The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-14
News from Britfsh Columb,..

| OF HER TREATY CLAIMS RUNNING TnE BOUNDARY
| LINE GENERAL nARNEY's VISIT AND IT'S coNsE
ouENcEs LANDING OF THE AMERICAN FORCE Ann
CHANCES OF IFS REMAINING.
tNicolm, Vancouver august 81, Correspondence OF
london Times.
I have on tie present occasion to perform the I'M
pleasant duty OF communicating bad news The federal
forces OF America have invaded British territory by
taking military possession Of dependency Of vancouvers
Island In this neishborhood, on pretoxt which shall
presently state and II the conduct OF local govern
met and Of the officers commanding forces hal been
hasiy that OF the Americans has been auacous aud
discourteous the Iames OF war between the two countries
would now be in full blaze.
The line of boundary between the two nations from tho
Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean Is the forty ninth
parallel Of north latitude.
portion Of the land boundary has been already run
in British Columbia and the rest of IL ut the present
mcnt being determined by astronomical observations
carried ,cintly and amcably by officers of Great
Britain and America, under commissioners mutually ap
pointed by both governments for the purpose For this
reason and because this part Of tho subject must be e
cdated shortly in blue books, will merely add that if
the audabe abors Of the commission ~ effect peaceable
adjustment interrupted the blanc cannot be imputed
TO the government Of England, which, the world should
know has used every effort and provided all the ncces-
sary 10 effect friendly settlement Can as much
be asserted behalf OF tho government Of the United
Statesg Time will show.
The following statement OF facts WILL trust place the
whole question III clear lights
The boundary established in 1916 by treaty ne
located by Mr.. rackenham the English ambassador at
Washington and Mr. Buchanan then Secretary of State
President Of the United States The gst of the cues
ion is in the first article, which establishes the nc These
From the point the 4h parallel of north latitude where
% uned s aas
line Of boundary between the territories of the United States
sopg the said 10th parallel OF latitude 10 The middle Of
and thence soshery through ss me "a Se ss
channel and Of Fucas Straits the Pacific Ocean, provided
straits as parallel Of norh latitude remain
The insk Of running the land portion Of the boundary
here laid down is. as have just mentioned being per-
formed Its course can be clearly ascertaned and for
hp liant
diplomacy but by tho requirements OF the treaty after
reaching he middle Of tho channel which separates the
viates from the line Of the 10th parallel and is to follow
shence, not sswestward" course as hitherto but a
southery one, sthrough the middle Of the said chan
mel, and Of Fncas Straits to the Pacific Ocean,
This small portion Of the of the boundary viz:
from the middle Of the channel (Guf of Georga) to the
Pacific has produced voumnous discussions and is now
unfortunately, creating much bad feeling and real
danger.
Two commissioners both of whom are here at presently
ments specially to settle this boundary but they
differed the Of the line and no settlement has
resulted from their abors. Nsl
To any intelligent mind, unwarped by prejudice the
running Of this portion would present really as
little difficulty the determining of the land portion does
Knowing the locality pretty well having endeavored
to make myself acquainted with the merits of tho question
on the spot will venture to give my view of it,
II you look at the map you will see that the forty
rar,oI stri,.os mo shnra os No cannas 80 ~ Nv
Point Roberts and the mouth Of Fraser river
ting OF about two miles Of Fraser river. The position
due to the abors of the Land Boundary Commission.
Follow the line Of the parallel from this point the
shore to thc middle of the channel which paracs the
continent from yancouver's sland This schanne" is
the Gulf of Georgia On reaching tho middle Of dverge
and shape your course thence ssouhcrly through tho
middle Of the said CHANNEL and you will inevitably be
carried along through Vancouver Strait Rosario Strait
into Fucas Straits on your way to the Pacific Ocean,
and arrive at this destination by following the
chalked out by the very words Of the treaty.
The southcrly portion of the Gulf Of Georgia. where it
falls into the Straits OF Fuca was named Vancouver Strait
hnc ham
called Rosario Strait the boundary line be agreed
upon far as Fucas Straits it may be considered set
tied for have never heard the portion OF it which ira
yer them contested.
The line which have traced is Interpretation of the
treaty. and may for distinctions sake, call the English
water boundary line.
treaty. and trace their water boundary line well
The United States claim be entitled to tn, line Of the
Strait as we maintain boundary through Tie
Island and several miles the Westward Of
Let us examine their grounds for claiming this more
westerly line.
They have not agreed with upon starting point for
reasons which will presently appear bnt the starting
point is by the treaty placed in the middle Of the sheet Of
which flows between the mainland and Vancouver's
Iand will suppose that they make their deviation from
the 49h degree or north latitude ut tue point the
middle Of the channel which separates the continent from
yancouvers Island" started from in tracing the
ery course through stbe middle Of the said chan
nel,' for come distance down the Same. This they
could do and sail along Saturna Island far as
Point Stuart; but here they would take westerly
course turn Port Stuart, which promonotory the
side OF Sturra Island and rounding this island
through Cadboro Passage they would get into the Canal
dc Haro which they aege to be the channel Of naviga
ton intended by the treaty for running the line of demar
cation along the middle of.
1t will be seem however, at glance, that by following
these this line would depart from the treaty in
its essential requirement. the southcry insisted
on
ssmddle Of = but the channe ITSELF would be entirely
abandoned by rounding Point Stuart for another chan
ne-tha Of Cadboro Passage, which must be traversed
to get into the Canal de laro AMI even on getting into
tho latter the line would incline eastwardy than
s'sOutlerly." Ts5f
Another positive form in which the United
States claim is understood to be put is the following
repeat that they claim the centre Of the Canal dc
Haro they do being the channel of navigation
used. How they arrive mt it from the forty ninth
starting point in the middle Of the channel which separates
the continent of North America from vancouyers Island
has not yet been determined s insisted by the United
States that neither the Gull OF Georgia nor any usual,
much less the most usual channel of navigation is to be
understood the in which the point of deviation
(southcry'') from the forty ninth degree should be
fixed but an nnermost channel-that between vancou-
vers Island proper and unarmed iset which happens
to lie under the forty ninth parallel, and which, by
placing the point OF deviation IN the middle Of this inner
channel, would being the boundary within mile
two of the coast Of vancouver's Island
There are fact two small islands just off the coast Of
Vancouver's Island in the Gulf Of Georgia. under the
rac Of forty ninth degree and the United States
the spaces between them as cnannels
making three channels between the continent and Van
COVERS Island the innermos of which they claim the
channel Of navigation mentioned in the treaty
How they propose to proceed from starting point in
this inner CHANNEL TO arrive at the Canal de Haro
without departing from the southerly" course cnjoned
by the treaty. again repeat cannot understand for no
line be drawn from any portion Of the (call
the channe the three channels, the gulf under the
forty ninth degree Of parallel to the Canal dc Haro which
does part OF its course cease to run "south
| erly."
In short they cannot get into the Canal de H,ro without
materially deviatrg from the course chaked in the
treaty, whether they take starting point select
| another.
Great Britain acquesces in the attributed by tho
United States to the term sschanne that tsthe chan.
ncF OF the treaty must the channel of navigation
there being, as have just explained physically speaking
three channels passages Of wltertwo very narrow
ones near the shores Of Vaucouvers sand and the main
one spreading to the shore Of the continent crossed
by the forty Dnth degree parallel between the main land
| and Vancouycr's Island proper.