711.428/807
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Howard)
Excellency: With further reference to the convention for the preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean, signed by the United States and Great Britain on March 2, 1923, which is now before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the legislation which the Government of Canada has under consideration in connection with the protection of the Halibut Fishery, I have the honor to state that the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations has informed me that he cannot expect [Page 341] the committee to act on the convention until the Royal assent shall have been given to the Canadian legislation.
The Chairman desires to bring the convention up for final action at the earliest possible moment. Unless approval of the convention is given by the Senate during the present session of Congress, which probably will adjourn within a short time, it may not be possible to bring the convention into operation before the beginning of the proposed close season in November next, the effective operation of the convention thereby being postponed for another year.
This Government is hopeful that the Governor General will find it convenient to give his formal assent at an early date to the Halibut Fishery Amendment Act recently passed by the two houses of the Canadian Parliament.
Accept [etc.]