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The Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty of 1855 to 1866

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Lawrence H. Officer
Affiliation:
Harvard University
Lawrence B. Smith
Affiliation:
University of Toronto

Extract

The Reciprocity Treaty between the British North American Provinces (Canada) and the United States was ratified in February 1855 and terminated in March 1866. It provided for free trade in all natural products, free access for United States fisheries to the Atlantic coastal waters of British North America, and access to the St. Lawrence River for American vessels under the same tolls as native vessels.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1968

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References

1 Lamed, J. N., “Report on State of Trade Between United States and British North American Provinces,” House Executive Document No. 94, U.S. 41st Cong., 3d. sess., p. 6Google Scholar.

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8 The modern analysis of regional integration begins with Viner, Jacob, The Customs Union Issue (New York: Carnegie Endowment, 1950)Google Scholar.

9 These duties may be contrasted with an average American tariff of 21.1 percent in the year ending June 30, 1854. This number is the ratio of duty collected to total imports. The source is Senate Executive Document No. 1, U.S. 35th Cong., 1st. sess.

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18 This precise result assumes that both goods would ultimately be obtained either by trade or domestic production and that trade is balanced by the export of good C, which also is produced at constant cost; also, that there is a constant marginal utility of money.

19 , Lower, Assault on the Forest, p. 105Google Scholar.

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21 , Lower, Assault on the Forest, p. 122Google Scholar.

22 Ibid., p. 128.

23 For a breakdown of this total see W. H. Seward, “Reciprocal Relations Between the United States and British North American Provinces,” Senate Executive Document No. 30, U.S. 39th Cong., 2d. sess., p. 139.

24 Quoted in , Jones, History of Agriculture, p. 190Google Scholar.

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30 Ibid., p. 232.

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