THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEasked the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If the report in The Times of 25th April is correct—namely, that the future ownership of the Island of San Juan is left to the arbitration of a friendly Power; and, if so, whether there is any reservation or stipulation that the Island is not to be fortified or made a military station? The Island of San Juan was 12 miles long by about six miles broad, and lay on the southeast end of the Island of Vancouver. It had been occupied by the Hudson's Bay Company for many years, and commanded the entrance to the ports in Vancouver. The channel which led into the inner waters was not more than five miles wide; it is called the Haro Canal. If 1922 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 200 years the Island of San Juan had formed part of Her Majesty's dominions; having been ceded, amongst other islands, about the year 1792, Captain Vancouver, and another commissioner, were appointed to receive from the Spaniards their possessions in those seas. As their Lordships were aware, about 1859 the island was taken forcible possession of by a party of troops from the United States. It 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 a 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 settlers or squatters. He believed that to have been a perfectly false pretence, for up to the year 1858 there was only one American squatter in the whole island. A treaty between Great Britain and the United States was signed in July, 1846, by which it was decided that the line of boundary between the two countries should be the parallel of 49 north latitude to the sea, 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, unfortunately, the diplomatists did not mark the line down in a chart, and though there could be no doubt that it was meant that the line should go down the Rosario Channel, close to the main land on the American side, a diplomatic dispute had been going on about it for the last 20 years. The reason why he brought this matter forward was because he believed that the United States had no right whatever to the Island of San Juan, and because it had been thought by this country that in giving to the United States all that was called Washington Territory, consisting of about 60,000 square miles of the finest land in that part of the world, this country did so with the idea of settling the matter, and having no more disputes. Nevertheless, in consequence of the boundary line not being put down on the chart, a dispute commenced 1923 within two years of the signing of the treaty. An agreement, he might add, had been entered into that until the Commissioners, to whose appointment both sides had assented, had decided the points in dispute, neither party should interfere with the other; but, notwithstanding, a violent occupation of the island by American troops occurred during the existence of the convention. To the United States, San Juan would be of little or no value, except to enable her to prevent us from getting out of our own ports, or out of the Channel. It was not likely that a naval man would readily settle anything with a Philadelphia and a Penang lawyer, neither of whom was very pleasing to naval men; and it was by such persons that America was represented. When the dispute first arose, there was only one squatter in the place. But no sooner had the American Commissioner made his appearance than a change was at once perceptible, and within a few months the island contained twenty squatters. Shortly afterwards a justice of the peace was sent to take charge of these squatters; also a tax collector. One of the squatters shot a valuable animal, a breeding sow, belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, worth not less than £50, and when complaint was made, the general, the Penang lawyer, responded by sending a company of soldiers to take possession of the island, this being an aggravation of the general policy pursued by the Americans towards us. It had been agreed that until the Commissioners had made known their decision, things should remain in statu quo. Under these circumstances, he could not but think that if this island be given up to the Americans—it having belonged to us and having been forcibly occupied, contrary to stipulation and convention—it would, be most unjust to the people of Vancouver's Island and British Columbia, and would be very galling and lowering to the honour and credit of this country. This dispute had been going on for 20 years; and in a chart, made by the Americans last year, the line had been moved about 25 miles over to our side, and he could only say that, if the island was given up and fortified by the Americans, it being of the greatest importance to us, and of none to the Americans, except for the purpose of hostile action against Great Britain, it would be a thing to be very seriously deplored. 1924 The noble Lord concluded by asking formally the Question which stood in his name.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, he had no doubt the facts which the noble Earl had stated, might with advantage be brought before arbitrators on either side. But he could not give the House any information as to pending negotiations; for the Joint Commission, which was dealing with those matters, had determined, with the consent of their respective Governments, to keep their proceedings secret until they had arrived at some definite result one way or the other.
THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEwished to know whether the Commissioners were in possession of two American charts, the one published by Colonel Freeman in 1848, and the other last year, the line in the former being drawn down close to the American shore, through the Rosario Straits, and in the latter so close to Vancouver's Island that it was impossible a ship of any size could get through the passage.
§ EARL GRANVILLEThe Commissioners are in possession of all the information which we have been able to give them. As to details such as those mentioned by the noble Earl, I would observe that the Commissioners are not to settle the questions open between ourselves and the United States, but to agree upon the mode in which they should be decided.