The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-01-28
The san Juan Boundary.


The English government has accepted
the San Juan Boundary decision, award
ed Oct 23d, and so we have another
peaceful adjustment Of ternational dis
putes. and perhaps triumph of American
diplomacy wthal. The decision fixes the
boundary between the United States, and
British America substantially where we
claimed it ought to be fixed,
This removal of a "bope of contention"
for many years the cause of controversy
between the two countries interested has
had, it may be presumed, or will have IN
the future, the effect of re-establishing
that feeling Of international amity and
recognition of reciprocal interest which
ought naturally to characterize the re-
latiops Of the two great Anglo.Saxon peo-
ples-allied by blood, by language, and
by identity Of laws aud institutions y
brief retrospect of this San juan bust
ness may not be uniutcresting in this
place. During the latter part of Presi-
dent T ,ler's administration dispute with
England arose as to the true northern
limit of the boundary of Oregon, a ter
ritory recently admitted within the Union ;
the British claiming jurisdiction ex-
tending as far south as 49deg. N. latitude
the United States, as far north as n.
latitude 54deg 40min. At the next
presidential election, when Mr. Polk was
returned, the Oregon Question it
was then termed-became elevated to the
rank of political test, and the cry
"Fifty-four forty or fight" the shibboleth
of party.
In 1916 the controversy came to a
head the American government express
ing determination not TO yield an iota
of its claims on the Oregon boundary
line to Great Britain. THE clear and
unquestionable right" of the United
States thus insisted on was met by a
counter declaration on the part Of Eng
land to the effect that she was equally
determined to maintain her territorial
rights. Threats were then made by the
United States to take forcibe possession
of the jurisdiction it claimed, but these
gave way TO the more wise and equitable
mode of settling by arbitration, and ii
was eventually agreed upon "that from
that point in the 49ih parallel Of \. lat
itude in which the boundary laid down
by existing treaties between Great b it.
ain and the United Stntoe torminatcs, tn,
line of boundary between the territorie.
Of the two countries should be continued
westward along the 49th parallel to tn,
middle Of the channel which separates III,
I
thence southerly through the middle Il
the said channel and the strait of Fac
to the Pacific Ocean =" 1t would appeal
to have been thing lost sight Of at the
time to the parties to this compromise
that not one, but three channels are in
terposed between Vancouver'~ Islam an
the mainland. known respectively ~ Il =
saris Strait, Douglas Channel. aud II
Strait. Rosaris Strait separates the con
tinent from an archipelago or cluster o
islands, through which Douglas chaune
runs more or less irregularly; Wills
Haro Strait separates them again from
Vancouver's Island In other words, o
the three channels, Rosaris is the eastern
Haro the western, and Douglas the cen
trail or middle channel Consequently
the terms OF the treaty soon became vari
ously interpreted by either side; thu
United States contended that by its pro
visions Haro Strait was intended if no
indicated while Great Britain main
tanned that Rosaris Strait more properl,
fulfilled the conditions therein referred
to; obviously. jnri>ts might have fouu'
in Douglas Channel an escape from
difficult dilemma. Though irequenil'
cropping up to the surface at times thi
Boundary Question remained in practica
abeyance-though not the less standing
grievance to American poifcians-unti
it became a revived matter for deinit
settlement in juxtapostion with the othe
questions referred for solution betwee
the United States and England,
The treaty Of Washington, accordingly
took action in the business, and appointe
the German emperor umpire for its ami
cable and permanent adjustment Iii
decision, then, by awarding the contro
of the Haro Strait, and with it the trans
fer of San Juan and other islands inter
vening between Vancouver's Island an
Oregon, to the United States, carries wit
it the virtual command Of the sea-ap
proaches to British Columbia.