No. 331.
Mr. Blaine
to Mr. Lowell.
Washington, July 30, 1881.
Sir: You have learned from former dispatches that the question in reference to the Fortune Bay claims was settled by Sir Edward Thornton and myself. The amount paid by Her Britannic Majesty’s Government has been distributed among the individual claimants, and in connection with this subject there remains nothing for discussion between the two governments.
But in the examination of the claims in order to their proper distribution, the attention of this government has been forcibly drawn to the condition of affairs out of which these claims arose, and the time seems opportune to ask the serious consideration of this subject by Her Majesty’s Government.
Among the more recent claims which had not been submitted to the British Government, but which are, of course, included in the settlement, were several going to show the existence on the part of the native fishermen of Newfoundland of a determined opposition to the exercise of the treaty privileges by fishermen of the United States. In one case, a large and angry mob of these fishermen actually took possession of an American fishing vessel, cut her anchor, and set her sails for the avowed purpose of causing her to drift on the rocks. And the universal testimony of our fishermen, including many who have made no formal complaint to the government, is that they are absolutely forbidden, by both the show and use of force, from taking bait on the coasts of Newfoundland and in other vicinities.
It might be supposed that the recognition of the British Government of its responsibility for such lawless interference and its reasonable compensation for losses consequent upon them, would put a stop to further violence. But the payment even of large damages by the Imperial Government does not make itself felt upon the provincial population. And from all the information submitted to this government it seems to be not an unfair or unreasonable conclusion that there is too much sympathy between the local authorities and the native fishermen, and that there exists at the fishing stations no adequate police force with authority, ability, and disposition to check these outrages.
The condition of these people under the treaty is, undoubtedly, hard. They are very poor and illiterate. They depend for what is, at best, a very scanty subsistence upon the sale of bait to the United States vessels employed in cod-fishing upon the banks. And the use of their privilege of catching their own bait on the Newfoundland shores, which the treaty secures to American fishermen, necessarily deprives the native fishermen of this means of support.
[Page 545]But it is to be assumed that these considerations were given their due weight by the British Government when negotiating the treaty of Washington, and it must not be forgotten that Newfoundland has received a large sum from the United States Treasury in payment for this privilege.
I refer to these facts merely as the indication of future troubles, for if at any time the fishing vessels of the United States should resolve to meet force with force the result of so untoward an occurrence would be to raise issues equally unpleasant to both governments.
The time is approaching when the present treaty will expire, and in the discussion of the common interests, which must be anticipated, this government is anxious that questions sufficiently grave in their own nature should not be complicated with local and temporary irritations.
It is desirable, therefore, that the imperial government should impress upon the provincial authorities their duty to maintain and enforce the rights which the treaty has conferred within their jurisdiction upon citizens of the United States, and especially that there should be placed at the baiting stations and on the frequented portions of the coast officials with sufficient authority to restrain these outbreaks of violence.
You are instructed to bring this subject to the attention of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government in such manner as you may deem must judicious. In doing so, you will take care that Her Britannic Majesty’s Government shall fully understand the friendly spirit in which your representation is made, and that the desire of this government in making it is to prevent in the future those disturbances which has done so much to render unsatisfactory the settlement which it was hoped had been reached in the fishery provisions of the treaty of Washington.
I am, &c.,