Department of State,
Washington, November 1,
1905.
No. 344.]
[Inclosure.]
The Secretary of
State to the Secretary of the
Treasury.
Department of State,
Washington, October 25,
1905.
Sir: The immediate difficulty experienced
by the American fishing fleet on the treaty coast of Newfoundland
appears to have been happily disposed of. There are, however, some
other questions bearing upon the relations between the recent
legislation of Newfoundland and American rights under the treaty of
1818 with Great Britain from which, in default of a clear
understanding, further difficulties may possibly arise. These
questions are now under consideration by the two governments with a
confident expectation of reaching a satisfactory conclusion.
In the meantime I wish to bring to the attention of our American
fishermen some expressions contained in a recent letter received by
me from the British ambassador. He says:
“I note with satisfaction that the Government of the United States
will do everything in their power, as we on our side shall certainly
do, to prevent any collision between American fishermen and those of
Newfoundland, and I trust that they will also do everything in their
power to prevent the occurrence of any other untoward incident
pending inquiry into the question of the Newfoundland ‘act
respecting foreign fishing vessels,’ and the supposed
misapprehension on the part of certain Newfoundland officials with
regard to the status of vessels on the American register.
“The Government of the United States can not doubt the desire of His
Majesty’s Government to adhere strictly to all treaty provisions,
and all that seems required in order to bring about a satisfactory
conclusion in a case of this nature is the exercise by those
concerned on both sides of patience and temper in the assertion of
what they conceive to be their rights. It would be most unfortunate
if the case were to be complicated by any precipitate action on the
part of American fishermen or local officials. I will do all I can
to prevent such action on the part of the local officials and look
to you with confidence to prevent it on the part of the American
fishermen.”
We can not fail to agree heartily with the spirit and purpose thus
expressed by the British ambassador. I am sure that knowledge of the
fact that the Government of Great Britain is dealing with the
subject in this spirit will lead all American fishermen to exercise
under all circumstances the patience and good temper which the
ambassador justly deems so important.
May I ask that you will communicate the contents of this letter to
the collector of the port of Gloucester with the request that be
bring it to the notice of the owners and masters of the American
fishing fleet, so largely owned at that port?
I have, etc.,
