The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-13 00:00:00

Our attention has been called to a Pamphlet on
the Boundary Question, purporting to be drawn up
from official documents, by Mr. JAMES, Historio-
grapher to her Majesty Queen VICTORIA, just pub-
lished by Saunders and Otley. The object of this
tract is to make the public acquainted with the
early transactions relative to the settlement of this
question—a necessary knowledge, not previously
acquirable, save by wading through a mass
of Parliamentary and historical documents not al-
ways within the reach of the general reader. Mr.
JAMES has executed his task with impartiality,
sound judgment, and good temper. He gives a
clear and succinct summary of the negociations on
both sides since the ratification of the treaty of
1783—carefully avoiding imputations of an irri-
tating tendency ; and he subjoins, in a note at the
end, what he conceives to be the only fair and
practicable means of arriving at a just and amicable
settlement of the question. As it is of the utmost
importance that the opinions of those who have
carefully examined all the difficulties of fixing,
a boundary line between the British Pro-
vinces and the United States, and who
are persuaded that nothing but mutual good faith
is wanting to prevent all danger of a collision be-
tween the two Governments, should be maturely
weighed by the British and American public, we
quote Mr. JAMES'S conclusions as peculiarly
interesting:—
Although by no means fond of meddling with any poli-
tical discussions, I may be permitted to say that there
would seem to me to be a very easy way of settling the dif-
ferences on the boundary question, supposing that there
exists good faith and moderation on both parts. No
new survey can have any good result, except upon
such conditions as will create an umpire between
the respective Commissioners of survey, and render the
limits agreed upon by the Commissioners, together with
the decision of the umpire in regard to all contested points,
binding on the two States .interested. The transactions
which accompanied the rejection of the division made by
the King of the Netherlands, prove that the executive
Government of the United States is not entrusted with suf-
ficient powers to effect this object ; and therefore it can
only be brought about by a treaty of survey and arbitration,
duly submitted to the constitutional bodies of both States,
and fully ratified by both before any new attempt to define
the boundary is made. One of the articles of the treaty
might thus define the objects of the survey, and the powers
of the umpire
:
It is agreed that two Commissioners be appointed
in the following manner : that is to sy—One Com-
missioner shall be appoined by her Britannic Majesty, and
one by the President of the United States, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and the
said two Commissioners so appointed, shall be sworn
impartially to examine and decide what is the nearest

The Chamber of Deputies was engaged on
Thursday with the contested elections. The elec-
tion of General D'HAUDETOT, one of the
KING'S Aides-de-Camp, for Bayeux, was made
null and void on 'Wednesday by a majority of 211
votes against 189. The importance of this deci-
sion is thus noticed by the Nalional:—
This vote, however insignificant in appearance, is a
victory the more decided in favour of the Opposition, as it
was gained in spite of the support given by the Doctrinaires
to the Court party. All, with M. Guizot at their head,
voted for M. D'lloudetot. Messrs. Duvergier de Hau-
ranne, Jaubert, and Renouard, alone joined the cote gauche,
and still there was a majority of 22 suffrages against the
Court. This result is significant, and ought to give the
Opposition more confidence in its own strength."
The following are extracts from the Paris
Papers :
The Moniteur of Thursday published the following :
" The Storthing of Norway adopted on the 16th ult. a
resolution, sanctioned the same day by the King, declaring
the importation of potatoes into Norway free, until the 30th
of June next, from the duty of 27 schillings (13fd.) per
ton, to which they are subjected by the customs tariff of that
kingdom l"
A letter of the 4th instant, from Hamburg, quoted by
the National, states that the death of the reigning Duke
of Brunswick has actually taken place, and mentions a
variety of rumours which were circulated on the subject.
According to some, be had been strangled in an attempt to
descend through a narrow window, in pursuit of an affair
of gallantry in which he was engaged ; whilst others hint
that his death bad been brought about by a Hanoverian
bullet. The letter seems to throw some sinister suspi-
cions on the King of Hanover, and points out his Majesty's
claims upon the Duchy of Brunswick.
An article which appears in the Augsburg Gazette of
the sth instant, expresses itself in the following terms
relative to the position of the British Government in the
East :—" India is so nearly menaced on the side of
Persia, that it has become impossible to take the long
route by the Cape of Good Hope for the transport of
troops. They must now be sent by the way of Egypt ;
but there is no doubt that Mehemet Ali will never
lend himself to permitting a passage by this short route ;
and in this respect he is an obstacle which the English