Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Halifax fisheries award.

One of the articles of the treaty of Washington provided for a commission to adjudicate the value of the fishery privileges conceded to the United States by that treaty. This commission met in Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 5, 1877. Great Britain was represented by Sir Alexander F. Gait; the United States by E. H. Kellogg. The third commissioner, Maurice Delfosse, was named by Austria, as provided for in the treaty. The commission awarded Great Britain $5,500,000 for the use of the fishing privileges for twelve years. The money was appropriated by Congress in 1878 with the proviso “articles 18 and 21 of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain, concluded on May 8, 1871, ought to be terminated at the earliest period consistent with the provisions of article 33 of the same treaty.” The President of the United States, in pursuance of instructions from Congress, gave the required notice, and the fishery articles therefore came to an end July 1, 1885. In 1888 the new treaty was negotiated in reference to the fishery question, but was rejected by the United States Senate, Aug. 21, 1888.