, 1856-10-17
| hope my proposition

Mr.. HOO SlON. w nat vote IS pro
posed to he recOnSidcred
The SPEAKER. The vote by whicl
this bill was referred to the Committee o
the Whole on the state of the Union is the
motion pending. The gentleman from
New Jersey, however, now asks unanimous
. consent that the Committee Of the Whole
on the state of the Union may be discharg
cd from the further consideration Of the
, bill, and that it may be considered at thi,
time
Mr.. HOUSTON. Let the bill be read
The bill was read. The first section
T provides that, for the purpose of carrying
into effect the first article Of the treaty be.
tween the United States and her Majesty
the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and ireland Of the 18th day Of
June, 1916, there shall be appointed by
the President of the United States, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate,
a commissioner, and chief astronomer, and
surveyor, to unite with similar officers to
be appointed by her Brittanic Majestys
Government.
The second section provides for the ap-
sioner, and Of a clerk to the chief astronO-
mer and surveyor
The third section makes appropriations
for salaries and contingent expenses.
The fourth section limits the proceedings
of said commissioner to the demarkation
of that part Of the said boundary line
which begins at the intersection Of the
forty-ninth parallel of north latitude with
the middle of the channel which separates
thence southerly through the'middle Of the
said channel and of Fuca's Straits, to the
Pacific ocean.
The fifth section, for the purpose of aid
ing in the demarkation of the said line,
authorizes the President, in his discretion,
to direct the employment of such officers,
assistants, and vessels attached to the coast
survey of the United States as he may
deem necessary or useful.
Mr.. HOUSTON. l presume that this
bill is right but desire to ask the gen
tleman from New Jersey one question.
Points are given in the bill, from which l
suppose he can calculate the length Of line
required to be surveyed. Will the gentle
man tell me what that length of line is ?
Mr.. PENNINGTON. The line to be
surveyed, as contemplated by the bill, is
the water line from the intersection Of the
forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, with
the middle OF the channel separating Van
couver's Island from the continent The
distance / cannot state accurately The
Delegate from Washington Territory Mr..
ANDERSON may be able to state the dis
tance moro satisfactorily than myself l
suppose the distance will be about two
hundred and fifty miles, including the Gulf
of Georgia and the Straits Of Fuca. /
will state to the gentleman from Alabama,
however, that l shall propose an amend
ment to the bill, for the purpose of extend
ing its operation, so as to provide for the
demarkation Of the land line between
Washington Territory and the British
possessions This amendment is rendered
necessary in consequence Of disputed claims
as to land lying on or near the line, and
which are deemed valuable from gold de-
posits.
Mr.. ANDERSON. / will make q
statement in regard to this, which think
will show the necessity Of the passage oil
this bill Immediately. 1t will be recolect-
ed that by the terms Of the treaty Of 18th
June, l846, between our Government and
that Of Great Britain, the forty-ninth par
nllel Of north latitude was made the boun.
dary between the possessions, running
westward to the centre of the Gulf OF
Georgia /; thence southerly through the
main channel, and of Fuca Straits, to the
Pacific ocean. The question that has
arisen between the two Governments is
this : which is the main channel 7 BY the
construction which the British Government
has put upon it, the "main channel runs
westward Of o cluster of valuable islands
and, by the construction which our Gov
ernment puts upon it, the "main channel
runs eastward Of that cluster Of islands.
These islands are now in the possession oil
both British and American subjects. A
collision has occurred between tue juriSdic-
ton of the two Governments on these
islands. The boundary line of the coun-
ties of the Territory of Washington has
been run so as to include these islands.
Taxes have been collected from British
subjects, and on British property on these
islands, under protest. This will show the
necessity Of having that line definitely
fixed.
Now, as to the question which the gentle
man from Alabama asks 1t is line to be
run on the water, not on the land. 1t runs
from the centre of the Gulf Of Georgia,
where the forty-ninth parallel iutersects it,
southerly distance not exceeding perhaps
one hundred miles, through Fuca Straits
to the Pacific ocean. The distance, after
it strikes the Straits Of Fuca, will not, |
suppose, exceed one hundred miles, per
haps not so much. But it is to determine
what the main channel is, southery, from
the center of the Gulf Of Georgia to the
j Straits of Fuca.
There being no objection, the Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union