point of taking possession did the confines of his New Georgia extend?

5. The claim on account of Thompson's Okanogan settlement made in 1811 was utterly valueless. The Americans were already established on the Columbia at the time of Thompson's coming.

110. The Claims of Russia. In 1809 Count Romanzoff, in reply to a question of John Quincy Adams, said: "The Russian American Company claimed the whole coast of America on the Pacific and the adjacent islands, from Bering's Strait, southward to and beyond the mouth of the Columbia River."

September 14th, 1821, a ukase was issued at St. Petersburg claiming the whole west coast of America north of the 51st parallel.

Again, in 1822, Poletica, Russian minister at Washington, informed John Quincy Adams, then secretary of state, that the Russian government claimed the Pacific coast of America, southward as far as the 49th parallel of latitude.

These differences were later adjusted by treaty between the two governments.

111.

Claims of the United States. The United States government claimed the territory of original Oregon by virtue of the following rights:

1. By Right of First Discovery. Captain Robert Gray, sailing under the Stars and Stripes, discovered the Columbia River and Gray's Harbor in 1792.

2. By Right of the Louisiana Purchase. This purchase was made by Thomas Jefferson of Napoleon

Bonaparte in 1803. It gave the citizens of the United States a free passage into the hitherto unexplored region bordering the Columbia.

3. By Right of First Exploration. Oregon was explored first by Lewis and Clarke between the years 1804 and 1806.

4. By Right of First Settlement. The first per

manent settlements in Oregon were made by citizens of the United States.

5. By Right of Contiguity. The purchase of Louisiana made Oregon contiguous to United States territory, and a well established principle of international law gave the United States the best right to occupy this region.

6. By the Right Ceded by the Florida Treaty. This treaty gave the United States all the rights Spain possessed to territory on the Pacific coast north of the 42d parallel of north latitude prior to 1819.

TREATIES AND

CONVENTIONS

RELATIVE

TO THE NORTHWEST BOUNDARY.

112. The Nootka Treaty. The first treaty entered into by nations in regard to the original territory of Oregon is called the "Nootka Treaty," made between Great Britain and Spain, signed October 28th, 1790. The cause which led to the treaty was the seizure of vessels by Martinez at Nootka. The vessels were all restored and suitable reparation made, but it was Great Britain's opportunity to gain con

cessions from Spain. Its stipulations were vague and indefinite, and the treaty was of but little importance to either nation.

113. The Convention of 1818. A convention was held between the United States and Great Britain at London, October 20th, 1818. This is called the treaty of "Joint Occupancy." It fixed the boundary line between the territory of the two nations on the 49th parallel of north latitude from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains. The territory claimed by both nations west of the Rocky Mountains by the third article of this treaty was to be open to the occupation of the people of both nations for a period of ten years. This was to keep the peace between the screaming eagle and the growling lion. It served the purpose for a time.

114. The Florida Treaty. A treaty of amity, settlement, and limits between the United States and Spain, commonly called the Florida Treaty, was signed at Washington City, February 22d, 1819. The third article of this treaty established the boundary line between the United States and the Spanish possessions, and ceded to the United States all the rights of Spain to territory on the Pacific coast north of latitude 42 degrees north. This treaty gave the United States Spain's right to Oregon.

115.

The Convention of 1824. A convention between the United States and Russia was signed at St. Petersburg on the 5/17 of April, 1824. This treaty resulted from the complaints of the Russian govern

ment in regard to the alleged illicit trade with the natives by American citizens. In this treaty the Russian government acknowledges that the parallel of 54° 40' north latitude marked the southern boundary of Russian America.

116. The Convention of 1825. A convention between Great Britain and Russia was signed at St. Petersburg, February 16/28, 1825. This treaty is very important to the United States government since the purchase of Alaska, whose interests are closely allied to those of the state of Washington.

117. The Convention of 1827. A convention between the United States and Great Britain was signed at London, August 6th, 1827. This treaty was a renewal of the treaty of Joint Occupancy of 1818 for another period of ten years. There was a provision made in this treaty that either party might abrogate it by serving a twelve months' notice on the other party.

118. The Treaty of 1846. The final treaty made to fix the boundary line between the United States and Great Britain was signed June 15th, 1846. The first article of this treaty reads as follows:

"From the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing treaties and conventions between the United States and Great Britain terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of her Britannic majesty shall be continued westward along the said forty-ninth parallel of north

latitude, to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver's Island, and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel, and of Fuca's Straits to the Pacific Ocean. Provided, however, that the navigation of the whole said channel and straits, south of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, remain free and open to both parties."

The intent of the makers of this treaty is perfectly clear. They desired to give Vancouver's Island to Great Britain, and that was all the territory she was to possess south of the 49th parallel. Hence her contention for the line through Rosario instead of Haro Strait was puerile.

THE SAN JUAN CONTROVERSY.

119. The 49th Parallel for Boundary. The 49th parallel as an international boundary line was proposed as a compromise of the conflicting claims to the territory west of the Rocky Mountains between 42 and 54° 40'. For a long time the British government persisted in claiming the territory north and west of the Columbia River after yielding that to the east and south. This pretension was adhered to until a short time before the conclusion of the treaty of 1846, when they so far receded from their position as to be willing to adopt the proposed compromise, provided that Vancouver's Island were granted to the British government. The United States finally consented to this, and the boundary placed as stipulated in the first article of the treaty of 1846.