ies with the
Mother Country, but also their own organic interconnection, from that
moment the whole Imperial idea receives an immense accession of
strength.[43] But it is now elementary that Newfoundland, and
Newfoundland alone, can take this decision. She is the mistress of her
own destinies.

It is unfortunate that the Blaine-Bond incident in 1890 should have
excited ill-feeling against Canada in the older colony. In September
of that year a treaty of trade regulating the purchase of bait, etc.,
the shipping of crews, and transhipment of cargo (called, from the
delegates employed on each side,[44] the Blaine-Bond Treaty) was
informally negotiated between Newfoundland and the United States, and
a draft of a convention was prepared. In the following December this
draft was modified, but in January 1891, Mr Blaine submitted a
counter-proposal, which the United States were disposed to accept,
though they were not really anxious to effect the arrangement. The
treaty had been submitted to the Colonial Office, and approved by it;
but the ratification of the Imperial Government was refused at the
last moment. Probably the refusal would have caused less irritation in
the colony if it had sprung from Imperial considerations; as a fact,
it was procured by Canadian remonstrances against Newfoundland's
separate action in a matter concerning Canada also, and it was felt in
Newfoundland that the island had been sacrificed to the exigencies of
Canadian party politics. It may be added here that in 1902, another
separate agreement--the Hay-Bond Treaty--similar to the preceding, was
entered into, but was rejected by the United States Senate.
Accordingly the Newfoundland Government secured in 1905 the passing of
the Foreign Fishing Vessels Act which deprived the American fishermen
(more particularly those of Gloucester, Mass.) of the special
privileges hitherto conceded, leaving them the right under the
Convention of 1818. Disputes arose. The question was discussed at the
Imperial Conference in 1907. After temporary alleviation of the
difficulties by a _modus vivendi_, the British and American
Governments came to the conclusion that the best remedy lay in a
submission to the Hague Court of Arbitration: in 1909 the terms of
reference were agreed to, and on September 1910 the award was
given.[45] Newfoundland was thereby placed in a very favourable
position for dealing with the discrimination exercised against fish
exported to America by