The New York herald., 1872-10-23
THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE
CONTINUED FROM THIRD PAGE.

.,o :, tno sheen was but q few hundred dol
,ars Whatcom county never rehhquished her
claim and the taxes were regularly assessed each
vear M 10 the period OF the military occupation OF
the island No attempt however, was again made
N enforce them IN the hopes that the question OF
Jurisdiction would be speedily settled by the gen.
eral government, ana the coanty authorities
deemed it better not TO complicate matters by any
collision growing out OF their actions.
BOUNDARY COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED.
In 1856 IA Joint commission was appointed by the
two governments to establish the boundary line
between Washington Territory and the British
possessions. On the part OF the United States
Mr. Archibald Campbell then chief clerk OF
the War Department, was appointed Commissioner
and Lieutenant John G. Parke tsince Major Gen.
eraD, of the Typographical Engineers astronomer.
The British Commissioner was Captain Provost, as
sisted by Captain Richards, OF the navy Their
duties, however, were confined to the water bound
aries Lieutenant Colonel Hawkins, Of the Royal
Engineers, being the Land Commissioner.
The commissioners arrived in Puget SOund in
1851. There was no difficulty with regard to the
boundary on the main land. All that was neces-
sary was accurately determine the forty ninth
parallel and mark 1t with substantial and enduring
monuments at appropriate intervals from the
Rocky Mountains, the then eastern limit of Wash
ington Territory, 10 the Gulf OF Georgia.
THE DISAGREEMENT CAME,
NJ was foreseen in the settlement Of the water
boundary. Mr.. Campbell insisted that the clear
intent of the treaty be carried out that the line
was detected from the forty-nnth parallel simply
for the purpose OF not cutting OIL portion OF Van
couver and all south OF the island except
the few inferior islands close adjoining IT, and
virtually appendages, belonged TO the United
states. In the debates the confirmation
Of the treaty in the American Senate the Canal de
Har0 was exclusively alluded to as the water
boundary Captain Provost, however, was tied up
by instructions from the British government who
had adopted the extraordinary pretensiOns of the
Hudson Bay Company and, ignoring all contem-
poraneous history to the intentions Of the nego-
tators OF the treaty, claimed that the channel
nearest to the Continent was the boundary.
AMERICAN TROOPS LANDED.
Pending this controversy events transpired which
came very near bringing the settlement of the
question to the arbitration OF arms. At this period
there were some thirty American settlers on the
were in AZ aaaon .i to Mr. Gr eighteen an em
ployes, Of whom only three were whites, and these
snarre Was the ony British subject on the island
The settlers had taken up farms, but they were in
continual apprehension Of attacks from the Northern
Indians, who frequently made the island stopping
place from whence they issued to commit depreda-
tons. Several murders had been committed by
them, some quite recently, and they petltiOned
General Harvey, then commanding the Department
Of Oregon. TO station small force on the island
THE NORTHERN INDIANS
were the terror OF all that portion OF the Sound.
Thcy appeared to be Of an entirely different race
They we We're | Of dinerent tribes. The Hydars We're
from Queen Charlotte's island, the Stickeens from
lea They came down in large canoes carrying
from thirty to fifty men, sometimes even more
Piled with ammunition. Tney were on good
terms with the Hudson Bay Company, with
e the ana 1e Wom Sey
committed depredations. Shortly after receiving
the petition General Harney made an inspecting
tour Of the military posts on the Sound. in the
course Of which he visited San Juan. He saw at
once the desrableness OF the island, and also that
the settlers were completely at the mercy OF these
maraudng savages; that while the men belonging
TO the Hudson Bay Company could remain in safety
on San Juan the Americans could not that the pro
lection asked must be either afforded or the island
abandoned. Not doubling Tor a moment that it
was American soil and within the limits Of his
nnand he ordered Captain George E. Pickett, with
his company OF the Ninth United States infantry.
camp or post at such point as he might
deem most advisable. In pursuance OF this
sixty strong from Bellingham Bay, where lie had
been stationed, and landed at San Juan on July rs
steam Corvette Satellite came the hareor arb and
brought from Vancouver's Island magistrate
sT n eps,vc Dooas 1Ss s san h
Colonial authorities had determined to exercise
civil jurisdiction over the island. as Captain Pre-.
vOst, the British Commissioner, who cOmman ded
the Satellite, publicly stated that when he left Van
couver nothing was known OF the intention OF the
UTTERLY SURPRISED AT THE MOVEMENT.
Had the American force not been on the
troops would have been. De Courcy, the
magistrate who was ceremonionsly installed
ON the M steps Of the Hudson Bay companys Monss
in the presence OF its employees and the British ol
GERS, was authorized, in case 1t became necessary
10 enforce his authority, to call upon the naval
force for that purpose and the commanding officers
were directed to comply with this request. As
ahere was no British subject on the island with the
exception o. Mr Grimm the american ga settlers Is were
warrant. or course they would not deem his
es aaa the ress1 an ne%I
and the marines would be landed as posse to en-
force the mags'ratesn M nrra wr,s twas cunnngy
Of the Americans, great hue and
for what was termed high-handed act: yet, If the
facts were known. it would doubtless show that
he saved the island to the United States that n the
British had landed their forces and established civl
and military jurisdiction over 1t they would have
never given it up. They were unexpectedly FORE
stalled and turned and denounced the very act
they were going to do themselves without the
legitimate excuse OF the protection or the settlers
THE TROUBLE ABOUT THE PIG
short time before the arrival OF the troops one
1a 's To- ne y G
was roofing up his garden. In the course OF the
same day ne met Grinin and told him OF the trans
..Tell me what you think the animal is worth and
will give you the money If you think, under the
circumstances. ought TO pay"
Something had crossed Grif1n that morning; he
was not in his usual good hulnOr, and he replied
rather testify:
.It Is not my property; it belonged to the Hudson
Bay Company, and you will have to pay 800. |
did very wrong in ever allowing one OF you squat
ters to remain on the island.n
Cutler replied AT some other time will talk
10 you. 1t will evidently be no use to do so now
do not propose to pay ten times the worth OF the
pig.n
That very day the Hudson Bay Company steamer
Beaver came into san Juan harbor on board was
Dallas, one ofthe directors OF the Hudson Bay Com.
pany. He had only recently come into the com.
pany. He had made a large fortune in China in the
silk trade, and on arriving in England had be.
come large shareholder in the fur company lie
made director account OF his in terests and,
visiting the posts on the Northwest coast con.