New-York tribune., 1900-07-28
BUYING ISLANDS FROM SPAIN.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR PURCHASE OF cIBITU
AND CAGAYEN BY THE UNITED STATES
PRACTICALLY COMPLETED

Washington July 27.-Arrangements have
practically been completed for the purchase
from Spain by the United States of the islands
OF Cibitu and Cagayen which were left in Span
sh possession by the Treaty of Paris, although
part of the Philippine Archipelago. The price TO
be paid has not been made public.
Had the Peace Commissioners at Paris in ar
ranging for the REIMBURSEMENT to the United
States of the Philippines merely used the phrase
the Philippine Archipelago describing the
territory to be ceded TO the United States by
Spain perhaps no question would have arisen
over the possession of the Cibtu 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 fixed by
meridians OF longitude and parallels of latitude.
The lines generally described a parallelogram,
hut at the southwestern corner, for some rea-
son, there was an inset excluding some of the
islands off the coast of Borneo. By the terms
Of the treaty the southern boundary line Of the
archipelago started at the eastern end at the
127th meridian and along the parallel of
degrees 45 minutes westward to the meridian
Of 119 degrees % minutes At that point the
line ran directly northward to latitude degrees
40 minutes. and thence was DETECTED westward
to the 10th meridian forming the small inset
referred to.
1t was year after the signature of the Treaty
Of Paris before the fact discovered that in
defining these boundaries the Commissioners
had excluded the islands of Cibitu and Cagayen.
1t was disclosed by the visit to that part of the
archipelago of the gunboat Concord. The COM
mander of the Concord landed on Cibitu and
cordially received by the reigning dato, who
promptly hoisted the Stars and Stripes and an
nounced himself under the protection Of the
United States. Attention being attracted to
that quarter. the Spanish Government through
the Duke dArcos submitted claim 10 the
State Department for possession of the ISLANDS.
The Department took the ground that the pur-
pose of the Treaty of Paris was to convey the
entire Philippine Archipelago to the United
states, and the general language or the act or
cession sufficient to effect that transfer the
defined boundary being unnecessary descrp-
ton Negotiations lasting many months fol-
lowed, and each member of the Peace Commits
sion called upon to give his understanding
of the proceedings at Paris so far as they re-
lated to this point Finally it appeared that
exact boundary would have to be accepted,
instead of one laid down in general terms, ac
cording to the fundamental principles of COM
mon law. That being the case, 1t became neces-
sary, in the interest of sound policy and to pre-
vent the existence of a probable cause of irri-
tation in the future, TO buy Spains rights and
continue the two islands as part of the Philip
pine Archipelago AS announced in Madrid,
the Spanish Cabinet is favOrably considering
the proposed transfer, and the negotiations prac-
tically may be regarded as closed on the basis
OF cash payment to Spain by the United States
OF 100000 for the two islands.
The two islands are insignificant in area and
thinly populated. probably containing from six
thousand 10 eight thousand people in all. Cibtu
is long, narrow island. fourteen miles in length
by two miles across. 1t is fiat and unnterest-
ing, except for one coniCal peak in the centre,
about five hundred feet high. II is surrounded
by coral reefs, with no anchorage to speak of.
Cibitu is only four miles outside of the southern
boundary fixed by the Treaty of Paris
Cagayen is of about the area, five miles
by eight, with mountains reaching a height of
l 100 feet It is the largest of half a dozen tiny
islets known as the Cagayen-Sulu group, and
owing allegiance to the Sultan of Sulu. It's chief
products are tobacco sugar and similar tropical
products. Both islands said to be mainly
valuable for their pearl and shell fisheries which
may possibly develop some commercial i'm
portance.
One important consideration which has nfu-
cnced the United States Government in these
negotiations is the desirability of excluding any
European Power from the possession of the
islands for a naval station, which would
prove constant menace to the United States
sovereignty. There is reason to believe that
schemes Of that kind already have been set
afoat but they are TO be thWarted