Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/110

 82 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS of prominent offenders to prison, and the outrages soon ceased. The most important measure of foreign policy during President Grant s administration was the treaty with Great Britain of May 8, 1871, known as the treaty of Washington. Early in his admin istration the president had begun negotiations look ing to the settlement of the claims made by the United States against Great Britain, arising from the depredations upon American vessels and com merce by Confederate cruisers that had been fitted out or obtained supplies in British ports, and the questions growing out of the Canadian fishery dis putes and the location of our northern boundary- line at its junction with the Pacific ocean, which left the jurisdiction of the island of San Juan in controversy. Neither of the two last-mentioned questions had been settled by the treaty of peace of 1783, or any subsequent treaties. The fishery question was referred to arbitration by three com missioners, one to be chosen by the United States, one by Great Britain, and the third by the other two, provided they should make a choice within a stated time, otherwise the selection to be made by the Emperor of Austria. The two commissioners having failed to agree, the third was named by the Austrian emperor. The award was unsatisfactory to the United States, the decision of the commis sion was severely criticised, and the dispute has