of $350,000
per annum (for the period of twelve years, $4,200,000), besides
building up into a profitable and prosperous industry the shore-fishing
of Prince Edward's Island, which before the Reciprocity Treaty was
not even deemed worthy of computation.

The award was made on the 23d of November, 1877. It produced profound
astonishment throughout the United States, accompanied by no small
degree of indignation. Rumors in regard to the mode of Mr. Delfosse's
appointment became frequent during the ensuing winter; and on the 11th
of March, 1878, Mr. Blaine of Maine submitted a resolution in the
Senate, requesting the President, if not incompatible with the
interests of the public service, to transmit the correspondence which
preceded the selection of Mr. Delfosse as third Commissioner. It was
promptly given to the Senate and to the public, and increased to a
great degree the popular dissatisfaction with the result. For the
first time Mr. Delfosse became acquainted with the serious objections
made by the Government of the United States to his appointment. It is
probably that if his government had been advised of the facts Mr.
Delfosse would never have been subjected to the embarrassment and
mortification of serving on the Commission.

In transmitting to Congress the papers relating to the award, on the
17th of May (1878), President Hayes recommended the "appropriation
of the necessary sum, _with such discretion in the Executive
Government, in regard to the payment, as in the wisdom of Congress the
public interests may seem to require_." The whole matter was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and on the 28th of May the
chairman of the Committee, Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, made an elaborate
report, reviewing the history of the transaction in a very thorough
and impartial manner. He also submitted a resolution, declaring that
"the views and recommendations embraced in the report of the Senate
Committee of Foreign Relations, touching the award made by the
Fishery Commission at Halifax, are hereby approved." The Committee,
at the same time, reported a bill appropriating five and a half
millions for the payment of the award.

The report of the Committee recommended that "the President of the
United State should be authorized to pay the award, if, after
correspondence with the Government of Great Britain, he shall, without
further communication with Congress, deem that such payment shall
be demanded by the ho