The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-28
MUST BUY FROM SPAIN
United States Negotiating For
Two Islands.
THE PRICE Is 100000
PART OF PHILIPPINES OMIT
TED FROM TREATY.

Madrid, July 27.-The cabinet is con-
sidering the proposition of the United
States government for the cession of
the island of Cibitu and Cagayen, in
consideration Of an indemnity of $780,
900. The ministry regards the propo-
sitiOn favorably, and negotiations for
treaty of accord between the two
governments are proceeding rapidly.
Arrangements Nearly Complete.
Washington, July Arrangements
have practically been completed for the
purchase from Spain by the United
I States of the islands of Cibitu and Ca
gayen, which were left in Spanish pos
session by the treaty of Paris although
part of the Philippine archipelago
Had the peace commissioners at
Paris, in arranging for the relinquish-
ment 10 the United States of the Phil
ippines contented themselves with the
phraseolOgy "the Philippines archipe-
lago, as descriptive of the territory 10
be coded to the United States by Spain,
no question perhaps would have arisen
over the possession of these two
Islands. But to avoid the least chance
of loose definition, the peace commits
sioners drew a geographical boundary
line around the islands to be trans
ferred. The bounds were fixed by meri-
dams of longitude and parallels of lati-
tude. The lines generally described
parellogram, but at the southwestern
corner, for Some reason, there was an
inset, excluding some of the islands off
the coast of BorneO
By the terms of the treaty the south
ern boundary line of the archipelago
started at the eastern end, at the 127th
meridian, and ran along the parallel of
40 degrees, 40 minutes westward to
the meridian of 119 degrees % minutes.
At that point the line ran directly
northward to latitude degrees 10
minutes, and thence was reflected
westward to the 116th meridian, form
ing the small inset above referred to.
Error Found After Year.
1t was "a year after the signature of
the treaty of Paris before the fact was
discovered that in laying down these
boundaries the commissioners has eX-
cluded the islands of Cibitu and Ca
gayen. 1t was disclosed by the visit
to that part of the archipelago Oh the
United States steamship Concord. The
commander of the vessel landed on CT
btu and was cordially received by the
reigning datO, who promptly hOisteG
the stars and stripes and announced
himself under the protection of the
United States.
Attention being attracted TO that
quarter, the Spanish government soon
discovered the defect in the boundary
line, and through the Duke d'ArcOs set
up claim 10 the state department for
the possession of the islands. The de-
partment took the ground that the pur-
pose of the treaty of Paris in that sec
ton was to convey the entire Philip
pine archipelago to the United States,
and the general language of the act of
cession was sufficient to effect the
transfer. the defined boundary being
an unnecessary one.
DECKER For Many Months.
Negotiations lasting many months
followed, and each and every member
of the peace commission was called
upon to give his individual understand
ing of the proceed tngs at Paris, so far
as they bore upon this point. Finally
it appeared that an exact boundary
would have to be accepted instead of
one laid down in general terms, accord
ing to the fundamental principles of
common law. That being the case, it
became necessary, in the interest of
sound policy and to prevent the exist
ence of a probable cause of irritation
in the future, to buy out Spain's neigh
bOrly rights and continue the two is
lands as part of the Philippine archi-
pelago.
Negotiations practically may be re-
garded as closed on the basis of cash
payment to Spain by the United States
Of 100000 for the two islands
Isles of Small Account.
The two islands are insignificant in
area and thinly populated. probably
containing from 5000 to 5000 people in
all Cibitu is a narrow island four
miles in length by two across. It is
fiat and uninteresting, with one small
mountain in the centre about 500 feet
in height. 1t is surrounded by coral
reefs, with no anchorage to sDeak of.
Cibitu lies only four mics outside of.
the southern boundary fixed by the
treaty of Paris.
Cagayen is about five miles by eight
in area with a mountain reach
ing height of LOO feet It is the
largest of half dozen tiny islets
known as the Cagayen Sulu group and
owing allegiance to the sultan of Sulu.
Its products are tobacco, sugar and
similar tropical products The islands
are said to be mainly valuable for their
pearls and shell fisheries, which il is
possible may develop some commercial
Importance.
An important consideration which
has Influenced the United States gov
eminent in these negotiations is the
desirability of excluding any European
power from the possession of the
islands as naval station, which would
constitute a constant. menace to the
United States. There is reason to be-
live that schemes of that kind have al
ready been put afioat, which are to be