The Portland daily press., 1900-07-28
BUYING MORE ISLANDS.
A Couple the Treaty of Paris Didn't
Include.


sidering the proposition of the United
States government for the cesssion Of ths
Islands of Slbutu and Kalagayen in con-
sideration of an idemnity of $780, 900.
The ministry regards the proposition
favorably, and negotiations for treaty
between the two governments are pro-
ceeding rapidly.
Washington, July 27.-Had the peace
commissioners at Paris in arranging for
the relinquishment to the United States
of the Philippines cOntented themselves
with the phrasology the Philippine
archipelago" as descriptive Of the terri
tory to be ceded by Spain, no question,
perhaps, would have arisen over the pos
session of CibitO and Cagayen islands.
But to avoid the least chance of loose
definition the peace commissioners drew
geographical boundary line around the
islands to be transferred. The bounds
were fixed by the meridians of longitude
and parallels of latitude. The lines gen
orally described a parallel Ogram, but at
the southwestern corner, for~some reason
there was an inset excluding some OF the
islands of the coast of BorneO.
1t was year after the signature of the
treaty of Paris before the fact was discov-
cred that in laying down the boundaries
the commissioners had excluded the ISL
ands of CibutO and Cagayen. 1t was
disclosed by the visit to that part of the
archipelago Of the u. S. 5. Concord
The Spanish government had discovered
the defect in the boundary line and
through the Duke D'Arcos set up a claim
to the State Department for the posses
sions of the islands. The department
took the ground that Lt8 purpose Of the
treaty in that section was to convey the
entire Philippine archipelago to the
United States and the general language
of the act of cessiOn was sufficient to
effect that transfers, the defined boundary
being an unnecessary description. NegO-
tiatiOns lasting many months followed
Finally it appeared that az exact bonn
Diary would have to be accepted instead Of
one laid down in general terminoIOgy
according to the fundamental princiDles
of common law. That being the case it
became necessary in the interest of sound
policy and to prevent the existence of a
probable cause Of irritation in the fu o
ture, to buy out Spain's neighborly
rights and continue the two islands as
part OF the Philippine archipelago. AS
announced from Madrid, the cabinet by
which is meant the Spanish cabinet, Is
tavorably considering the proposed trans
Ter and the negotiations practically may
be regarded as closed, on the basis of a
cash payment to Spain by the United
States of S100, coo for theEtwo islands
The two islands are Insignificant in
area and thinly populated, probably con-
et .A'-7 ~ACAA WV ~ CSNO pDcBAC III all
BCOh the islands are said to be mainly
valuable for their pearl and shell fisher
les.
One important consideration which has
influenced the Uni6ed States government
In these negotiations is the desirability
of excluding any European power from
the possession Of the islands for use as
a naval station which would constitute a
constant menace to the United States
sovereignty. There is reason to believe
| hot nh, 80 l-s..
been put atioat, which are now to be
thwarted.