New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-04-24
SAN JUAN.
Continued from First Page.

~, ,nat ,yheo the line reached the coast IL should
continue "to the center OF the Gulf OF Georgia, ana
chance southwark Through the channel cLich separates
a, continent from Island, to the Straits Of
man de Fuca" THIS DETECTION made at the earnest
solicitation of the British authorities that they he al
lowed to retain the town Of Victoria 1t was then sup
posed that the boundary question between the Unied
states and Great Britain had been finally settled
TIE TREATY DIFFERENTLY INTERrRErED-THE ENGLISH
SIDE.
But when the Joint Commission, consisting OF TWO
British members (one 10 the land and the other the
water boundaries, fixed by the treaty. ana OF one
American, began their labors, Capt Provost the blush
water-houndary Commissioner claimed that "e
eAGnnc referred TO in the treaty was the Rosario Ch
ne or that passing TO the shores OF Washington
Territory; while Mr.. Campbell the American Coinmls-
sioner claimed that tho Canal de Hare, separating San
Juan Island from Vancouvers Island the one indi
Gated The British Commissioner based MS claim upon
the statement that in oden times the captains OF Ihe
Hudson Bay Compauys brigs and traaing vessels noie
frequently used the Rosario Straits than the other ana
when the matter came TO be discussed In England oer
Arguments were invented sustain the claim made py
Great Britain To show what some of these were "o
following extracts quoted from an article "p "p
pc red on the subject in The Edtnburgh he'''"' ~
italics are the authors: ,, %
$50 little was known Of the physical geog rapd nat
those regions, late as IN 1876, that IL no noinlond
there was open roadstead leading ,r, and Vancon
Vcrs Island. We have already seen nsu shaved
archpeiago % islets, and iuIthst % 1rtjcb slDs of
,, oste d make their way up 10 British Columbia
The Boundary Commissioners sn, - 40 Oregon Treaty
LIST no time in reporting these discoveries 10 'C
respective eOysrn@@e e eosario oSGrne lbs ner
10 ns eogsf Of FGshinCtoa Its a az '0 me 5S
800 o. iseis IN TIE possession o. hhgona
TbS Ugro UhafRel, claimed by the Uh'tcd StaGS 1tS
Sretg1eayo eitsin Uniied States soil These two chan
neS are about 20 miles apart That on me d
sadeod, had been used BY all the English aud American
navigator that on he Vancouver siOV, 70 more
modern traders until the masters OF hnds Gu bay OH
pays vessels ayaled themselves OF It's SAoi' o" "
"Cf course, TO two such vast landowners as Great
britain and the United States, the rocks ana plnee
Gcfcs which lie between these two channels arc lnIr
scay yalucless Tits. however their peculiar POSITION
which constitutes their Importance Let us cosuer loI
,ooWegf nov, the claim OF the United States Govern
enJ wOvd affect these Britieh on the PSee
FlStis,. Columbia only be approached through tle
straits Of Juan dc Fuca-he entrance 10 me Gun %
Goeigyins between the IsTltcTy OF no r
~ OF san JIan, the passage dwindes to i've miles
is nd can place Two miles between themselves and San
Juan; but large ocean-gOing vessels must pass WITHIN
steyarf They would thus be exposed to the fun range
81 modern artillery. nearly similar objection might
adoption OF tie Rosario Channel if that passage were
key TO OF tie possessions OF me Union Ba5 Me 6aY
a.t georgia '"'' '''a' 0'''''" '''''' "''' '''
The writer then suggests that third channel smaller
Than either, and lying between them be adopted as
compromise.
WHY TIKI ENGLISH CLAIM nor GOOD.
This British statement Of the question contains four
points worthy Of notice. First that the Rosario channel
the always used secondly that tho island consists
Of "rocs and pine-clad acres " thirdly, that the island
sopmaDds the Haro channel, and lastly that the Haro
channel "Ieade to British Columbia and to nowhere
Else"
Its true that in oden times the captains Of the fTud
non Bay Companys brigs and trading vessels more fire.
ouenty used the Rosario Channel than the other; but
is was owing TO the fact that the Hare Channel which
Is In realty but continuation Of the Straits Of Juan
Fuea, broad deep OF the sea, ana, In case OF
adverse winds oalms the anchorage difficult to
reach and when found offered but poor battle-ground
Rosario Straits on the other hand being much narrower
tanne parts not two miles across, and Afford
ing everywhere secure anchorage From ylef@rla ="
Fraser River 10y the way Of Rosario Straits is nearly
niles further than by the Haro Channel The steamers
and other American vessels, during the Fraser River
someut went by still nearer passage called the Active
Pass IL is not fact that the isaI consists only OF
"roos and p.neo.ad acres lr Henry r. Crosbie, in
report made to tn secretary State in 1852 says;
Tolsiani OF isan Juan is 10 miles long and WIDE
r7luu about 5000 acres OF land Ire sou is Iefuc.
1cre are on 70 many pErcs, and. as the woods nave
not that thick, matted underground so COMMON on tne
Oregon coast, - easy Of access IL az drSctiohs
pioasoutcn, who was Gen. Harney's Adiutant General
when the island wac frat occupied by United states
,roo1s in 1857 says that II Is one OF the nnest Slhus lie
sytTsdw.
Tie Island OF san Juan Goes not command the entrance
10 the harDor Of Victoria and the passage norhward TO
Tie settlements IN British Columbia. To he sure 1t lies
ucal, TO Yaucouycrs Island than any other island in
tn archipelago ut it is not in any manner, nor could IT.
ty any means OF onse defense, become essential ina
mi r point Of Wow TO the protection OF either OF the
Dasl Colonies The entrance to the har5or Of Victoria
Il fuzzy Is miles the nearest portion OF San Juan,
and The Haro Channel IL than screen miles cfde The
aue,on as TO where channel leads 10 have nothing
g. 10 with the subject Of jurisdiction; the completion OF
tic tIeaty ruled that consideration out.
TIE TRUE QUESTION AT ISSUE
Bot the question between the United states an1 Great
BIZ tain Of channels, though the British author
Jties have always insisted making 1t So When the
treaty Of is46 riade the United States voluntarily
gave up the southern portion Of yancouvers island but
there evidence that anybody asked expected
o. cnqash Onr claim 90 day other territory lying south
oi tie 49th parallel IL is wen known and universally
accepted principle Of international law that islands not
specially designated and set apart appureDant TO the
adjacent continent and not 10 another island 1t is 10 be
hoped therefore, that this question Is finally left 10
arbitration the United States will have the matter set
forth in its stror sest Hight espec ally as through British
Influence no doubt tic English version OF the contro-
yey is the only that has been circulated among
members Of Congress here, or has found its way into
The newspapers
OCCUPATION or THE ISLAND by TIE BRITIsU-TIT
AMERICAN PROTEST.
The first occupation OF san Juan Island made De-
rnaber 49, 1866, the Hudson Bay Company landing on
that day flock Of 1880 sheep, in charge OF Chas j.
Glliu then clerk IN the COmpany's service. This was
done for purpose OF acquiring possession Of the
leland chief factors Of the Company having fully
discussed the matter On learning Of this INVASION the
u $ Collector OF Customs for the Puget Sound District
nj once informed the British Governor Donglasl that the
sheep were liable 10 seizure for being brought within the
jurisdiction of his CrstOul-Onse without paying duty.
Gov Douglas theTeupon claimed the island rs British
iSo and appointed Griffin magistrate for The island,