, 1868-09-04
Our TrtIe to San Juan island.


lished by the Government, with maps and
cross sections of channels, giving all the
papers and information in possession of the
Government in reference 10 our North W est
Boundary in connection with our rights to
San Juan Island and the other islands of
the Haro Archipelago. In this part Of the
Territory San Juan excites but little interest,
but on the Sound the occupation of the
island by the two Governments, and the
questions growing out of it, excite a great
deal of interest. We have space only to
glance at the subject, and to those who may
desire more fully to comprehend the qucs>
tions at issue we would direct attention to
the pamphlet, replete as it is with informat
ton. The settlement of our North West
Boundary entered into the Presidential cam
vass Of 1874, when the motto of the friends
of Polk was Fifty-Four-Forty or Eight"
but the two Governments concluded treaty,
June 18th, 1s46, which accepted the 49th
parallel as the boundary until this line should
strike the middle of the channel separating
the continent from Vancouver Island, and
that this line should then defect southerly
through the middle of said channel and Fuca
Straits to the Pacific ocean. No difference
as to the construction of the treaty was
known 10 exist between the two Governments
until 1916, when our Minister to England,
Mr.. Bancroft, informed our Government of
a design on the part of Great Britain to
claim the Rosario Strait as the proper chan>
mel instead of the Canal Haro, claimed by
our Government-the line through the Ro-
sario Strait giving Great Britain the Haro
Archipelago, of which San Juan is the
principal island. The next step in the mat
ter was a proposition from Champion, the
British Minister, for the creation of a com.
mission by the two Governments TO determ,
inc the disputed line, and in 1856 an act
was accordingly passed and Mr.. Campbell
appointed Commissioner by our Government
who met the British Commissioners in the
harbor of Vancouver Island, for the settle
ment of this line.. From the discussion that
then ensued and from other papers published,
1t would seem that our Government then
claimed the Canal d'Haro as the correct line,
on the ground that it is the main channel
south Of the 49th parallel, leading into the
Straits of Fuca, and that the adoption of
this channel accomplished the sole object
for which the line was DETECTED south from
the 49th parallel = namely, the giving to
Great Britain the whole of Vancouver ISL
and. 1t was shown, too, that the maps and
charts existing at the timo Of the treaty,
as well as those Of later dates, recognised the
Canal d'Haro as the main channel, and the
cotemporaneous evidence and declarations of
those who negotiated the treaty establish
that the sole object of the DETECTION south
of the 49th parallel was to give England the
whole of Vancouver Island, which was eFec-
ted BY the Canal d'Haro as the intended line.
On the other hand, Great Britain claimed
the Rosario Straits as the proper line, on the
ground that 1T answers the "very peculiar
wording" of the treaty, and that this Strait
separates the Continent from Vancouver
Island, whereas, the Canal d'Haro separates
Vancouver Island from the continent. On
this subtle and artificial reason, unsupported
by any of the facts in the case, the British
claim rests. No settlement was then made,
and some correspondence ensued between
Cass, Secretary of State, and Lord John
Russell, which was continued as late as
December, 1860, and the civil war soon fol-
lowing, suspended all pending negotiations.
In the meantime, in 1859, as many of our
citizens will remember, General Harvey,
who was then in command of the Department
of Oregon, despatched Capt. Pickett to the
Island with military force and took pos>
session of the same-Governor Douglas pro.
testing against the act-certain war vessels
were under orders-sundry orders were is.
sued to the forces under Harney-a CORES
pondence ensued between Harvey and Gov.
Douglas, and various other functionaries,
civil and military. A state of affairs existing
endangering the peace of the two nations.
Gen. Scott was thereupOn despatched by the
Government to this coast, who, on his arri.
val, opened a correspondence with Gov.
Douglas for the settlement, temporarily, of
the irritating questions, and after much cor
respondence it was agreed that the two na>
tiOns should occupy the Island jointly, with
a small force for the preservation of mace
and the protection of the settlers of both ma.
tiOns temporarily, and until the question of
title could be settled between the two m.
tions. General Harney, who was evidently
adverse to the settlement, relieved Cant
punk fror,,