§ CAPTAIN PECHELLmoved, pursuant to notice, for copies of the communications 459 which had been made to the Board of Trade and the Commissioners of Customs relative to the instructions to be issued to the naval authorities respecting the Convention between this country and France, and with respect to the examination of French fishing vessels. Now, from what appeared in the French newspapers, it would seem that remonstrances had been made by the French Government to the British Government on this subject, and that the latter had yielded the point sought for. Now, by the 13th Article of the Convention between the two countries, the fishermen of both countries were ordered, when required to do so by the respective authorities, to present their licenses for examination. It was stated in the newspapers that the Board of Trade had issued instructions relative to the construction or interpretation of this 13th Article, and directing that no fishing vessels were to be examined unless there were grounds for suspecting them. It appeared to him that there was a giving way on the part of our own Government on this question. He knew an instance where some French fishermen had come in the night, and drew the fishing stations of the English fishermen, to their great injury and loss. He did not see any Lord of the Admiralty present, or he would ask him a question relative to this subject, or whether any instructions had been sent from that department. He hoped the right hon. Baronet opposite would furnish them with any copies of instructions furnished by the Admiralty, so that the House might know exactly how the case stood.
§ SIR G. CLERKhad no objection to the production of the documents to which the hon. and gallant Member opposite referred. He believed the hon. and gallant Gentleman had correctly stated the case. The fact was that complaints had been made by the fishermen of both nations of their boats having been examined by the cruisers of both countries; and upon a communication taking place between the Governments of France and England, it had been thought better to confine the cases of search or visit to such fishing boats as might be suspected of violation of the terms of the Convention. This regulation was as good for the fishermen of one nation as another, and both French and English boats were convenienced by being preserved from the system. He could inform the hon. and gallant Member that a copy of the letter sent to the Customs had also been sent to the 460 Admiralty, for its guidance and information. With regard to the return of the number of French and English boats which had been detained from time to time under the Convention, he could inform the hon. and gallant Captain it was in course of preparation, and would be presented in a few days.
§ CAPTAIN PECHELLsaid the French Government had not yet passed any law to carry into effect the rules and regulations agreed on by the Convention. In consequence of the imperfect lettering, numbering, marking, and naming of their boats, it was difficult to identify any of them which might have been concerned in any aggression on a dark night.
§ Motion agreed to.