711.428 Queen City/107
The Chargé in Canada (Boal) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 1232 of February 10, 1933,34 regarding the confiscation by the Canadian Government of [Page 77] the salmon trolling vessels May, Queen City, Sunrise and Tillie M, and to transmit herewith a copy of a note which I addressed to Mr. Bennett on March 1, 1933, together with his reply of March 2, 1933.35
It will be noted that the Canadian Government is now disposed to return the above-mentioned vessels to the owners upon payment of $107.30, the amount expended on repairs and maintenance. In this connection I wish to refer to Mr. Read’s letter of February 1st, 1933,36 which was transmitted to the Department as an enclosure to the despatch under reference, in which he stated that this item “does not by any means represent the costs of custody. They do not include the very substantial costs of custody while in the hands of the Court. Further, they do not include the Departmental costs of custody of the vessels since condemnation, which are borne by the Department; they simply represent the out-of-pocket expenditures for the preservation of the property”.
It will also be noted that the Canadian Government states in the third paragraph of its note that it is prepared to enter into negotiations with the United States with a view to effecting “a complete revision of the present fisheries arrangements between the two countries”.
I feel that the moment is propitious to undertake the conclusion of such an arrangement. I should be grateful to receive your instructions as to the reply which you desire me to make to the Canadian Government.
Respectfully yours,