The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-13

industries carried on by these Indians. and
that Canada had not at that time an
nounced the present claim or any claim to
this island
We further showed that the processes
OF the British Columbia courts were never
attempted TO be served on the north side of
Portland canal on offenders against Brit
ish Columbia laws.
I'VE set forth a few significant quota
tons, showing that 1t was conceded by the
press and also officials of British Columbia
that some one had Numbered. and that the
official maps OF that province, recognizea
By Canada, had 10 be corrected. and say
that the dominion officials have followed
sheep like In the track of the United
States diplomatists.' Luckily their stu
pidity In lazily copying the blunder of the
public servants of the United States did
not legalize what is manifestly an error
1t Is not too late to correct the mistake
that has been made We also quoted the
utterance Of Premier Turner to the same
effect. 1.-THE Canadians will have TO repudi-
ate some of their own maps.
These facts reasonably constituted q
tact admission by Canada OF the proprie-
torship of the United States in the now
contested territory, since. during all the
time mentioned, the open and web known
possession thereof. and the exercise OF gov
ernmentsl control over the same by the
United States has never been, until re-
Gently. assailed or questioned.
Construction of the Convention.
"A careful perusai of the description OF
the boundary line in the conventions of 1875
and 1867 fixes the initial point al Cape Cha
con at the southernmost point of Prince
Of Wales island. The first cali OF the de-
scription Their reads. the said line shall
ascend TO the north along the channel
called Portland channel a. Tar as the point
of he continent where il strikes the nifty
sixth degree OF north latitude.
The southernmost point of Prince OF
Wales island Is on the line Of 81 degrees 20
minutes north latitude. and the entrance
of Portland canal Is due east from said
point about fifty or sixty miles. The Cara
dian contention is that Benin canal is
meant, because you can only ascend 10 the
north from the initial point through that
channel. Literally. this is true, but. the
construction dizregards the object 10 which
the line is carried by the words shall as
cend to the north along the channel called
Portland cnaaHei.' The familiar doctrine
that courses and distances VIII be con-
troled by monuments. does not seem 10
have been taken into consideration.
THE Canadians have contended that
Portland canal Is not intended because
Portland canal does not strike the fifty
sixth degree of north latitude, and that
Benin canal does and was therefore In
tended This interpresatlon is also unwar-
ranted by the language used. for the plain
reading shows that the line IL the subject.
and not the canal In other words, the line
shat. ascend to the north etc. az far as
the poaa- CT the continent where IL. the
line sir.Ees The 6fty-sixth degree OF north
l1tisude.
The boundary lire from this point north
westerly TO Mount st. Elias as shown BE-
the official map OF British Columbia Is ar
b.trarily drawn. and seems not only TO hold
in contempt the language Of the description
in Article w before mentioned but takes
no uctc CT the physical facts The Ian
guage, i. appears to me. can sustain 10
other Interpretation than that whenever
the summit o. the mountains which extend
In ucc;lon parallel 20 the coast
shall prove 10 be at distance OF more
than ten marine leagues from the ocean .
. the limit shall be formed by
a line parallel 20 the wind!ngg OF the coast
and which shall never exceed the distance
OF ten marine leagues thersfrom How
this line. which must follow the summit Of
the nounta'as which extend Ia a direction
parallel To the eczsf. and where no noun
taiGs exist wizh'a the prescribed ten ma
rine leagues, must be parallel with the
'wi.dSn-s % the coast can. with sncon-
troIiei license. sex er the heads Of the great
bays and inlets. spring from shore to shore,