TAXES IN THE ARCTIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 24 March 1911, Page 5

TAXES IN THE ARCTIC.

ASSERTION OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrieht Ottawa, March 22. Captain Bernier's Canadian expedition, which is seeking the North-West Passage, carries instructions to levy duty on all American whalers using Arctic islands and headlands for their operations. It is understood the object is to assert British sovereignty everywhere within the Arctic regions.

CANADA'S CLAIMS. The Toronto correspondent of "The Times" wrote on June 29 last:—"The United States Government has given instiuctions to American citizens who are engaged in the whaling industry in Northern waters to disregard Canada's claims to sovereignty. For tho last few years United States whalers have been paying a licenso fee to the North-West Mounted Police on behalf of tho Canadian Government, and it was understood that they had accepted the claim of Canada to control over the Northern fisheries. Now, however, it is said that the whalers who leave New Bedford this week, for the north will tako with them a definite statement from Washington that they will be protected by the United States if they refuse to pay a license fee or otherwise to recognise the sovereignty of Great Britain in tho Northern seas." The attitude taken by American politicians generally regards England and Canada is simply this: "You English have such a vast estate in various parts of the world that you can afford to bo very generous as regards Canada ami America over little details of boundaries, fishery rights, .and so forth." This attitudo is perfectly well known to tho Canadians, and they do not sympathise with it.