The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-29
From the Philadelphia Press.
THE NORTHWESTERN BOUNDARY
QUESTION.


4 was well understood, in adjusting the Or
egon boundary, that the basis of settlement was
to be the forty-niRth degree of latitude; and,
indeed, great dissatisfaction was expressed with
that line; for, after our citizens had been re-
peatedly assured that our title was clear and
unquestionable to $40 40|, they submitted with
an Ill grace, to the surrender of the large dis
trict lying between $40 4O/ on the north, and
49' on the south. 1t was discovered, how
ever, that if the line agreed upon was run out
straight, it would cut off the southern end of
Vancouver's Island which had always been in
the possession of Great Britain, and it was
therefore agreed that the forty-ninth parallel
should only be the boundary line between the
two nations as far west as the "mddle of the
main channel" which separated Vancouver
from the shore F.; that then the boundary should
follow that channel far enough south to exclude
Vancouver, and thence should run due west to
the ocean. This arrangement was supposed to
be so explicit, at the time the treaty was made
that only one Interpretation could be given to
1t; but it has since been ascertained that there
are too channels between Vancouver AID the
main shore, viz: the Canal de Haro and the
Rosario Straits. If, as our Government main
talns, the treaty should be construed to refer
to the Canal de Haro channel, the islands of
San Juan or Bellevue, Orcas, Lopez, and others,
which lie between the two channels, belong to
the United States. If, on the other hand, the
treaty is to be construed according to the Brit
ish Interpretation, to refer to the Rosario Straits
channel, which lies nearest the shore of Oregon.
the islands belong to Great Britain. While it is
true that the two channels above mentioned ex-
list, the Americans contend that the Canal de
Haro is clearly the deepest, best, and most d.
rect, and therefore necessarily the one referred
to as the main channel in the treaty. On
the other hand, the British allege that the
islands in dispute have always been regarded
as appendages to Vancouvers Island; that they
are as VIGOROUSLY part of the British domin-
ions as Vancouver itself; and that, therefore,
the channel referred to in the treaty is the Ro.
sario Straits.
Since the large emigration to the Fraser
river gold mines, and the rapid growth of popu-
lation on Vancouver, the islands in dispute have
become quite valuable, and hence the present
difficulty. San Juan contains sixty-ive square
miles of territory, which is very fertile 1t is,
besides, rendered important by its commercial
position, and by the natural advantages it pos
sesses for a commanding military station. 1t
also contains a large number of American set
tiers.
The American and British Governments
have both persisted in peaceable claims to the
islands in dispute since their attention has
been called to the existence of the two chan
nels but the final settlement of the question
at issue has been postponed. San Juan, nomi-
nally, forms part of Washington Territory, and
II. r. Crosbe, Esq, has acted as resident
magistrate under the Territorial laws of the
United States. Paul X. Hubs, jun, has also
acted for about three years as a United States
revenue officer upon the island. Several years
ago, the civil authorities of Whatcom county
levied taxes on property on San Juan, and an
American assessor seized upon thirty sheep
belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, and
sold them to liquidate unpaid taxes which he
claimed. That company now demands from
our Government $4,000 for the sheep thus
disposed of.
Many outrages have recently been commit
ted upon the American residents of San Juan
by the Indians of the surrounding region; and
shortly after General Harvey, COMMANDMENT
Chief of the Pacific division of the United
States Army, visited it in July last, prepara
tory to making permanent military location
upon it, they dispatched to him petition to
station force Immediately upon the island for
their protection. Shortly before their petition
reached him, he had ordered Captain Pickett
with his company Of sixty-six men, rank and
hle, to establish a military post at San Juan
That officer at once obeyed the command. and
in an order significantly dated Military Post
San Juan Island, Washington Territory, July
u, 1889" he requested the inhabitants to
promptly report all incursions of hostile In
dians, and at the same time he declared:
+" This being United States teyritoyz, no laws.
other than those cfHte United States, nor courts.
except such as are held by virtue of said laws,
will be recognised or allo.ced on this island"
This peremptory step at once excited the ire
of the British authorities. Douglas, the Gov
ernor of Vancouver Island, solemnly protested
against the acts of Captain Pickett, and trans
mitted message to the Colonial Legislature
on the subject, in which he complained that
the conduct of the American officer was q dis
courteous" unwarrantable," and contrary
to the usages of civilized nations" inasmuch
as the only proper course to be pursued, while
the conflicting claims to the islands were unad-
iusted, was for neither nation to exercise sex
elusive sovereignty over them" He also or.
dered several British war vessels, with detach.
ments of troops on board, to San Juan, Z" to
protect the lives and property of British sub.
jects," these officers being first impressed with
the importance ofavoiding " every course which
may unnecessarily involve the suspension of the
amicable relations subsisting between GreaI
Britain and the United States y yet +" instruct
ed and prepared to assert the rights, and tc
maintain the honor and dignity" of Great