§ MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can give the House any information regarding the measures proposed to be adopted by the United States Government arising out of the seizure of American fishing vessels in Canadian Waters; whether it is correct that the United States Legislatures have empowered the President to refuse, by proclamation, the entrance into United States Waters of Canadian ships from British North American ports, and also of fresh or salt fish, or any other product and, whether he can, without 759 inconvenience to the Public Service, at once place upon the Table of the House all Correspondence upon the question?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)Correspondence on the subject of the North American Fisheries will shortly be presented to Parliament. This will afford all necessary information on the question up to a recent date, and will include the text of an Act passed in June last, to enable the President, under certain circumstances, to refuse commercial facilities to foreign vessels in United States ports. A Bill is now under the consideration of the United States Legislature to empower the President to restrict still further commercial intercourse between Canada and the United States; but the Bill has not yet become law. A despatch from the Government of Canada is on its way, containing suggestions for a modus vivendi between the two countries on this subject. It is not possible for Her Majesty's Government to make any proposals to the Government of the United States until they have received and considered that despatch.
In answer to a further Question by Mr. GOURLEY,
§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSONreplied that the intentions of Her Majesty's Government would be fully set forth in the Correspondence, which would be published shortly.