The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-23
THE CAGAYAN SULU ISLANDS.
No Question Az 10 the validity ~ the
United states Governments Title.


United states Governments Title.
WASHINGTON, July The occupation by
the United States OF the islands of the north
| east coast of Borneo affords no reasonable
| grounds Of complaint to the British Govern
| ment These islands belonged to Spain prior
to the recent wnr and her title TO them had been
| fully acknO ledged by Great Britain and
| Germany by the treaty Of March T. 1885
Article !. of that treaty provides:
The Governments OF Great Britain and Germany
recognize the sovereignty OF Spain over the places
effectively occupied well as over those places not
yet occupied. OF the Archipelago Of snlu Joo,, OF
which the limits are laid down In Article H.
Article H. defines these limits AZ follows;
The Archipelago of Suu Jolo) conformaby to the
definition contained In Article L. of the Treaty signed
tho 2sth of September 1899. between the Spanish
Government and the Sultan OF Suu Iolo), comprise
all the Islands which found between the western
extremity OF the island OF Mndanao on the one side
and the continent OF Borneo and the Island OF Para
qua on the other side with the exception OF those
which indicated In Article III. tbs understood
that the Islands of Balabac and OF Cagayan JOo form
part Of the chipelag0
Article III. is as follows:
The Spanish Government rcnounces. as far ms
regards the British Government all claims Of SOY
crclgnty over the territories OF the continent OF
Borneo. which belong or which have belongcdin
the past to the Sultan OF Sulu Uolo). and which
comprise the ncighborlng islands OF Baambangan.
Banguey and Maawal as well as all those comprised
within zone OF three maritime leagues from the
coast and which form part OF the territories admin
istered by the company styled the British North
Borneo Company"
BY this treaty Great Britain recognized the
sovereignty Of Spain over all the islands lying
"bet ween the western extremity of Mindanao
on the one side and the continent Of Borneo
and he island of Paraguu on the OF her side.
with the exception OF the islands OF Buam-
bangan Btnguey and Malawali and such
OF her islands as were comprised within
zone of three maritime leagues from the
coast" All other such islands as lay beyond
the three-league zone were recognized MS
Spanish territory. 1t is these islands. lying
beyond that zone that have been recent
ly visited by one OF Admiral Evans's ships, and
upon which the American flag has been raised
and upon which tablets have been erected
marking our ownership.
These islands were not included in the limits
Of the Philippines ~ defined in the original
treaty OF peace bet wecn the United States
and Spain signed at Paris. but by subse-
Quent treaty signed at Washing ton Nov. II,
1900 Spain conveyed them as well as othe rs
TO the United States. in the following Ian
9uage:
Spain relInQushes 10 the United States all title
and claim OF title which she may have had at the
time OF the conclusion OF the Treaty of Peace OF
Paris to any and all Islands belonging to the Philip
pine Archipelago lying outside the lines described
in Article III. OF that treaty, and particularly TO
the islands of Cagayan Suu and Sbutu and their
dependencies, and agrees that all such Islands shall
be comprehended in the cession OF the archipelago
as fully n they had been expressly included
within those lines
In ion nf IL tpV,t ha nit cd
States paid Spain 100000, and thus became
possessed OF all the rights of Spain TO the
islands
Subsequently the Sultan of Suln. who had
held some or all of these islands under sort
OF snzerainty to Spain, acknowledged the
sovereignty Of the United States and pro-
claimed his allie glance thereto IL would seem
therefore that our title to all these islands is as
perfect as to Luzon or any OF the larger islands
OF the Philippine group
The islands recently taken possession OF
formally by Admiral Evans's orders are laid
down upon the British Admiralty charts and
also upon our own and there appears to be no
doubt that they are all without the three mile
zone Should any Of them prove to be within
il, our Government would of course reln-
Quish all claim to 1t
IL is said that two of these islands command
the harbor of Sandakan, the capital OF British
North Borneo, but this il probably an exag-
geration. They are within convenient steam
ing distance OF it. but that Is altogether a
different thing from commanding il
II is not 10 be supposed that the British
Government will give itself any concern over
the fact that this country has seen At to raise
its nag over these islands a visible sign Of its
ownership They are of little or no value
intrnsically. the largest of them being ac-
cordinG to accounts little over a mile long.
We have no idea Of terrifying them and they
will probably remain uniDhabited as they now
are II We should ever have occasion to in
dulge in hostile demonstrations against Great
Britain We would find it much easier TO direct
them across the Canadian border than to make
any of these Philippine slets base Of hostile
operations
The over-fearsome gentlemen who called
attention to this matter in the House OF Com
mons may compose their nerves and possess
their souls in peace We have no Interior
designs against our British friends. We have
only marked our own property. as we had a
right to do, and whether we improve it or leave
II in its original condition is nobody's business
but our own } 5. TUCKER