Year: 1859

The san Juan Difficulty.





Its supposed that this question will form
the prominent topic Of the Presidents Mes
sage as it is already leading subject with
the masses of the people. England has as
sumed a position in the matter, which calls
for decided action upon the part Of our Gov
ernmcnt. Lord John Russell has informed
Secretary Cass that England considers her
claim to the Island good and valid and will
insist upon n recognition Of her right to it by
the United States This is very eXtraordina.
~ conduct on the part of the English Gov
erument 1t is indeed n piece Of unparalleled
arrogance, FOR, if ever there was clear title
in the world, it is that of the United States
to the Island of San Juan. The clause OF the
treaty of SAC settling the boundary line be-
tween the British and the American Terrific
ries. has been wholly misquoted il it does
not beyond all reasonable question demon
strate that the Island lies within the Amcri-
can limits. That clause declares that the
boundary line shall run as far as "tho middle
Of the channel separating the continent from
Nancouver's Island, thence southerly through
said channel and the straits of Fuca to the
Pacific Ocean" As matter of course tic
channel means the main channel. The Canal
de Haro is undoubtedly the main channel.
1t is much wider and much deeper than the
strait of Rosario and fully as safe. We sta
ted some time ago that it was not so safe as
the Rosario, but we founded our observation
upon what we now consider incorrect inlor
nation. We are informed by gentleman
from that region that both the English and
/ American residents of British Columbia de-
clare unhesitatingly, in all their private con-
versatons on the subject, that the Canal de
IIaro is the main channel and that it is fully
as safe in every respect as the Rosario. 1t is
also well understood there that the Canal de
Haro is far more frequently nayIgated than
the other


Besides this mere glance at the geogra-
ply Of the country viii show that the Canal
de IIaro was beyond all doubt the channel
meant The treaty speaks of 'the middle of
the Channel separating the continent from
VGacourer'S Island: = not the middle of the
channel separating San Juan Island and its
group from the continent Now, the Canal
de IIaro is a broad and deep channel running
between Vancouvers Island on the one side
and the San Juan Island grcap on the other
The San Juan group is near the main land
and the Rosario Strait is a mere thread, as it
were, on the map, as compared with the
main channel De Haro. Furthermore, it is
always the rule of international law, if our
recollection does not mislead us, that where
an island is in dispute, the presumption is
that it belongs to that power whose main
land it is the nearest to. Had the Straits of
Rosario been meant in the treaty, the clause
would have read "the channel reparating San
Juan Island from the continent" Instead of
that, it reads 'the channel separating Tancou-
per's Island from the continent"


Aside from the pure merits of the case, it
is very important that the United States
shoul possess 9au Juan Aslhhu. ere th0t
/ island in the hands of Great Britain she could
absolutely command the entrance to Fraser


river, aud leave US without the means of pre-


venting her from penetrating into the interior
Of our country up that river with hostile
force 1t is not safe to leave ourselves thus
vulnerable, and the same policy which makes
is wise for us to command the mouth of the
Hudson, or the Mississippi or the Columbia,
or ofany Of our n0vigable streams proceed
ing from the interior, would justify the ex-
pense of both blood and treasure in the main.
tenance Of our just claim to the Island Of San
Juan.