New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-18
THE SAN JUAN QUESTION:

In the British House of Commons, on Thursday,
MAY g. the following remarks concerning the San Juan
question were made:
Mr.. S. Fitzgerald asked the Secretary OF State Tor
Foreign Affairs whether he was prepared to give The
House any information TO the present position of the
negotiations between this country and the United
States with reference to the Island of San JUAN and
whether he had any objection to lay the correspondence
with the United States Government on that sncJees
upon the table of the House. The honorable gentleman
hoped that the noble lord Won 80 49, ,s- .'ne ststs
the nature OF the compromse which had been Entered
into. -
of The honorable gentleman cannot properly give an
answer at present think it would not he expedent
to explain the nature Of what the honorable gentleman
calls the compromise " proposed but we thnK /"
was entirely in accordance with the terms Of the treaty
of 1876. The present state of the question Is thr
can add hut little to the information which gave the
other night. We made q proposition IN August ms.'
which was refused by the American Government.
They stated over again their claim TO the same
channel which they bad originally claimed soon after
the treaty. We again replied to that and then there
was some question whether the American Government
would make reply to our Dispatch But the last H.
telligence which / received was that Gen. Cas- was
ez pecting TO receive orders prepare answer to
that dispach and it will depend upon the terms of that
answer whether we Will be able to hay the correspond
cree Oh the table Of the House, whether it will not
require previously some answer on the part OF her
Msjesiy's Government. With respect to the
uestion of occupation OF the island OF San
Juan, the honorable gentleman IL aware tuht uoh'
Harvey thought proper necessary, to place 200 men
in the Island of San Juan, and also battery OF guns
Gen. Scott went there, with orders from the Presldenh
to use Lis own discretion on the basis OF secretary
Maroy's dispateL-a dispatch which was well known
to the House. Gen. Scott acted in the spirit OF
that dispatch, and Immediately sent away all but
100 men, declaring that neither party ought to ex-
ercise exclusive jurisdiction. lie sent away also,
believe, the battery of guns, and he informed
the Governor Of Vancouvers leland and the Admiral
aso of bat be had DONE The Governor did not think
himself authorized TO enter into any compromise or
agreement with Gen. Sect till he had received orders
But orders have been sent to the Admiral to land 100
marines OF TIE island being the same namber OF men
which the United States have placed there. We
stated at The same time it entirely 10 accord
ance with what the American Government had stated,
on their rart that while the matter in discussion
and under controversy there ought 10 be no exclusive
jurisdiction exercised in the island. There has been
some doubt in the mind of the Governor of Fannouyers
Island whether ought not TO have u magistrate on
the island What the state Of things on the Island ~ al
the present moment l cannot tel, but what have
stated is the latest intelligence which her Majesty
Government have received. Hear, hear.l