The Indianapolis journal., 1903-10-21

OUR CANADIAN BOUNDARY LINE.
Along with the announcement OF the set
tlement of the Alaskan boundary dispute
comes one that a United States revenue
cutter left Milwaukee for Cleveland on
Monday to take part in the international
dispute which has arisen between the
United States and Canada over the fishing
In Lake Erie. 1t is further stated that when
the cutter arrives at Cleveland 1t will en-
gage in determining the boundary line both
at Ashtabula and Erie. where American
fishermen have been fired upon and their
nets taken up because of alleged encroach-
ments upon Canadian waters. Technically
speaking this is not a boundary dispute. but
a dispute as to whether certain acts were
done on one side of the boundary line or the
other. The boundary itself between Canada
and the United States was settled by the
treaty of peace between Great Britain and
the United States concluded in 1888. AS
most persons are aware it runs through
lakes Ontario. Erie, Huron and Superior as
nearly practicable in the middle, while
maintaining general east and west direc-
tion. 1t leaves the larger part of Lake
Superior In the United States, the larger
part of Lake Huron I'm Canada and divides
Lake Erie nearly in the center. The lam
guage of the treaty defining the line is:
From the northwest angle of Nova Scotia
viz: that angle which is formed by line
drawn due north from the source of st.
Croix river to the highlands along the said
highlands which divide those rivers that
empty themselves into the river st. Law
renee, from those which fall into the At
iantic ocean, TO the northweSternmost head
OF Connecticut river; thence down along
the middle Of that river to the 45th degree
OF north latitude; from thence, by a line
due west on said latitude until it strikes
the river Iro1uois or Cataraguy; thence
along the middle OF said river into Lake
ontario, through the middle of said lake
until IL strikes the communication by water
between that lake and Lake Erie: thence
along the middle of said communication
into Lake Erie through the middle of said
| lake until 1t arrives at the water commun-
ieation between that lake and Lake Huron;
thence along the middle Of said water COM
/ munication into Lake Huron; thence
| through the middle of said lake to the
water communication between that lake
ana Lake Superior; thence through Lake
superior northward of the Isles Royal and
| Philipeaux to the Long Lake; thence
! through the middle of said Long Lake and
/ the water communication between it and
| the Lake of the Woods, to the said Lake
| OF the Woods; thence through the said
lake to the most northwestern point there
/ or, and from thence Oh a due west course
/ 10 the river Mississippi thence by line to
/ be drawn along the middle of the said
| river Mississippi until 1T shall intersect the
northernmost part of the 31st degree of
| north latitude.
| The entire boundary line from the head
| the Mississippi river followed lake and
water courses. and after striking the Mis-
sissippi it followed the middle of that river
southwark to the 3lst degree of north
latitude: thence east by certain rivers
named to the Atlantic ocean, thence north
yard on certain water lines to the place OF
beginning. This boundary, excepting
| short distance. was a water line and came
very near making the United States an
! island. An international boundary line run
ming more than thousand miles through
the middle Of the great lakes would neces-
sarily be difficult to locate, and might have
been a fruitful cause Of war between two
unfriendly nations. 1t has been the cause
of some friction between the United States
and Great Britain. but not very serious. In
1917 an arrangement was entered into be-
tween the two countries that each might
maintain naval forces on the lakes as fol-
| lows: On Lake Ontario one vessel not to
exceed 100 tons burden and armed with one
| eighteen-pound cannon, and on each of the
! other lakes two vessels of like burden and
| armament That agreement is still in force.
From the obvious difficulty of exactly To-
eating boundary line in midlake it is evil
dent that disputes must arise occasionally
in regard to the right of the respective par
ties to fish in particular localities. The
present dispute grows out of a British ship
firing on an American fishing boat a few
weeks ago on the ground that she was fish
ing in Canadian waters. The point can
only be settled by running the boundary
line. This will require some nice observa-
tions and mathematical work, and when it
is settled the line will be as iIl-defined as
ever. Though clearly stated in the treaty
1T must always be largely a matter of guess
work to fishing vessels or other boats ply
ing the lakes.