The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-29
THE SAN JUAN QUEsTION.
From the London standard. |


The importance OF the pending arbitration on the
Alabama claims has a tendency 10 distract public
attention from the other branches of the great
Anglo American lawsuit. A telegram from Berlin,
however, which Is published this morning, cannot
but excite the curiosity OF all who are even slightly
acquainted with The subject to which it relates.
The Emperor OF Germany Is the arbitrator
appointed settle the long standing san Juan dis
Of both rne English and American governments in
reference to TINS difficulty have been placed In his
hands. AS the United States case In respect OF
through the medium OF the New York
press it Is possible that we NAV ere long
claims now advanced on San Juan. To all students
oil American diplomacy this MINOR case will nave
Commissioners. AS for the magnitude OF the int.
rests at stake the san Juan question is one OF far
inferior Importance to that on which the Alaoama
on international justice the far Western dispute
is worthy OF attentive examination. The rights
oil this intricate, but to any one VIII will
trace them to their source they are even clearer
than those OF the Alabama controversy. Rarely
has any country been called upon to submit to
an aggression so entirely unwarrantable in It's
nature as that to which the government Of Great
Britain has been subjected by the attempt or the
Americans to seize san juan The excellence OF our
claim TO the island cannot FULLY be understood with.
Of %
by Lord AshburtOn. Exactly as the Maine bound
ary dispute grew out Of the amniguities In the
from the imperfect definition OF the northwestern
boundary by the Treaty Of 1912. When Lord
couver's Island from the mainland OF
xoros Was e treaty Nigh. be- s%e
posed that the negotiators were under the impress
sion that an open water lay between the main land
and Vancouver. The boundary was appointed to
proceed along the middle OF the channel, separating
Vancouver's lslanddrom the main land; bur nothing
was SAID OF the minor islands by which that chan
mel Is studded. san Juan Is the most important OF
these and the question is whether the boundary Is
to be traced east or west Of II. Roughly, the
general northwestern boundary is the parallel
en 3n;s Ma degrees EnSana saeS
should not cut OF from her possessions the southern
end OF vancouver's Island, which IL crosses me
Americans contend that this being the only object
win which the line was detected. II Is unfair 10 say
that shall be held 10 give Great Britain any mis-
ninth parallel. But the Iact IS this. san Juan is
as much dependency OF vancouver's Island as
possession makes 1t. IN military view, .he key OF
the only passage which leads to the capital OF van.
% an w the
literal wording OF the treaty OF 1872. Is equally
strong, the boundary as we say, Is appointed TO
Island from the main land. The only channel navf-
gated at the time The treaty was made-the
only channel. 1t has been commended, which
was known TO exist at that tme-was the
channel which would give San Juan to
england. 10 quote the evidence on these points
would involve us In long treatise on the ques-
ton, ana, passing over them, we Will merely
them to Consideration which should not be- oveI.
looked. The adoption OF the f0rty-nintn parallel In
1s42 as the boundary was IN itself huge conces-
sion from this country to America Our moral
right at tnat time 10 The greater part or the
country which Is now Washington Territory was
irresistible. and the Americans only obtained it by
means OF The policy which has always governed
their Diplomacy with this country-by making enor-
nous claims IN defiance OF Justice and Common
sense, so that at last, when the time compromise
arrived, they were sure to be on the safe slde the
rights OF the British government TOT the Columbia
River Will DE seen by any one VINO studies the record
OF Lord AsnDurton's negotiations ~ have been
really established.