711.428/1254
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Canada (Mayer)
Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction No. 255 [225] of May 9, 1928,35 and to a despatch from your Legation No. 482 of [Page 70] June 19, 1928,36 regarding seine fishing in the Missisquoi Bay section of Lake Champlain, you are instructed to again take up the question with the Secretary of State for External Affairs regarding the appointment in the near future of a joint fact-finding commission to investigate this fisheries question and to make recommendations regarding its solution. The representations to be made are contained in the Department’s instruction No. 225 of May 9, 1928.
Careful consideration has been given to the suggestions contained in the note of June 16, 1928, from the Secretary of State for External Affairs transmitted with your despatch No. 482 of June 19, 1928. With respect to the suggestion made in their note that it is not feasible to appoint a fact-finding commission to deal with the Missisquoi Bay situation alone until at least steps are taken to advance the settlement of the more important fisheries cases outstanding between the United States and Canada, it may be stated that steps are being taken looking to the settlement of the halibut fisheries question in the Pacific37 and fishing problems in the Fraser River.38 Inasmuch as these matters are being dealt with individually, it would seem reasonable that the same procedure should be pursued in the Missisquoi Bay case, without further delay. You will please communicate with the Secretary of State for External Affairs in the sense of the foregoing and transmit his reply to the Department as soon as you receive it.
I am [etc.]
- ibid., p. 37.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. ii, p. 41.↩
- See pp. 60 ff.↩
- See pp. 55 ff↩