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Article 1: “That there be an universal
perpetual peace, and a true and sincere
friendship, between the most Serene and most
Potent Princess Anne, Queen of Great
Britain, and the most Serene and most Potent
Prince Lewis XIV, the most Christian King,
and their Heirs and Successors, as also the
Kingdoms, States, and Subjects of both, as
well without as within Europe; and that the
same be so sincerely and inviolably
preserved and cultivated, that the one do
promote the interest, honour, and advantage
of the other; and that a faithful
neighbourhood on all sides, and a secure
cultivating of peace and friendship do daily
flourish again and increase.”
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The
Treaty of Utrecht, also called the Peace of Utrecht,
ended hostilities between Britain and France both in
Europe and in America. In early Canada, there were
several commercial wars initiated to capture trade
monopolies and determine ownership of land. These
skirmishes caused a lot of uneasiness and mistrust
between the French and English. The Utrecht agreement
defined who owned portions of Canada, including Acadia,
the Maritimes and Hudson Bay and eased the tension
between the two countries.
Under the terms of the Treaty, France was stripped of
two colonies important to the lucrative cod fishery -
Acadia and Newfoundland. King Louis XIV, bankrupted by
war, agreed to cede French land in North America to
England, so the French passed most of Acadia to Britain.
They still possessed a portion, one example being New
Brunswick because of difficulties in interpreting
Acadia's actual size. As well, France retained Cape
Breton Island, Ile St. Jean, the St. Lawrence Peninsula
and the St. Lawrence River. France also agreed to
restore the drainage basin of Hudson Bay and to
compensate England for its wartime losses.
Article XII: “The most Christian King shall
take care to have delivered to the Queen of
Great Britain, on the same day that the
ratifications of this treaty shall be
exchanged, solemn and authentic letters, or
instruments, by virtue whereof it shall
appear, that the island of St. Christopher's
is to be possessed alone hereafter by
British subjects, likewise all Nova Scotia
or Acadie, with its ancient boundaries, as
also the city of Port Royal, now called
Annapolis Royal, and all other things in
those parts, which depend on the said lands
and islands ..........; and that in such
ample manner and form, that the subjects of
the most Christian King shall hereafter be
excluded from all kind of fishing in the
said seas, bays, and other places, on the
coasts of Nova Scotia, that is to say, on
those which lie towards the east, within 30
leagues, beginning from the island commonly
called Sable, inclusively, and thence
stretching along towards the south-west.”
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Additionally, France returned all claims to
Newfoundland, yet retained certain rights on its coasts.
The French were permitted to fish on a length of coast
extending from Cape Bonavista up and around the Northern
Peninsula as far south as Pointe Riche. France was not
allowed to inhabit this "French Shore", but they were
permitted to fish there. England’s intent was to
preserve Newfoundland’s fishery economy and to insure
that future generations would have a source of
employment and trade.
The French were required to abandon all their
settlements in Newfoundland and return all English forts
that had been captured in the last 30 years.
Article XIII: “The island called
Newfoundland, with the adjacent islands,
shall from this time forward belong of right
wholly to Britain; and to that end the town
and fortress of Placentia, and whatever
other places in the said island are in the
possession of the French, shall be yielded
and given up, within seven months from the
exchange of the ratifications of this
treaty, or sooner, if possible, by the most
Christian King, to those who have a
commission from the Queen of Great Britain
for that purpose. . . . Moreover, it shall
not be lawful for the subjects of France to
fortify any place in the said island of
Newfoundland, or to erect any buildings
there, besides stages made of boards, and
huts necessary and usual for drying of fish;
or to resort to the said island, beyond the
time necessary for fishing, and drying of
fish. But it shall be allowed to the
subjects of France to catch fish, and to dry
them on land, in that part only, and in no
other besides that, of the said island of
Newfoundland, which stretches from the place
called Cape Bonavista to the northern point
of the said island, and from thence running
down by the western side, reaches as far as
the place called Point Riche. But the island
called Cape Breton, as also all others, both
in the mouth of the river of St. Lawrence,
and in the gulph of the same name, shall
hereafter belong of right to the French, and
the most Christian King shall have all
manner of liberty to fortify any place or
places there.”
Article XIV: “It is expressly provided, that
in all the said places and colonies to be
yielded and restored by the most Christian
King, in pursuance of this treaty, the
subjects of the said King may have liberty
to remove themselves, within a year, to any
other place, as they shall think fit,
together with all their moveable effects.
But those who are willing to remain there,
and to be subject to the Kingdom of Great
Britain, are to enjoy the free exercise of
their religion, according to the usage of
the church of Rome, as far as the laws of
Great Britain do allow the same.”
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