv-
"ile-cs lierel)y reserved to diem." (Convention I Si S. )
Th(; Canadian contention m:iy he stali'd as follows:

1. That hy .•enoiincin.L,^ foreve-r any liberty therelofori'
(■njoyed or claimed to take, dry, or cure fish on or within three
mari'iK' miles of the coasts, hays, creeks, or harliors, ^cc„ the
I'nited .States renoiinci'd, also "forever," die liberty thereto-
fore enioyeil "bv die inhabitants thereof" lo enter the bays,
harbors, ^;;c., with lishini; vessels for die puqiose oi barter or
trade in ia» hIs or commodities of any kiml e.xcejit " purchasint;-

wood." . ,

2. 'I'Ik'-I b)' reiioiincin.'; the liberty to take, dry, (ir curt; iish
within the three miles, the "inhabilanls of die United States"
also renounced the ri-ht of "innoce^nt passa.nc^" in vessels
used for fishin.L;- purjxises over die lii.^h seas within diree miles
of tlie coasts, iS:c, .. .

V lliat fishin,!.,^ vessels within the three-ir.ile limit_ may
lawfully be sei/.(;d b\ Canadian cruiscn-s, or vessels ol war,
and, r('fusin-- tosulmiil, may be pursueil, fired upon, and cap-
lured bv force.

4. 'I'hal vessels so capturt'd if lound [by a Canauian
court] miiltv of ['0 "fishin.L;-." "r [/'] " preparing- to fish " or
[(■] "to have been fishiiii;-," williin three: marine miles of any
of die coasts, lSic, or [</] "has eiUereil such waters for any
purpose not ]HM-mitled bv the law of nations, or by treaty or
convention, or bv a,iv law of die Cnited Kinodom or of
Canada," or [c] '"haviuL;- entered" llie three-mile limit, has
" failed to comply with any such law." shall, widi their rio;-in,o-,
can^o. &c,. "be fufeited" and sold fir the beiielit ot die
captors.

(Canadian Fisheries Act, 31 Vic, Cap. 61, and amentl-

meiits.)

The United States contention, as 1 understand it, may l)e
statcid as follows:

1. That Article I of the Convention of 1S18 was a renun-
ciadon by the United States of a riujlit previously enjoyetl by
the inhabitants thereof "to take, dry, and cure fish 011 or
widiin diree marine miles of an\- of the coasts, b;iys," etc.,
mentioned dierein ; anil dial iiodiin^' else was renounced,
either expressly or l)y implication.

2. 'I'hat the' motive or consideration for that renunciation
was die a.^-reemenl of Great liritain lo acknowledo^e the
common ri'^ht "forever" of the inhabitants of the United
States to take fish, etc., on the coasts of Xevdbundland and
other specified jiarts of lirilish territory.

3. That the United States have never reasserted or claimed
the "liberty renounced by Article I, and dierefore have not
violated the Convention of 181 8.

4. That while die said Article deprives inhabitants of the
United States of any liberty diey liefore enjoyed to take, drj-,
or curi; fish, on or widiin diree marine miles of any ot the
coasts, bays, etc, mentioned therein, it tloes not tleprive them
of any odier right or privilege secured to the inhalntants of
till' United States by treaties of commerce and navigation be-
tween the two nations.

5. That Canada's assumption of power to convert the re-
nunciation of a right lo taki: fish in a certain part of the sea.

ami to dry and cure tlie fish so taken oii certain "coasts,"
into an adinnative contract against " coninicrcial intercourse,"
which is secnrecl l.y treaty to all tlie inhaMlanls of the two
coiuitries, is not only unwarranied hy die teinis of tlie Arti-
cle, but is a breach of coniil\-, and an act unfriendly and vex-
ations, which justilk.'s reprisal.

If I liavc correctly stated the material points or issues be-
tween the parties in this international dispute, 1 may be |)er-
initttid, I hope, as a Canadian citi/en, to express ni)- belief th;\l
till' contention of our neiujhiiors as to tlu.' true; meaniniL;' am!
scope of the fishery artick: of the convention of iSiS. cannot
lie honestly denied, ist. Because the rivvv/v import that tlu'
subject-matter is the seulement ol " dilferences " res|)eitin!^
tlu: liberty chiimed "to take, dry, and cure I'ls'i." The i>re-
amble, which our champions seldom ((uok.:, expressl\' limits
the article to this one subject. Courts and lawyers, sinc(! tlu'
time of Coke, have rej^ardcd the pre;imble of a statute as
"the key" to its meanin;^'. (Coke, 4th inst.. .i;,'^-' '''■ '""'
days preamble are not much used m statutes, but they are
still ileemed c:ssential in treaties and con\eiuions. t.S',->- the
Treat)' of WashiuL^ton, 1S71,) 2nd. liecause it is a well set-
tled rule with jurists and leijjal tribun;'.ls that wortis are to be
understood accordini^ to the subject oi them, llu: rule was
thus c;xpressed by the civilians: / 'cr/hi ^i^r.wrii//,! /■(■s/ri/a; /:////!,•■
ad habililatcni rci vcl ap/i/iidiihiii pcrsoisir. Itienend worils
must be restricted to the nature of the subject-matter or the
aptitude of the person.) Bacon, .Max, \\.v'^. 10. ^"rd. lie-
cause distiiiLjuisluHl writers on int<MTKitional law (acknowl-
edged as authorities in this department oi jurisjirudence b)' the
Uiarned of both nations) inform us tiia.t: "Treaties of every
" kind when matle by competent authority lire as obligator)-
"upon naticjiis as priwite contracts are bimlins^'on iiuli\iduals,
"and they are to receive i\ Jair and Hhcral i)il':i-pr,iirtioii. and
"to lie kept with the most scrupulous yood fiith. Their
"meaning is to be ascertained by the same rules of consiruc-
" tion and course of reasoning which we apply to tlie inter
" pretation of private contracts." (Kint's International l.;n\.
etlitcd by Dr. Adby, late regius professur of l.iws in the I ni
versity of Cambriilge, 1S77, p. 391.)

