Year: 1871

The British Side of the Question as Under


stood by Lord Lauderdale.


From the London Times.


In the House of Lords last night the Earl of
Lauderdale rose to ask the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs If the report in the Times of the 25th of
April was correct, viz, that the future owner
ship of the Island of San Juan was left to the
arbitration of friendly power; and If so,
whether there was any reservation or stipulation
that the island was not to be fortified or made
q military station. The Island of San Juan was
twelve miles long by about six miles broad,
and lay on the southeast end of the Island of
Vancouver. 1t had been occupied by the
Hudson's Bay Company. and commanded the
entrance to the ports in Vancouver. If San Juan
were given up to the United States, and fortified
by that power, the effect would be much the
same in that part of The world as it would be
nearer home if the Isle of Wight were given up
TO the French and fortified by them. For the
last two hundred years the Island OF San Juan
had formed part of Her Majesty's dominions,
and, as their lordships were aware, about 1859
the island was taken forcibe possession of by
party of troops from the United States.
1t was at that time occupied by
the Hudson's Bay Company, and it
was not taken possession of by the direction
of the Government of the United States, but by
the act of general commanding the United
States forces in that part of the world The
excuse for taking possession of the island was
that some insult was offered to American set
tiers or squatters. He believed that to have
been perfectly false pretense, for up to the
year 1855 there was only one American squatter
in the whole island. treaty between Great
Britain and the United States was signed in
July, 1916, and it was decided that the line of
boundary between the two countries should be
the parallel of 49north latitude to the through
the centre of the strait dividing the main land
from the Island of Vancouver. The wording
of the treaty was clear and distinct, but, un-
fortunately, the diplomatists did not mark
the line down in chart, and though there could
be no doubt that it was meant that the line
ehOuld down the Channel Rosario. close to
the main land on the American side, diplo-
matte dispute had been going on about it for
the last twenty years. The reason why he
brought this matter forward was because he be-
lieved that the United States had no right what
ever to San Juan, and because it had been
thought by this country that in giving to the
United States all that was called Washing
ton Territory, consisting OF about 10000
square miles of the finest land in that part
Of the, world, this country did SO with
the idea of setting the matter and
having no more disputes. Nevertheless in
consequence of the boundary line not being put
down ON the chart, dispute commenced within
two years of the signing of the treaty. An
agreement he might add, had been entered into
that until the commissioners to whose appoint
ment both sides had assented, had decided the
points in dispute, neither party should in
terfere with the other; but Notwithstanding,
q violent occupation of the island by Ame-
| rican troops occurred during the existence
| of the convention. To surrender it under
| such circumstances would, in his opinion be


most unjust to the inhabitants of Vancouver
| and British Columbia, as well as lowering to
| the honor and credit of this country. To the
| United States San Juan would be of little or nc
| value except to enable her to prevent us from
| getting out of our own ports or out OF the chan
! mel, while to us it was of considerable import


ance. He hoped, therefore, the noble ear
opposite would be able to give a favorable


answer to the question which he had to put tx
|