, 1854-05-13

thOriteS.
Serious difficulty is to be apprebended from con.
ic Of jurisdiction between the United States author
ite Of this Territory, aud those Of her Bttanc Maj
t,tys Colonial Government on vancouver's Island in
relation to the boundary line between our Government
and taOse of Her Brttaaic Maje-ty's possosson- on
this coast
To Us there is nothing more clear than that while
the Treaty Of July l,4G intended t. give to the Gov
crnment Of Great Britain, fol Obvious reasons oil Of
Vancouyors Island south Of 49o parallel Of atitude
1t i equally clear to u.s. that it was intended that the
boundary line between the two Governments should
be or the Grst channel south Of the same and THAT
CHANNEL IS THE STRAITS OF HARRo "-whcL i. the
widest the deepest and the BEST channel that s to e
found within tie limits, is without the possibility Of
question. Any ether corstrurtion to ON mind would
&c 70 do violence to the plain and obvious meaning Of
tho Trea'y-dortt the common sense Of the gr con.
tracing parties who framed the same, and open the
door for serious difficulties between governments whose
interests and policies shoud be that Of the most ami
cable and peaceful character.
/ We understand that the Collector Of Customs for
this District, while Oh tour Of duty down the sound
came in contact with persons claiming to lc ccrs OF
| Her M9jestys Colonial Government on Vancou vers
Island who threatened him with violence If he attempt.
ed to exercise Official jurisdiction over certain portions
OF the Collection District Of Puget Sound. While max
I ing official visit to San Juan Island which lies
south Of the Straits Of Haro he found the Island oc
cup lied by servants Of the Hudson'5 Bay Uompany-
subjects Of Great Brtairupon which were some three
thousand head Of sheep cattle, horses, hogs d.. all
which were acknowledged by the parties in poss, son
to have been imported from Vancouycrs Island in De-
center last in British vessels without having entered
the at the Custom House for the District Of Pu
get Sound thus violating Of the planet provisions
Of our Revenue Laws
On the arrival of the Collector on the Island he vas
visited by Mr. Griffin, who is reported to hold Com
mission Of Justice of the Peace for the Island from
Governor Douglass, of vancouver's Island who made
enquiries Of the Collector to the object Of his visit
and the he intended to pursue in regard to the
live stock and other property on the Island. These
questions Col Ebey very properly declined to answer
In the afternoon Of the next day, the Hudsons Bay
Company's steamer " Otter came from VancOuver's
Island and dropped anchor in front of where the Col
leetor was encamped. She Immediately lowered a
boat, which sent on shore with the British flag 1y
Ing and landed Mr.. Sankster who informed Collect
Ebey that be was Collector Of Customs for the Port
Of Victoria, and demanded what his business was on
the Island of San Juan" to which he received for
swer that he Mr. sanster h1d no right tU ash such
questions; yet nevertheless he should be answered.;
that he there because he had right to be there
that he official duty Collector Of Customs for
the District Of Puget Sound" Mr. Sankster then In
formed the Collector that he should make seizures
Of all vessels and arrests of all persons found navgat
ing the waters west Of Rosario Straits, and north Of
the middle Of the Straits of San Juan dc Furar The
Collector informed Mr. Sankster that he should leave
the Island an Inspector of Customs in order to en-.
force the Revenue Laws Of the United States, where
the were violated and that he hoped and trust
ed that In the discharge Of his official dutes he wold
meet with persons who would be so rash as to at
tempt TO interfere with the same by pretending to be
Officers Of the British Government employed by the
Colonial authorities Of Vanoouyer's Island.
After this conversation, Mr.. Sankster ordered the
British Gag to bNbrought on shore and hoisted. As
soon this order was given the Collector ordered the
Revenue flag to be hosted in his boat which was done
before the British flag planted. The British flag
was then carried up to the Hudson's Bay Company's
station on the Island and there hosted flag staff
Mr. Sankser took occasion, during his conversation
with the Collector, to inform lin that James Dong
lass, Governor of Vancouver's Island, and Vice Adm
raj in the British Navy on board the steamer and
II COL Ebey wished to have conversation with his
exeelleney, Gov. Douglass would DO glad to receive
him on board the steamer. The Collector requested
Mr.. Sankster to present Gov Douglass with his com
pliments, and say to him, ii he wished an interview
with the Collector of Customs for the District Of Pu
get Sound he would 10 happy to meet his exeellency
at his tent on shore. Mr.. Ssnkser went beard the
steamer, and returned with boat aud crew. The
| steamer hoisted anchor and left the lay.
The next morning the Collector appointed and swore
into oice Mr.. Weber as United States Inspector Of
Customs for the District Of Puget Sound, aid station
ed him on the Island of San Juan The appointment
Of Mr.. Weber was read and bis instructions given in
the presence of Mr. Sankster Griffin. and others. The
Inspector was threatened with personal violence by
those persons who pretended to be ocer Of foreign
governmeut-that the steamer Otter woad return that
evening" and then the Inspector should be arrested and
taken to Victoria, Vancouvers Island. as prisoner.
No doubt seems to Je entertained by the Collector and
those who accompanied him on the tour but that Mr.
Weber is now prisoner on vancouver's Island, hav-
ing been forcibly kidnapped and carried beyond ne
boundaries of his government
Taking it all in all, the high official character OF
Gov. Douglass, not only as a civilian, but as Vice
Admiral in the British Navy, the braggadooio with
which he attempted to intimidate the American OFF.
GERS Is certainly, in judgment, Of the most
COOL gross and bareiaced outages upon the sovereign.
y Of the United States, not only that we noticed
but that expect to notice. 1t throws southern
hbustering lar in the shade, that II will keep cool
for some time to come.
We are decidedly anxious to know whether Govern
or Douglass has acted in this matter under authority
OF instructions from the home government; Is it,
We rather apprehend that his exceleney is making a
little Allibusterng tour on his own private hook, by
mounting the uniform Of Vice Admiral of the Brit
ish Navy, converting merchant ship into man-pfr
war, and iourishing bis maiden sword over United
States Inspector Of Customs. when in the peaceable
discharge Of his official duties Immortal Don Quiz
OF thy unemboded chivalrc spirit has u last found
n lndnnnenf rrnrthr of ii.nIf IL nn.inni a.