711.428/767
The British Chargé (Chilton) to the Secretary of State
Sir: With reference to my note No. 8697 of the 8th instant regarding the Halibut Fishery Convention between the United States and Great Britain, I have the honour to state that I have now received a telegraphic communication from His Excellency the Governor-General of Canada stating that the Dominion Government will be glad to issue on the 15th instant, simultaneously with the United States Government, a statement on the lines indicated in the note which you were so good as to address to me on the 4th instant.
The Canadian Government propose the following as the draft of this statement:
“Northern Pacific Halibut Convention
As the time when the closed season provided for by the above-named Convention should commence is now quite near, the question of whether or not such a season could be made effective this year has formed the subject of a series of notes which has recently passed between the Government of the Dominion of Canada and the United States Government. As a result of this exchange of notes, and in order to avoid any embarrassment to the halibut fishing industry by reason of the continued uncertainty as to the extent to which its business would be affected this year by the Convention, it has been decided to intimate to those engaged in the industry both in Canada and in the United States, that there will be no closed time for halibut during the winter season of 1923–1924.”
I have the honour to request that you will be so good as to inform me at your earliest convenience whether the above draft is acceptable to the United States Government.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