711.428/2039a
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Canada (Armour)
Sir: Reference is made to the Legation’s despatch No. 967 of September 28, 1936, relative to the negotiation with Canada of a revised Convention for the Preservation of the Halibut Fisheries of the Northern Pacific Ocean and enclosing a copy of note No. 120 of September 21, 1936, from the Department of External Affairs.
The Department is disposed to agree with the views of the Canadian authorities regarding the need for clarifying the text of the provisions [Page 834] of Article II. The changes along this line suggested in the Canadian note No. 68 of June 15, 1936, by the addition of the phrase “on the high seas” and the elimination of the following phraseology appearing in the article “except within the territorial waters of the other party”, and “except when such violation is committed in the territorial waters of the other party”, are acceptable to this Government if the extension to the article is made as was suggested in the Canadian note No. 120 of September 21, 1936. These changes have been incorporated in the enclosed draft.40
You are authorized to present the enclosed draft, which has the approval of the Department, to the Department of External Affairs. Your full power to sign the convention is enclosed herewith41 and you are authorized to proceed to the signature thereof if the enclosed draft is acceptable to the Canadian Government.
Very truly yours,