The course pursued by the Canadian authorities toward the fishermen
of the United States during the past season has not been marked by a
friendly feeling. By the first article of the convention of 1818 between
Great Britain and the United States it was agreed that the inhabitants
of the United States should have forever, in common with British
subjects, the right of taking fish in certain waters therein defined.
In the waters not included in the limits named in the convention (within
3 miles of parts of the British coast) it has been the custom for many
years to give to intruding fishermen of the United States a reasonable
warning of their violation of the technical rights of Great Britain.
The Imperial Government is understood to have delegated the whole or a
share of its jurisdiction or control of these inshore fishing grounds
to the colonial authority known as the Dominion of Canada, and this
semi-independent but irresponsible agent has exercised its delegated
powers in an unfriendly way. Vessels have been seized without notice or
warning, in violation of the custom previously prevailing, and have been
taken into the colonial ports, their voyages broken up, and the vessels
condemned. There is reason to believe that this unfriendly and vexatious
treatment was designed to bear harshly upon the hardy fishermen of the
United States, with a view to political effect upon this Government.
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