Another passage may lie ([uoted as bearing upon the re-
cent action of Congress: "If a treaty should in lad be vio
"latcd by one of the contracting parlies, either by proceed-
" ings incompatible with the i;arlicular nature of die treaty, or
"b\- an intentional breach of any of its articles, it rests alone
"widi die injured party to pronounce it broken" (pp. 391,

39=b

Dr. Lieber, a very high authority on the rules ol interpre-
tation and construction, declares that " die more die text jiar
"takes of the nature of a comprict or solemn agreement the
"closer ought to lie its construction," and diat " words are
"always uriderstood as having reg<ird to the subject matter."
(Legal and Political Hermeneudcs, I'rof Ihnnmond's ediuon,
1880, pp. 136, 159.)

The rule of close construction was ;ippli<:d in a tamous
controversy between the same parties as t() die "true con-
struction and meaning" of Article 1 of the Treaty oftihent,
respecting the "carrying away" of slaves by ISritish ships at
the close of the war of 1 Si :. ' Having been referred to the

lunpLTor of Russia, tlmt ilistim^iiislicd arljitrator (advised, no
doiilit, liy tin; t'lrsl diplomat ol' his tinic. Count N(;ssclrf)d(;,)
licid tiial he must dix'idc "ui)on liic construction ol" tin; text
of tiic ariicK- as it stands," and "accordini^ to tiic literal ami
),rramniaticai scnsi;." Tlii; respective plcnipotiMitiaries accjui-
esced, and die Czar j^avc judj^niienl in I'avor of the slave
owners, strit/issiini Juris. 'I'lu; dis])ut<', wiiich heu^an in 1.S14,
was fmally adjusteil in 1S26 by tlu' [jajnient of 51,204,000 by
Great liritain.

1 lavi.' we fori;-otttn that precedent? Are we about to
enter ujjon a war of n/>r/si>/s over tlu' iiu-'anini;' of an inci-
dental phrase in a contract about Jix//. to be followetl by a war
of blood ? I leaven forl)iil !

I submit tliat we are estopped by the jud^nient of the
Halifax Commisssion from ciaimini;' tiiat commercial inter-
course was interdicted to American fisjiino- vessels bj- tlu;
words "for no otJier jiurpose whate\er" in tiie Convention of
iSiS. Amonn' "the prixilej^es secured" to the L'nited States
by the Treaty of Washiui^lon, for wiiich Canada claimed
compensation at Halifax, were: "Access to the siiores for the
" purjjose of en^as^ini;- sailors, /myiiio su|iplies, transferrins^
•'carjroes, ami trajjic s^enerall)- in Urilish ports and har-
" bors, etc," In the British case before the Commission it is
averretl that "these advantaj^es are indispensable to the
"success of foreign llshinL( on Canadian coasts." Now, if
trading' pri\ ilei^es are neither alloweil nor prohibitc:d by the
Convention of iSiS, but owe their I'xistmice to the Treaty of
1794, and other subsecpuent treaties of commerce and naviga-
tion, as I contend, they were certainly not "accorded" by the
Jj-eaty of Washington. Therefore . they could not be the
subject of compensation. And therefore the Commission
deciiled : "Thai it is not within the competence; of this tribunal
"to award compensation for commercial intercourse betw(!en
" the two countries, nor for die purcli.'isini.;- of bait, ice, supplies,
" etc., nor for the permission to tranship cargoes in British
"waters." (Protocol No. 33.)

l'2ven Sir Alexander Gait, the British Commissioner, was
compelled to rejjudiate this preposterous claim that "com-
mercial intercourse" v.as a thing to be Ijought and paid for in
hard cash. It is true he ai)pendetl an argumentative apology
for not dissenting from his co-judges, thougii in view of tl:e
solemn declaration he had taken to decitle according to
"justice and ecpiity," I would, as an ex-colleague and friend
of that gentleman, have; been better pleaseil if Ik; had omitted
the apology.

Let us have done with shams and pretences. Let us
frankly admit that we are still a colony ; that we are minors ;
that we have no flag which maritime nations are bound to
respect, exce[it the Hag of I'jigland. Let us not forget diat a
Canadian cruiser firing upon an i\merican \essel while navi-
gating the "high seas" in time of peace is violating the law
of nations and incurring very serious risks. And, finally, let
us confess that neither the cjfticial interpretation nor the
enforcement of ancient treaties and conventions between
Great Britain and the United States ha\e been assigned to
us by the high contracting parties,

I am, <S:c.,

Oir.wv A, .Ipril j6, iSSy.

\VM. McDOUGALL.