Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-12-14
The San Juan Boundary Descision.

A dispatch from Minister Ban.
croft, st Berlin, to the State De-
partmentat at Washington,i informs us
that Emperor William, of Gcrma-
ny, to whom tho question was sub.
mitted by the treaty Of Washing.
ton, has decided the San Juan
boundary dispute in our favor
This gives us tho fine harbor OF
San Juan, which tho dispute was
really about-the question between
our Government and that of Great
Britain being whether the Haro
Channel, or the Bosario Channel is
the ono that comes legitimately
within tho meaning of the treaty
of 1916. The treaty Of ls46 was
the settlement of the "5440 or
fight" Oregon boundary dispute,
and like somo other treaties, failed
to entirely decide the matter it had
attempted to adjust. The mainland
boundary of 400 north latitude was
clear enough but there is an ar
chipelago lying off the coast where
the mainland line strikes the Paci-
fic ocean; and the treaty only va
suely declared that the boundary
line should be continued to the
middle of tho channel which sepe-
rates the mainland from Vancou-
vcr, thence southerly through the
middle of said channel and the
strait of Fuca as far as the Pacific
ocean. Tho northern part of the
channel thus described is sufficient
ly plain, but the south, 1t is diff
cult to tell which of the many wa
ter quits between the islands was
the channel intended. The British
government claimed that the Bo.
sario channel, having q depth OF
five fathoms and width Of three
quarters Of a mile, and lying south
Of the island ofSan Juan, was tho
true line, while odr Government
insisted that the Haro channel,
having depth of twenty-five faith
oms and width of two and a half
miles, and lying north ofthe island
of San Juan, was the proper boun-
dairy. In the year 1859, Gen. Har-
ney, who commanded in Oregon,
took the American view and the is-
land of San Jnan at the same tme !;
he carried force across the chan
mel to the island, occupied it, and es-
tablshed his quarters there with
such an emphasis of action as to
create furry between the two
governments, and raise a prospect
of war; but President Buchanan
sent Gen. Scott to the ground, and
he by imparing some Diplomacy to
his treatment of the matter, pre-
vented the attack which the British
troops threatened to make on Har-
news force. 1t was finally arrang'
ed that both sides should occupy
the disputed island together till it
should be decided who was the
rightful owner, and this joint occu.
nation was continued down to the
present time. By the treaty Of
Washington, the question was re
ferred to the Emperor of Germany,
who submitted it to crown syndl.
cato of three of his most learned and
eminent lawyers, thoroughly versed
in international law. On the re-
port of these jurists tho Emperor
has decided in our favor-diciding
if we understand Mr.. Bancroft'f
dispatch correctly, that the Hare
channel is the true boundary linz
indicated by geography and the
treaty of f1S46. .,
This gives to us the leland OF Sal
Juan containing about eighty
square miles of area, and contain,
ing what is ofmost value,a wide ant
deep harbor, the finest on the Ia
| cific coast. When the Oregon trea
ty was formed in 1886, San Juar
was thought to be of little value
we had no California, and no Alas
ka, and little other interest OF
that remote coast that needed pro
lection. But the rapid extension
of the Northern Pacific Railroad
and the growth of vast interests il
that quarter make the possession
of the disputed harbor another stel
to our future mastery ofthe Pacifi
ocean,