Year: 1872

From the Saturday Review.l


The immensity alike OF the British Empire and
OF the difficulties and dangers which beset 1t is
strkingly illustrated by the TACT that at the same
moment Englishmen have to consider the decision
with regard to the San Juan boundary, the advance
Of Russia on Khiva and Spanish proposal for the
cession of Gibraltar. The decision In the San Juan
case is simplicity itself. The Emperor Of Germany
has, we are tod in the tersest possible language,
decided that we are entirely wrong and the Ameri-
cans entirely right Fortunately not single
principle of international law is involved In
the decision, and no one can possibly think that
our government was In the wrong either
in adhering to the English Interpretation
OF the treaty of 1S46 or in submitting the
matter to arbitration. We have only to accept the
decision; and II the Emperor of Germany has been
wise enough to give his decision without giving
his reasons we are saved the necessity of having
to show that his Judgment ought to have been
different. All that we need say is, that the point
at issue was so exceedingly doubtful that we have
no occasion to express regret for having so long
contested with the United States the possession Of
O country which has now been pronounced by q
competent authority to have been all along right
fully theirs. The words Of the treaty Of 1s46 were
SO obscure that TWO interpretations Of its language
seemed fairly admissible and 1t Is well known that
this obscurity arose from the simple fact that





had at that time any trustworthy map. Between
vancouver's Island and the mainland OF the United
them group M Of slandsMof Which San Juan is the
chief-the one channel passing by the English shore
OF vancouvers Island, and the other by the Ameri-
can shore of the Territory Of Washington. To the
negotiators Of lS46 the southern or American chan
mel alone appears to have been known, and there
fore IL was quite natural that England should con-
tend that this must be the channel through which
1t was intended the boundary line should run. On
the other hand, the main intention OF the treaty
was that the boundary fixed at the fOrty-ninth
include vancouvers Island as British. As 1t
Americans insisted that the treaty should be
interpreted so as to effect Its main object and no
more, and that the boundary should run through
the channel which, passing close by VancOuver's
Island, would leave San Juan American. As the
island has been. for some time occupied on its
northern side by British and on its southern by
American troops, it was necessary, II possible,
that state of things so likely to lead to danger
Terminated by what in such q case has long been
the recognized mode Of settlement, that OF refer
ence to and awe we may consider THIS REF
arbitrator against us, with an equanimity which
fails US when we think OF the abandonment OF our
the exigencies cf American home politics, and OF
our a5option OF new rules OF law expressly framed
American wrath with English gold. S"o'"e


The Americans were principally impelled to in.
sst to their claim to the San Juan group because
these islands will AFFORD to an American feet a
post Of great advantage In case Of war with ELg-
land They avowed this to be their motive, and,
as 1t has been decided that the islands belong to
them, it is quite right that they should make any
use Of them they please, however annoying to us.
But It is one thing to own this and another thing
to conceal regret that we have one more difficulty
added to the innumerabe difficulties of our
empire We have undertaken to guard British
group Of islands which command the access to
our remote colony. We can only try as nation


to 90 but our best se as
suggested by the news that Russia is intending to
attack Khiva. We could not prevent Russia doing
for trying to do so. The Khan OF Khiva is, no
doubt, petty despot. who fully deserves to be
punished He has given Russia as much proyoca-
ton as the Emperor Theodore gave US, and prOba-
bly, more. When the Khan recently sent an am.
Rpssador to ask help from the vceroy OF India Lord
help he could give was TO offer the advice that
the Khan should atone for his crimes as soon as
possible, and try at the last hour to avert
the Khan the Russians will be guided solely by o
consideration Of their own interests in deciding
quered territory They are fully as much entitled
ne the. siTSs; . Nor 90 ws for mo%en. question ,
landish places have much to gain by
being brought under Russian dominion,
for civilization and prosperity to western Asia.
But none the less can we afrect to be blind to the
extreme probability that this constant advance OF
Russia creates new dangers to our Empire IN the
East. The chief Of these dangers and it Is most
serious one, is the effect which the proximity Of
Russia Will have on the imaginatons the hopes
and the ambition OF the natives OF India Our rule
In India depends In large degree on the uni
versatility Of the impression among the people
that there Is no use In thinking OF con-
tending with us; and this impression is pro-
duced not only by the ability with which we
govern them and the spirit with which we have
fought them, but also by the fact that there s no
other great Power possessed OF the weapons and
the organization OF the West that comes Into COM
petition with us In their mental horizon. II will
be very difYerent when Russia, far more powerful
than England by land, Ia known to be coming
nearer and nearer towards them and when thew