, 1870-07-14

Seizure OF Canadian Vessels MT ahs
ST. Clair Flnts--Atfempt OF q Cana.
dian Paper to Mnke a Disturb
ance The National boundary
Line.
F'r,m he Detroit Pust, .July1l.
Some two weeks since steam barge and a
wood Rcow belonging to Hiram Little, of Wal.
States authorities OF this CITY for violation nj
the Revenue laws, under libel proceedings com
menced in the United States District Conrt
The vessels were bonded for $500. and the
case will regularly come up for hearing at the
next term OF court. It is alleged thnt these
vessels Eele engaged in importing wood from
canada "a INTO the United States without mailing
ties at the Custom House. And now comes
the Chatham Planet with donble-lcaded lead
ers. emphasized with liberal allowance OF
italics and capitals under frightfnl heading,
suggestive Of blood, thunder, and ita1iscrim,.
mate carnage. The tail OF tho British animal
has been trodden upon, and the roars are quito
appalling. The affair is characterized a. an
outrage" indignity,'' and various other
synonyms, and the British Minister is called
upon to demand 1eparation, etc.
The factB OF the case seem to be that Mr.
9rown. the contractor for building the St.
Clair Flats Ship Canal, hos, OF late, been OBJ
tanning bis lumber and supplies from Canada
without the duties thereon being paid, al
though they are used in United States terri
tory. Ho has, Of course, been able to obtain
bis supplies much cheaper in Canada than in
the United States, and by avoiding the pay
considerable. The United States authorities
determined to put stop to further proceed
ings Of this kind, and hence the action for for
1elture OF tho vessels aboYe referred to for
smuggling. The whole matter will DO passed
npon II due form in the courts.
The Chatham paper referred to raises the
Question that the ship canal is entirely ia Can
ada, and hence there Was no importation OF
wood iii delivering 1t On the west sido OF the
canal. II goes On to say-commencing at the
mouth Of the Detroit River-that the bound.
nry line betwecn Canada and the United States
res "hetWcen Bois Blanc aud Sugar Islands,
thence up the said channel to the west OF Doiaa
Dlanc 1sland, to the east Of Sugar, Fox, md
Stone Islands, until it approaches Fighting aud
Great Turkey Island thence along the west
crn side and near the shore Of tho lAat mon
toned island to the middle OF the river above
.he same thence along tho middle Of said
nter, keeping to tho southeast OF and 1ear
Hog leland, and to tho northwest OF and near
The island called Isle n Il pecho to Lake st.
Clair. thence through the middle Of said lake
IN o direction to enter that mouth or channel
Of tho KiEer st; Clair, which is usually denom-
mated the Old Ship Channel, thence along tho
middle Of said channel. between Squirrel
Island on tho southeast and Heraon's Island
IN the northwest, in direction 10 enter the
strniGht, or passage between Drummoud's
Island on the west and the Little Mauitou on
the east. thence through the middle Of tho
passage which divides the two last mentioned
islands, etc."
It will be observed that the boundary line
runs from the head Of Peach Island through
! he middle Of Lake st. Clair, to tho mouth Of |
The South Pass General r. j. Cram By |
whom the canal was planned aud uudor whose
immediate personal supervision it ia being
built expressly states in his official commnni-
Cations with tue government tha. the canal is
west Of this line, and entirely within the
United States. the distance between tho canal
and the boundary line being from 800 feet to
half mile. We suppose there III no question
upon this point, since it is not likely that tho
United States Government would undertake a
work OF such magnitude, unless It was clearly
understood beforehand that it waA entirely
,sithiA the iu1isdiction Of the United States