Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-20
Dissatisfied Because Defeated.

The settlement Of the San Juan controversy
has not yet produced lovely weather in the mind
of John Bull. The controversy was occasioned
by his evil and treacherous purpose TO seize an
important island which did not belong to him;
and he feels bafled, beaten, and Inundated, and
that, too, without a right to complain Of inius-
tice or appeal TO anybody for sympathy. His
case is precisely that Of an INSCRIPTIONS
sharper bafficd in his attempt to steal piece of
his neighbours farm. The London Times has
pretended inability to understand the grounds
of the decision made by the emperor of ter
many, and is glad to hear suggestion from the
Cologne Gazette that the decision was made in
accordance with "the recognized principles OF
geography" 1t appears then, says the Times,
that THE judgment did not come entirely out
of the depths Of The arbitrator's own conscious
ness" Nevertheless, it considers the reasoning
somewhat absurd" and shows very uncom-
Portable state of mind.
The case is a very clear one, so clear that no
controversy would have been possible if the
British authorities had not been unjust, grasp
ing and thievlsh in their proceedings relative to
San Juan island. The treaty of 1876, between
VIZ ultOu pAolSo duu hlGdl IDillhlllJ WHICH SUI
tied the "oregon question:" provided that the
boundary between American and British terri
tory, in that part of the continent, should be the
fortyninth parallel. But this parallel crosses
the southern part OF Vancouver's Island. There.
fore it was agreed that the boundary line, on
reaching that island, should turn south and 90
round it, in order TO leave Vancouyer's Island
wholly British. This was the understanding,
and here was the only reason why the boundary
line turned away from the forty ninth parallel
at all. This agreement was expressed in the
treaty by saying the boundary line should 90
through "the canal separating Vancouver's
Island from the continenf;" and it was under
stood that every loot Of territory south of the
forty-ninth parallel, excepting the south part
of that island, should belong 10 the United
States.
But, sometime after this treaty was ratified,
the British officials, and the Hudson's Bay Com
pany, began to look across the great Haro
Channel and covet the important island of San
Juan. TWAS rich, and its position gave it com
mand, to large extent, of the waters of Puget
Sound, They felt about it very much as Ahab
felt about Naboth's vineyard; they began to
occupy it, and at last organized a conspiracy to
place ii in actual control Of British authority.
civil and military. Their civil magistrate was
formally installed there, and proceeded TO exer-
else authority; but before their military force
reached San Juan, Gen. Harvey had taken up
the matter, and the island was occupied by
United States troops. The British threatened
10 attack these troops; fight seemed
imminent, but it was prevented by the
timely arrival of the admiral commanding the
British squadron.
Since that time, we have had controversy with
Great Britain concerning the island of San Juan,
and the British government has sought in all pos
sible ways 10 secure possession of it. Il has
attempted to change the meaning of the treaty
of 1876, and constrain US to accept the narrow
and Intricate Rosario Strait instead of the llaro
Channel, which is the great navigable passage
between the Gull of Georgia and the Pacific.
That is 10 say, the British authorities have in-
sisted that the line which was turned south
from the lorty-ninth parallel solely to give them
the southern point Of Yancouver's Island,
should be moved so far east as to give them
San Juaa and seven or eight other desirable
islands which belong geographically to the
continent. At last the matter has been brought
to decision, and their claim is found
10 be untenahe; the words of the treaty and
1.-THE recognized principles of geography" are
against them. They had no right TO expect a
different decision, for they knew very well that
Their claim was an unjust device contryed to
get possession Of territory which did not belong
10 them Tertiary Which Ia If