Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-08
OUR PACIFIC COAST.
The Recent Decision OF the Emperor OF
GermsEy-The Island Of San Juan.

From the New York Dry Goods Reporter.l
The future or our empire, A. well as o. oul
commerce on the Pacl nc coast, is assured BY
The decision o. the Emperor Of Germany con.
Lrlll!ng 70 lne nlit,q states the possession 0l
the Island OF san Juan The American Pa,
cllc coast is singu4arly deficient IN good har-
bOrs. There are only three on the entire coast
between Alaska aud Mexico. and nov they
axe IN possession Of the United StateE
The lrst OF these on the south is san
Diego. nearly on the border line between
the United states and Mexico, and the
des-ine sfsessusrn terminus OF the Texas
f-outhernf PaCihc railroad. nov in course OF
construction, under the auspices Of Colonel
Thomas Scott. This harbor ts one OF the finest
n ihe world and Is undoubtedly destined 70
become the center Of the new and growing
commerce Of the East, besides becoming the
chief distr butinE and receiy wing port for Mexi-
can states on the Pacific coast. San Fran cisco
Is SIX hundred miles north Of san Diego, and
notice u . now the chief centre Of our COM
merce on the Pacific, and its enterprise and
energy, no less tlan its excellent geographical
situation viii always secure 20 Il q position
a. the New YORK of the Pacific.
OVera thousand miles from san Francisco,
further north, and neal the border line be-
tween British America and ths United states,
lies the long disputed island Of san Juan.
his r. small and insign dcanr in size. being
only about fifteen miles long and seven miles
vide ana II would not be worth while for two
great nations % contend for its possession,
out rom tle iact that II contains the only large
harbor on The entire coast north Of san Fran
and .OIumOdlOus.
The dispute about the sovereignty Of san
Juan originated in this way: The northwest
boundary line between the United states and
British America was long unsettled. The
United States claimed the entire country a.
lar North as the parallel OF s. l5, while
Great Britain cOntended that g was the true
line. The discussions were very heated for
some time, and came very nesr involving the
TWO countries in war. Finally IN ls4g. a treaty
was effected, and the line Of 4e was adopted.
Bat this line would cut OF half Of Hancou-
ver's Island, which was never claimed by our
govern Tnent' and 50 IN difference 70 British
influence, the iine was permitted 70 de1ec'
fr0ru O point in the coast outside the main land
through channel which was intended 70
secure Naucouvers Island 70 Great Britain
and nothing more But % was subseg uently
discovered that there were 40 channels, one
S known as Rosario straits, and is next Van
couvtr's Island, and the one obviously 81 intend
ed by the treaty ~ 20 be resolved to Great
hrlialn- me oiher j. called the Canal de
Harp- and Involves me pOs7esslOn OF san Juan
and lQLcl OF more smaller adj AGENT islands.
But there wa sill more ~ issue. The Rosario
straits were only Few miles wide, through q
long and turJuOus passage, in which the water
was only four or I've metres deep, while the
Canal de HarO wa, seven miles wide and over
twenty-five metres deep, consti ituting the en-
trance 10 he eornmodiOus har Dor Of San Juan
The United states authorities had 50 little
doubt Of the sovereignty over san Juan, thai
when the Northern part Of Oregon was terri
uorislly organized, In ls53. san Juan and the
adjoining Islands were included a. counties
Belonging % the embryo state. But The agents
the future commercial and strategic import
ance OF the principal strait, which secured Us
The control Of san J gan- aud on their repre-.
sensations the English Government claimed
it under the uea'y. ia is57 General Harvey
landed q force Of I nitad states soldiers on san
Jaa.iis and the same day an hng llsh man OF
turned 10 Nancouver's Island in order
20 obtain reinforcements. There Was
aVerted by tbe iudiclons conduct Of General
scott Who agreed that both countries should
hold ioint possession Of the island until the
Question: of - sovereignty could oe hnai y oa-
ternined- Meters remained In abeyanct IN
al the f0rmalien Of the Treaty Of VI ashing-
ton, when this yexed question was referred 70
the arbitration of The Emperor Of Germany.
The latter IN turn referred the sublect 10
the crown syndics. consisting 0f the ablest
.qrlets m the Empire and on tlslr report me
Emperor confirmed al the ORIG neg claims OF
the Unlted States 70 the possc.ssion Of the
Canal de Haro, ana al the Islands IN the
gryup- including san Juan
Tills decision c0nnrms once for ell me fu-
tnfe commerce and empire Of The acilc %
The United states. Il enables us to control
straieEl caliy the British Possessions on the
Pacific, and the Possession OF the principal
harbor and strait leaves as without a rival Tor
the commerce Of Japan and the Russian I'm
pire IN ASIA winch l. Developing 10 rapidly
aud which ,gil soon become Of Immense iIn-
portanee. But even these great advantages
from being only remote and distant, are
by The Norlhern Pacific railroad now
rapidly approaching coIaple1ion. The
through lire across the continent wlH
thus be- brought in contact with a splendid
American haruor, tne largest. aud, IN fact, the
uni one In that part Of the world, FOR the few
Bri tish larbors are snail, and the entrances
10 them are narrow and dangerous lt will
lhus b. seen hat the satisfaction 0f our gov
en- ulent and people al the favorable decision
~ the Empire OF Germany, are based on q suf-
ueieut Foundation. II places our future en-
plre and commerce on the Pacific on an en-
during basis and gives us another important
vantage ground for the attainment Of the
great urlze Of Eastern commerce. which u
slowly but surely drifting toward the United
-fare.