New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-05-12

STORY OF LONG SERIES OF DISPUTES
BETWEEN AMERICA AND
GREAT BRITAIN
GREAT BRITAIN.

The prospect Of early attempt at the final
settlement OF the outstanding boundary disputes
oet"een this country and Great Britain held out
ny recent reports from diplomatic representa-
yves makes il interesting TO recall the long
series of boundary disputes between the two
countries which may almost be said TO have
oeeuh with the Treaty of Paris. in l1S.. and to
have continued without any considerable inter
ruption ever since. There half dozen good
reasons why the line Of demarcation between the
United States and British North America should
have been always in dispute at one point OF an
other, but the most obvious are to be found in
the enormous growth CT both their territories
since the first treaty and their comparatively
unsettled conditions when the first treaty was
made.
Any one glancing al Article III OF the Treaty OF
Paris, which was the formal settlement of the
issues Of the Revolutionary War, and knowing
CT the expansion of both this country's power
and British colonization on This continent must
readily see that disputes from the first in
evitable The wording begins And that all
disputes which might arise in future the sub
ject OF the boundaries of the United States may
be prevented, il is hereby agreed and declared
etc This now reads like irony. Omitting the
prolixities OF diplomatic verbiage. the line
to begin at the northwest angle of Nova Scotia
rua along the Connecticut River to the 10Th
parallel Of north latitude. thence due 10 the
lrcquoiF River. along that river TO Lake On
tario. through tie middle of Lakes Ontario
Erie. Huron. and Superior 10 Isles Royal and
Philippians, through the Long Lake and Lake
OF the Woods to the most northwestern point
thereof" thence due west to the River Mssis
sppi. here the northern boundary stopped. be
cause ii was not supposed that the young re-
public extended further west even if its extent
SO far more than paper theory. The
boundary then follow the Mississippi
DOWN TO the 31st parallel OF north latitude.
thence due east to the Appaiacfncola River along
II 20 the Flint Rixer TO the Saint Mary's River
and to the Atlantic Ocean. There remained
the eastern boundary. the north. from the
mouth OF the ST. CroiK River to fits source. and
thence along the watershed OF the ST Lawrence
River
THE ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA.
AS result Of the acquisition Of the wonder
fully elastic territory Of Louisiana. more than
two-thirds Of this frontier had TO be suf,se-
qUently rectife6, that rectihcation bringing with
II its train Of boundary disputes But there were
questions even on the older boundary. Mixed up
in fearful and wonderful manner with the
question OF fishery rights. there the ques-
ton Of delimitation between Massachusetts
(Which State has since split into Massachusetts
and Maine, and New Brunswick The treaty Of
ara Rush. the United States Minister. left this
matter without any satisfactory settlement.
This country, on its part. wished to interpret
existing treaties Gncluding that Of 1910 So
to retain Rouses Point Lake Champlain,
and the right Of carrying timber on the s..
Johns River; Great Britain was jealous OF the
strategic route between Halifax and Quebec.
In point Of mere extent OF territory. the dis
pute involved some twelve thousand square
miles the disputed line stretching far to
came acute enough TO be referred to the arbitra-
Y,lent of the King of the Netherlands. and in
1899 President Van Buren, dispatched General
Winfield Scott TO the neighborhood Of the dis
puted territory. II is asserted by Winfield
Scott's bographers that his efforts were highly
effective in pre-, enting the outbreak Of interna-
tional hostilities which, however il may have
been forgotten in the Overwhelming interest of
the burning slavery question. seemed dangerous
ly imminent that time. This particular
boundary dispute was closed in lsi2. when Lord
Ashburton alexander Barring came 10 Wash
ingfon as envoy extraordinary. Lord AshDur-
ton entered into direct negotiations with Dan
iel Webster, then Secretary Of State, and what
is known as the Asflburton Treaty was the re
sult BY this treaty Great Britain got iile
coveted line Of communication, 'he United
States received Rouse's Point and the naViga-
iion rights in the st. Johns River, and ABOUT
hnl !