His Speech Will Be Found In
Another Part Of Our Impression.
It would not be easy to overrate the
importance of the interests to this country involved in the question
which Mr. Watkin so lucidly brought before the House.
He showed that
under the operation of the existing treaty British trading interests to
the extent of 10,000,000l. per annum were involved. This is no
inconsiderable sum. Assuredly it is much too large to be heedlessly
sacrificed if means can be found consistent with the honour of the
country to prevent it. And yet, notwithstanding the great and manifest
importance of the subject, and though the United States have given
notice of their intention to terminate the treaty in twelve months from
the present time, it would appear that no steps have yet been taken on
the part of the Imperial Government to avert the evils of which the
termination of that treaty would be productive to the British North
American Provinces, and through them to the Mother Country; for, apart
from the stoppage that would ensue to the international trade now
existing between the States and Canada and her sister provinces, the
old vexed question as to the right of Americans to participate in the
fisheries in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, along a shore upwards of
1,500 miles in length, is again raised. To call attention to these
facts was the main object of Mr. Watkin's speech. He had no wish to
embarass the Government in any way, but was simply desirous of
impressing on it the importance of early action in the matter, with the
view to the preservation or modification of the Reciprocity Treaty.
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