New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-13
PHILIPPINE LIMITS SET.
.Srr-spTToy OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER
ISLANDS CEDED BY SPAIN
C0MPI ETED
COMPLETED.
,.v -rrrenArH TO THE TRIBUNE

= -enorred to-day from Manila IN hosting
- American flag over the Baouyanes and
= - g-o,,us Of islands, 10 the north Of Luzon.
- The example set ny Commander sperry
=. Yorktown in taking possession Of
-.-.-s ~aFayan, in the Sulu Archipelago.
1+-- - having been ordered by Admiral
=e- instruction from the Navy De-
- -or7-lefes the assumption by the
-, u.o.as II sovereignty over all the islands
4,sn,rpfnes possessed by Spain which
= ---.-,r,ent Gid not specifically transfer
--ss-v Of Paris. the Spanish representa-
- = The Peace Commission claiming 20 be
,-=-tentlv familiar with The geography Of
= zss- 70 furnish the accurate limits Of Span
- zor-fnt9n. Al The same time these delegates
consented 10 such wording OF the treaty as to
&c no xaad cloud on the title OF the United
C-.-as - every foot Of the territory belonging
:, eratr in the Philippines and although the
z,-,ssrv lines they drew omitted several i'm
,--a-- islands in the south II was afterward
discovered thar Spain owned them through the
--s-rrs-t,- q the treaty Of 1855 with Great
P-fratr and Germany. as first announced in The
T-.sine. lust TWO months ago, and the York
-ozr took possession Of them
IMPORTANCE OF NORTHERN ISLANDS
TIE northern Islands were OF similar i'm
-,--tance not that they would ever be great
sources q wealth 10 the United States. but be-
rauss rheir possession by another Power might
h. If fncalculzbIe danger. The Treaty Of Paris
6xe6 che northern boundary line as a line
-.,rn.zg from west % east along OF near the
twentieth parallel Of north latitude and
through the middle Of the navigable channel
II Bach" as a matter OF fact the middle Of
ne uavigzble channel OF BachH' corresponds
precisely with q degrees 50 minutes north lat
truae and Il was easily denonstrable that this
er-- 7aa- ~ real r0--7s-r fS-7f- -ba
Srsuish Philippines.
TIE doubtful clause IN the description along
n near the twentieth degree IS the only one
ina ever caused Upeasiness IN Washington, and
the more positive reference 20 the middle Of
Bachl Channel 10 e great extent Offset any
anxiety Il was explained that the only map
the Spaaia-ds had IN Paris was on such a small
scale that Il was impossible 10 tell where the
limits we're. Il turned out that the twentieth
parallel ran through the centre Of Balingtang
Channel which separated Luzon and the Babu-
yanes group. composed Of Babuyan, Calayan
Fugu and Camiguin-the Charleston having
beer wrecked near the Iast-trom the Batanes
OF the north.
JAPAN 4 FRIENDLY NEIGEBOR.
The United States Government might have
beea worried about the tndefniteness Of the
boundary had not the only country in position
10 raise any question over the matter been so
good q friend Japan. That country by Ar
ricle Il OF the Treaty OF sinonOseki, April II.
1895. secured by cession from China the island
OF Fprmosa. together with all the islands ap-
pertaining 20 &" By Article III OF the same
treaty these appertaIning Islands appear 10 be
the Pescadcres group. lying 70 the west Of For
uosa and within liz and 100 degrees east
and q and d north" The southern end OF
Forrnosa Is the northern shore OF the Bachi
Channel. There are dangerous rocks south Of
2 5r-nosz, some IN the Bachi Channel, but China
never had any pretensions 10 the Batanes, nor
have any been set up By Japan
The fact that Japan would not attempt to
cross the Bachi Channel with her flag was well
known II Washington officially, and conse-
cuentIy there was not the slightest alarm about
the sovereignty OF the Islands north Of the TWEEN
riech degree They were not visited by
American naval vessel because al the ships Of
the feet were 100 busy, but after the excellent
treatment accorded 20 the shipwrecked crew Of
the Charleston by the residents Of Camiguin,
= was determined 70 give al the Inhabitants OF
the small northern islands the benefits OF
american protection al the earliest opportunity,
and on this mission the Princeton was sent
DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLANDS.
The Information in possession Of the Navy
Department regarding the islands north OF
Luzon shows that they are Inhabited by race
superior 70 any in the Philippine group or any
a. sometimes called, Bashi Islands, we're so
called By Da-npier from the name Of IN
toxicating liquor much used by the natives.
The Batanes consist OF q chain OF Islands,
mostly high, extending from latitude 10 degrees
y minutes 10 q degrees 13 minutes north
(F1nCIay's Directory, 1873. and the channels
among them are thought 70 be safe. These
Islands with the Babuyan, or Five, Islands,
form part Of the great volcanic band extending
along me Western Pacific from Java 10 KAN
schalka- Barzn and SabLau are mountainous,
rr7a cult ed
sst peak e about five thousand feet and thlcky
eoTe.ed with trees. Abundance OF vegetables
Gnd fruit is 70 ne had, and cattle, pigs poul-
II sheep and goats are numerous Oeer also
are found a. Sab-an and IbugOs and quail on
81 the Islands Wood IS reasonable and plenti-
n, vel as drinking water Batan Is about
nine miles long. and Mount Irada, on its north
err extremity. iE 3,SO6 feet above the sea The
resr y The island is mountainous with broad
cultivated spots Captain Sir Edward Belcher,
n ne sanarang, anchored in the Bay OF san
Ls9ningo. Cd the western side OF the island, on
E lSlr- clear bottom q fine coral sand, the best
bertn being with the convent, barely open when
teen ta-horrs
The local authorities recommend the anchor
az On san Carlos. about two miles TO the
10 10 --~+s- The next anchorage is that OF san
meme Which IS the port Of IWana- Sabtan
= separated from the southwest end Of Batan
- e --e1-nel INC miles wide clear OF danger
1D-sos -stalo is small and rather low, except
--g III On It's south END, whore there IS a
E---age- Z Is separated from the west side Of
naetan oy q channel from q mile 70 a mile and
q -a-- VIDE. De QueZ Island, also sr1aL ana
~ -=s mar q nile 70 the westward cT lougos
..-eyet Is ABOUT eight miles long and lies four
- ----ss northwest Of Baran- Il mas noun
ais a. rs northern end and its interior is
A-ealE cultivated Diego is z small island three
e1c z -a-- miles eastward Of Ibayat Macubis,
g niles north II Ibayat. is high and steep
IAN the northern island Of the Bashi group.
: sDoet q nile n circumference and toleraDly
Len- It's position Is latitude y degrees / min
- % seconds north. longitude 121 degrees .
sssnuIes = seconds east II was the extreme