New-York daily tribune., 1842-09-06
vOA. HI. NO. 127.

muCh value.
Another matter Of difference uas the manner of
extending the line from the point at which the
Commissioners arrived, north of Isle Royale, in
Lake Superior to the Lake Of the Woods. The
British Commissioners insisted on proceeding to
the Fond du Lac, at the southwest angle of the
Lake, and thence by the River ST. Lons to the
Rainy Lake. The American Commissioner sup
posed the true course TO be TO proceed by way of
the Dog River. Attempts were made te compro-
mise this difference, but without success. The
details of these proceedings are found at length
| in the printed, separate reports OF the Commits
sioners.
From the imperfect knowledge of this remote
country, at the date of the treaty of peace, some
of the descriptions in that treatyd do not harmonise
with its natural features ascertained.
/" Long Lake. is nowhere to be found under that
name. There is reason for supposing, however,
that the sheet of water intended by that name, is
the estuary at the mouth of Pigeon River. The
present treaty adopts therefore that estuary and
river and afterwards pursues the Usual route, across
the height Of land by the various portagss and
small lakes, till the line reaches Rainy Lake; from
which the Commissioners agreed on the extension
Of it to its ternination in the northwest angle of
the Lake of the Woods. The region of country
on the near shore of the Lake, between Pigeon
River on the north, and Fond du Lac and the Ri
yer St. Louis on the south and west, considered
valuable as mineral region, is thus included
within the United States. 1t embraces territory
of four millions Of acres, northward Of the claim
set up by the British Commissioner under the trea-
ty of Ghent. From the height of land at the head
of Pigeon River, westerly to the Rainy Lake, the
country is understood to be of little value, being
described by surveyors and marked on the map as
region of rock and water.
From the northwest angle of the Lake Of the
Woods, which is found to be in latitude as deg.
% min. SIS north, existing treaties require the
line be due south to its intersection with the
35th parallel, and thence along that parallel to the
Rocky Mountains.
After sundry informal communications with the
British minister upon the subject of the claims of
the two countries to territory west OF the Rocky
Mountains so little probability was found to ex-
ist of coming TO any agreement on that subject at
present. that it was not though expedient to make
it one of the subjects Of formal negotiation, to be
entered upon between this Government and the
British minister, rs part of his duties under his
special mission.
BY the treaty of 1888, the line of division along
the rivers and lakes, from the place where the
45th parallel of north latitude strikes the ST. Law
renee, to the outlet of Lake Superior, is invaria-
bly, to be drawn through the middle of such wa
lers, and not through the middle of their main
channels. Such line, if extended according to
the literal terms Of the treaty, would, it is obvl-
Gus, occasionally intersect islands. The manner
in which the commissioners of the two Govern
ments dealt with this difficult subject, may be
seen in their report. But where tho line, thus
following the middle of The river water course
did not meet with islands, yet it was liable some
times to leave the only practicable navigable chan
mel altogether on side. The treaty made no
provision for the common use of the waters ey the
citizens and subjects Of both countries.
1t has happened, therefore, in few instances
that the use OF the river in particular places would
be greatly diminished, to party or the other, If
in fact, there was not choice in the use of chan
nels and passages. Thus at the Long Sault ia the
ST. Lawrence, dangerous passage, practicable
only for boats. the only safe run is between the
Long Sault islands and Barnhardt's island, all OF
which belong to the United States on enc side
and the American shore on the othar. On the
other hand, BY far the best passage for vessels of
any depth Of water from Lake Erie into the De-
,roit River, is between BQial B lane, British Is
land, and the Canadian shore. So again there
are several channels or passages, of different de-
grees of facility and usefulness, between the
several islands in the river ST. Clair, at or Rcur
its entry into the lake of that name. In these
three cases. the treaty provides that all the seve
raj channels and passages shall be free and open
to the use of the citizens and subjects OF both
parties.
The treaty obligations subsisting between the
two countries for the suppression of the African
slave trade, and the complaints made to This
Government within the last three or four years,
many of them but too well founded, OF the vista
ton, seizure and detention of American vessels
on that coast, by British cruizers. could not but
~ nf he
negotiations witch have now been held.
The early and prominent part which the Govern
ment of the United States has taken for the aboi-
ton of this unlawful and inhuman traffic, is well
known. By the tenth article of the Treaty OF
Client, i, is declared that the traffic in slaves Is ir-
reconciable with the principles of humanity and
Justice, and that both His Majesty axd the United
States are desirous of continuing their efforts to
promote its entire abolition; and 1t is thereby
agreed that both the contracting parties shall use
their best endeavors to accomplish SO desirable an
object. The Government of the United States
has, by law, declared the African slave trade pira-
CIV; and at its suggestion other nations have made
similar enactments. 1t has not been wanting In
honest and Jealous efforts, made IN conformity
with the wishes of the whole country, TO accom-
nlish the entire abolition OF the traffic IN slaves
upon the African coast; brt these efforts and those
Of other countries directed to the same end, have
proved, TO considerable degree, unsuccessful
Treaties are known to have been entered into
some years ago between England and France, BY
which the former power which usually maintains
large naval force on the African station, was
authorized 10 seize and bring in for adjudication,
vessels found engaged in the slave trade under The
French flag.
1t is known, that in December last, treaty was
signed in London by the representatives of Eng
land, France, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, hay-