Whereas, by the thirteenth article of the treaty concluded at _Utrecht_ on the fourth day of _April_, new stile, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirteen, between her late Majesty Queen _Anne_ and the most Christian King _Louis_ the fourteenth, it was, among other things, agreed, That the island called _Newfoundland_, with the adjacent islands, should, from that 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 were in the possession of the _French_, should be yielded and given up, within seven months from the exchange of the ratification of that treaty, or sooner if possible, by the most Christian King, to those who had a commission from the Queen of _Great Britain_ for that purpose; nor should the most Christian King, his heirs or successors, or any of their subjects, at any time thereafter, lay claim to any right to the said island and islands, or to any part of them; moreover, it should 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 useful for drying of fish, or to resort to the said island beyond the time necessary for fishing and drying fish: That it should be allowed to the subjects of _France_ to catch fish, and to dry them on land, on that part only, and in none other besides that part of the 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, and reaches as far as the place called _Cape Riche_: And whereas, by the fifth article of the treaty of peace, concluded at _Paris_ on the tenth day of _February_ one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three, between his Majesty and the late most Christian King _Louis_ the fifteenth, and his most Catholick Majesty, it was, among other things, agreed, that the subjects of _France_ should have the liberty of fishing and drying on a part of the coast of the island of _Newfoundland_, such as is specified in the thirteenth article of the treaty of _Utrecht_, which article is confirmed and renewed by the present treaty: And whereas, by the fifth article of the definitive treaty of peace, concluded at _Versailles_, between his Majesty and the most Christian King, on the third day of _September_ one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, it was, among other things, agreed, That his Majesty, the King of _Great Britain_, should be maintained in his right to the island of _Newfoundland_, and to the adjacent islands, as the whole were assured to him by the thirteenth article of the treaty of _Utrecht_, excepting the islands of _Saint Pierre_ and _Miquelon_, which were ceded in full right, by the said treaty of the third day of _September_ one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, to his most