The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-10
SAN JUAN ISLANDS
GEN, T.. c. MASON ENTERTAINS THE
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
WITH THE
STORY OF THEIR CEsSIoN.
INTER ESTING NARRATIVE OF A
MORE OR LESS MOMENTOUS INCI-
DENT.
WAR WAS NARROWLY AvERTED.
Great Britain Being 10th to Surrend-
er the Strategic Position 1t
Had Held There.

Gen. E. &. Mason, u. ). A, read a
very valuable paper last evening be-
fore the executive council Of the State
Historical society upon the San Juan
island incident, which nearly precipi-
tated war between the United States
and Great Britain in 1859. The paper
was wholly historical, and many of
the incidents related therein have
never been published. Gen. Mason will
soon present the document to the So
ciety, and will then permit its publ
cation in full.
Introductory to his paper, the general
gave a very comprehensive description
of the Puget sound country, illustrat-
ing his remarks with the assistance
of two large maps, showing the stra
tegic military points which were in
volved in the historical incident and
which would be of Importance in case
of war with England. incidentally,
Gen. Mason made a strong plea for
the fortifcation of several very strong
positions, the Importance of which the
government did not seem to fully APP
preciate. Ships of the heaviest draught
can enter the Straits of Juan de Fuca
on favorable tides and winds, and once
within the straits and the sound there
is from 600 to ten fathoms of water
under keel. The general advised the
fortifying of three points, viz, Point
Wilson, Point Marriston and Admiralty
head, the three points forming tri-
angle. He believed with the proper
armament these Notifications could re-
pei the advance of a very powerful hos
tile fleet There were other strategic
points which might be defended with
torpedo boats and fleets. AS a rule
the sound was too deep to permit the
use of stationary CT fixed tOrpedoes.
The San Juan incident grew out of
an attempt by the British government
to take possession of the islands, which
are directly east Of Vancouver island
and a very important position from d
military standpoint. The British gov
eminent based it's claim upon the fact
that she had possession of certain ter
ritory south of the Forty ninth parallel,
and her claim was backed up by an
other of the Hudson Bay Trading COM
pany, which claimed exclusive control
Of the island in dispute and much con-
tiguous territory. England made no
attempt to force her claim until 1859.
In the fall of that year a settler on the
island, killed pig belonging to Brit
lsh subject, and the latter's kinsmen
tried to secure the arrest of the settler
and take him before a British court
The incident grew in excitement, and
England, at the request of the Hudson
Bay company, sent a ship and a force
Of men to arrest the settler and to
place the island under the control of
the crown. The news of this was car
ried to an American fort down the
sound, and Capt. Pickett, of the Ninth
Infantry, was sent to the island with
100 men, effecting a landing at night
and under cover of a fog, and when
the sun arose the stars and stripes
were seen floating over the island This
act aroused England, and a demand
was made for the evacuation Of the
island by the American soldiers, but
Capt. Pickett returned a spirited reply,
in which he announced his intention of
remaining until called off by the Unit
ed States government. Gen. Mason mar
rated in detail the subsequent events
England sent five men-of-war and 1900
men to the island, but Immediately af-
terward the American force was
swelled to nearly 800 men, who en-
trenched themselves in a strong posi-
ton. The government subsequently
sent Gen. Winfield Scott to the scene
with full power to act, being commits
stoned by President Buchanan. A
compromise was averted before actual
hostilities broke out. The terms Of the
compromise were that the island
should be occupied jointly by the forces
of England and the United States un-
til the ownership could be determined
The war of the Rebellion soon broke
out, and negotiations were for several
years forgotten. In the meantime
both powers maintained a force of 100
men each upon San Juan island The
British were encamped at the north
and the Americans at the south end
some twelve miles apart. The utmost
good feeling existed between the two
garrisons. In the meantime detach-
meut Of the Twenty-first infantry had
supplanted the Ninth, and Gen. Mason
was then major of the former
For thirteen years the troops Of
States occupied the island. which was
fifteen miles in length and from two
to six miles in width. The population
of the. island outside the troops num-
bered 600 people. Tho commanders OF
!. the forces were the magistrates of
their Individual ends Of the island
They acted as Judges, Coroners. land
commissioners, etc, etc There Were
nc taxes Schools We're. n?aintalned by
. private subscription. Cases involving
both American and BritishtE subjects
were tried by aE5osnts coaIr2 consisting
-ssutzs, luf1UI 1IstO
T.