, 1859-07-29
The Disputed Boundary.


Gen. HARxrv to transfer the military post
from BeIiingham Bay to San Juan Island
The us. steamship Massachusetts left this
port on Saturday last for the purpose Of
transferring the troops. and ere this, Capt
PIcKErF with bis company is established
upon that Island. This is what should
have been done long since.
It viii be remembered that by the terms
Of the treaty the northern boundary was
declared to be q line on the forty-ninth
parallel, west, to the middle Of the main
channel separating yaneoaTer's Island from
the main. shore, and down that channel,
south, to the middle Of the Straits Of Fuca
--,hehce west along the middle OF the
Straits 10 the Pacific Ocean.
In the construction Of this treaty a dis
pnte has been raised as to tho channel
we claiming tie Canal de Haro, and the
English the Rosario Straits. Between
these two channels arc several. Islands OF
more or less importahce-S Juan or Bel
vue. 0rcas, Lopez and Others. At the
time Of the treaty there were no settle
men,s on either Of these islands Since
then. however, some American settlers
have gone there I; and through the Hudson
Bay Co. some shepherds, with some Of the
Company's sheep, have been placed upon
San juan Island That Island, with the
Others, was at It's organization included IN
the limits Of WhatcOm county, and difficult
ties have already arisen from the collection
Of taxes. The United States have Gus
tom house officer upon the island.
The idea Of considering these islands as
disputed could only have originated in the
brains Of the officers Of company who.
under the same treaty, supposed that they
had tile in fee simpleto all the lands 10
this country where their fioeks had ever
rosmsd or their hunlers trapped.
The treaty is based upon the principle
that all south Of che parallel of forty-nine
was United States territory, and the devi'
alton made was simply to give Yancoaver's
Island-only q, very small portion Of which
Wasi south Of that parallel---to that cOan-
try whs. had the line continaed directly
across II, would have owned the greater
part Of u. u then, The question we're one
otdcuot as to the proper channel a consid
GRAFTON q the Intent Of the treaty mus
solve that question in favor Of the United
o.e'es nut ~ Is not a question upon
which = oeaot should be permitted to ex-
's'' Inc van@i ue haTo = lpe oroadest'
oeepeSss qnq most olreet channel from the
ssralIs o. fuea ta'o lhe Hnit OF Georgia
Ana tllis would not.oe Questioned were i
nottor the value OF the intermediate Islands,
w a'' '''..'Sr'S 10 Ns', ~
'-s --Du, = ~4ssl ''s's : mug" 'nss = %
~ 4s''''s ~ 'O'"o :. 'He 'A'""u'
.S '.''s '@ az -. = i','eo = .O,n,.upu
~ ,~."s'n ,e''@1es % sns unn . Ueo'' .,.
- ~! ~ asSsss~'' r |" I'is4
,'. -, ,,.,'s. ss,ss ~ - snv p-ee 'D,so's ~
r.,S~,, Z e,s".,'-. W peorS "O'n 'u' 'N
:. - .,-.s,s.. -, III, ,.oI, s W. wv
,s..-..'..s ". ,' ~ ~ n''O.'
49, ~ ss~ss I y. -, =; :; e'','sa's"e '.,
49, C . - -. ~ -sps - eO'',--' s
-. r,,- .,s."'.. ~. : -. - r.,o -.
L,.s. s,s,s,..., !. 1s..;..-. -, y''" ~
from h. .a,,la9,os,.
P'' 'oA-,a - l1s' 'oe nan l 'o'oe pu
-sa,,.,a.S,,Il !. :. -, 49,, = :"
of rr.., .,,', ,.,,a,... ~, .,,o~'', -'A m
wi,S d.cis;on ,,ro,.,,,,,nSa sad n.a.,'. ~ y
w;II +. ...I = IN - !, o. "