The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-06 00:00:00

THE SAN JUAN QUESTION.

Under date Washington, Jan. 20, the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger thus discusses the San Juan
controversy :—" From official documents your cor-
respondent gathers the following : It is well known
that for forty years or more prior t ) 1816 all that
territory west of the Rocky Mountains, between
the latitudes of 42 and 54 40, was in dispute be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, each
claiming the right of sovereignty to be in itself,
and denying that right in the other. In 1816 the
two Governments concluded a treaty, iu which the
line of boundary between the United States and
Great Britain was to be continued westward along
the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the
middle of the channel which separates the conti-
nent from Vancouver's Island, and thence southerly
through the middle of said channel and of Fuca
Straits to the Pacific Ocean. Out of this verbal
description of a water line of boundary through
the middle of the channel which separates the con-
tinent from Vancouver's Island, &c., a new con-
troversy arose between the two Governments,
Great Britain claiming that the Rosario Strait
is the channel intended by the treaty, thus
giving to her all the islands in the Haro
Archipelago, the United States claiming that
the Canal de Haro is the channel intended
by the treaty, thus giving to them the Haro Archi-
pelago of which San Juan Island forms a part. The
claims and pretensions of Great Britain under the
treaty of 1846 were made known to the President
of the United States through Mr. Bancroft, our
Minister in London, as early as November, 1816.
These claims were promptly rejected by the Presi-
dent, as being without sufficient foundation, and
the claims of the United States under the treaty
were made kno xn to the British authorities. Diplo-
matic correspondence on the subject ensued, which
resulted in the appointment of two Commissioners,
one on the part of each Government, for the pur-
pose of carrying into effect the first article of the
treaty of 1846—by locating and marking out that
part of the water boundary line which separates
the Washoe territory from the British possessions.
This was in 1856. Each Government instructed
its own Commissioner. Congress appropriated
nearly twenty thousand dollars for the purpose of
establishing this boundary line. The Commis-
sioners met in June, 1857, and after spending many
months in endeavouring to accomplish the object
of the joint commissions failed to agree, and
reported the result to their various Govern-
ments. Diplomatic correspondence was again
resumed, and no final settlement of the con-
troversy has yet been made. During all the
time since 1846 until the present, each Go-
vernment, as is well known, has adhered to
its construction and understanding of the treaty.
Each has invariably asserted its claim to the island
of San Juan and others in the Haro Archipelago,
by acts and public delarations too plain and em-
phatic to be misunderstood, and more than once
during that period the controversy has assumed
aspects which made war almost inevitable. From
this brief summary of facts, it would seem to fol-
low as a legitimate conclusion, first, that the boun-
dary line between Washington Territory and Van-
couver's Island, verbally described in the Treaty of
1846, has never been located and determined, and
that so far as that part of the boundary line is con-
cerned the first article of the Treaty of 1846 has
never yet been carried into effect. Second, that
neither of the two Governments has ever yielded or
surrendered to the other the right of sovereignty
over San Juan and the other islands lying between
the Rosario Strait and the Canal de Haro. Third,
that these islands are disputed territory, and that
any determined exercise of the exclusive right of
sovereignty on the part of either Government would
lead to a declaration of war by the other. In the
light of these facts, the importance of the treaty
now before the Senate can be appreciated when it
is explained that the treaty contemplates an amic-
able settlement of this controversy by the submission
of the dispute to the arbitrament of the President
of Switzerland."

Cyrus W. Field stopped a day or two in London
on his way to join leis family at Nice, taking his departure
either yesterday or to-day. He looks thinner and some-
what shaken by the effects of the dangerous accident he
lately met with, but otherwise he appeared in good health.
The accident occurred when inspecting the progress of
same works on his estate, some 25 miles from New York.
The architect suggested a spot for a trout pond which lay
in a hollow among rocks and trees. It had been snowing,
thawing, freezing, raining and freezing again, so the banks
slopeing into the vale were like glass. Mr. Field, unaware
of its nature, stepped on the slope and shot down like a
streak of lightning. Tho cape of a thick hooded cloak he
wore flew over his head, and thus enveloped, with-
out the slightest power of checking his speed,
ho was hurried along till ho struck an apple tree,
and in a most fortunate place for Lim, fo: a very slight
change would probably have made the blow fatal. Al-
though this did not stop his descent, it checked it, swung
him round, and relieved him face from the folds of the cloak, so
that ho was enabled to grasp the next tree with which ho
came in contact. The architect came down too, but having
on thick boots, studded with nails, he was able to check
the pace, and he was not taken by surprise as was Mr.
Field, who was so much injured that ho had to be carried
back in a large sleigh, in which his bed was placed. He
left Now York long before ho had recovered, trusting to
the quiet of a voyage to aid instead of retard his progrese,
and the result has proved that his advisers were correct.

DuNviLLE and Co., Belfast, are the largest
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exporta
tion. Quotations on application to Messrs. Dunville and Co.,
Belfast; or 4, Beatdort-buildin,gs, Strand, London W.Q —[Ad'
vernsenlent.]