No. 275.
Mr. Fish
to Sir Edward Thornton.
Washington, November 24, 1874.
Sir: I nave the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 23d instant, in reference to the engagement of the United States to urge upon the several State governments to secure to subjects of Her Britannic Majesty the use of the several State canals connected with the navigation of the lakes, and in which you state that you are in receipt of a dispatch from the Earl of Dufferin, transmitting a copy of a report of a committee of the privy council of the Dominion of Canada, in which it is stated that whilst all the Canadian canals have been opened to vessels of the United States, that British subjects are entirely excluded from the use of any and all canals in the United States except the Sault Ste. Marie Canal.
I am somewhat surprised at this general statement in the report of the committee, audit would perhaps be more satisfactory had some special instance of exclusion been reported, that the facts might have been represented. I have, however, transmitted a copy of your dispatch to the governor of the State of New York, and have requested information upon the question.
Although the report of the committee of the privy council states [Page 646] that all the canals of the United States are so closed, except the Sault Ste. Marie Canal, I beg to inform you that the resolution of the legislature of the State of Michigan, of March 23, 1872, opening the Sault Ste. Marie Canal, applied also to any canal connected with the great lakes, or contiguous to the boundary-line between the United States and the Dominion of Canada.
I have, &c.,