Great Britain and the United States terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of Her Britannic Majesty and those of the United States 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 of the said Channel and Straits south of the fortyninth parallel of north latitude remain free and open to both parties."

The question more immediately submitted to Appendix No. 1. the decision of His Imperial Majesty is described in Article XXXIV of the Treaty of 8th May, 1871, in the following terms:

Treaty of May 8, 1871.

"Whereas it was stipulated by Article I of the Treaty concluded at Washington on the 15th June, 1846, between Her Britannic Majesty and the United States, that the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of Her Britannic Majesty from the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, up to which it had already been ascertained, should be continued westward along the said 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 Straits to the Pacific Ocean; and whereas the Commissioners appointed by the two High Contracting Parties to determine that portion of the boundary which runs southerly through the middle of the Channel aforesaid were unable to agree upon the same; and whereas the Government of Her Britannic Majesty claims that such boundary line should, under the terms of the Treaty above recited, be run through the Rosario Straits, and the Government of the United States claims that it should be run through the Canal de Haro, it is agreed that the respective claims of the Government of Her Britannic Majesty and the Government of the United States shall be submitted to the

Treaty of May 8, 1871.

The Strait of Georgia.

arbitration and award of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, who, having regard to the abovementioned Article of the said Treaty, shall decide thereupon finally and without appeal which of those claims is most in accordance with the true interpretation of the Treaty of June 15, 1846."

It will be observed by His Imperial Majesty, that whereas the Treaty of June 1846 speaks only of the Channel which separates the Continent from Vancouver's Island, through the middle of which the boundary line is to be run, the Treaty of 1871 speaks of the Rosario Straits and the Canal de Haro, as if there was more than one Channel between the Continent and Vancouver's Island through which the boundary line may be run and be continued through the middle of Fuca's Straits to the Pacific Ocean.

It will be convenient, therefore, to bring to the attention of His Imperial Majesty at once the hydrography of the entire space between the Continent and Vancouver's Island south of the 49th parallel of north latitude, according to the best information which is in the possession of Her Majesty's Government.

The Strait of Georgia.

The 49th parallel of north latitude continued westwardly, according to the provisions of the Chart No. 4. Treaty of June 15, 1846, strikes the upper waters of the ancient Gulf of Georgia, designated by the Spaniards El Canal del Rosario, in Semiahmoo Bay. These waters are now termed, in British Charts, the Strait of Georgia. Continued across that Bay the parallel line intersects a narrow peninsula, the extreme of which was named by Vancouver, Point Roberts. This Point extends about 1 miles (English) south of the parallel line. Continued across the Strait of Georgia, the parallel line strikes at an acute angle a line drawn southerly through the middle of the Channel.

Respecting so much of the boundary line, as extends to the middle of the Strait of Georgia, there is no controversy between the High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of June 15, 1846, that it terminates at a point on the parallel of 49° north latitude in the middle of the Strait of Georgia. It is with regard to the line to be

drawn southerly from the parallel of 49° north latitude through the middle of the Channel that the Commissioners of the High Contracting Parties have been unable to agree. The true direction of such a line drawn towards the Strait of Fuca would appear, from a survey of the waters, to be south-east by east for a distance of about 19 miles, where the Strait of Georgia gradually expands to a width of nearly 40 miles, and may be said to lose the characteristic features of a single Strait.

The space now entered upon is encumbered by numerous islands, varying in size and character, among which are three navigable channels leading into Fuca's Strait.

The most eastern of the three channels has been of late termed in British charts the Rosario Straits, and in American charts Ringgold's Channel. The most western is termed in British charts the Haro Strait, and in American charts the Canal de Arro. The latter term has been borrowed from the Spaniards, who term the lower part of the Strait the Canal de Lopez de Haro.

There are, besides, other narrow passages; but they may scarcely be considered as highways for ships passing from the Strait of Georgia into Fuca's Strait,

The Rosario Strait.

From a point midway between Saturna Island Chart No. 4. and the Continent and 4 miles (English) south of Point Whitehorn on the shore of the Continent, the waters of the Strait of Georgia merge on almost the same line of bearing (south-east by east) into those of the Rosario Strait, passing eastward of the small Islands of Patos, Sucia, Matia, and Clark, thence between the large Islands of Lummi and Orcas. At Point Lawrence, which is the eastward point of Orcas, the Strait trends a little westward of south for 3 or 4 miles (English), and then leads by a due south course into the head-waters of the Strait of Fuca, the whole distance from the point above-mentioned, as where the Strait of Georgia merges in the Rosario Strait, being 30 miles (English).

The width of the Rosario Strait varies from 6 to 14 miles (English). At its northern entrance, between the Island of Sucia and Sandy Point, on

The Rosario Strait.

the Continent, it is 6 miles (English) across; but the Alden Bank lies almost between those two points.

There is, however, a clear passage of 4 miles (English) eastward of the Bank, and a passage of 1 miles (English) westward. The least water on 11⁄2 the shoal part is 24 fathoms (English). The Bank itself is an extensive patch, being 2 miles (English) north and south, and more than 1 mile (English) east and west. On the greater part of it, anchorage may be had in from 5 to 9 fathoms (English).

The Bank is not really an impediment to the Channel. The shoal part of it, which would be dangerous to a ship, is of small extent, and is easily avoided by good natural leading marks during the day, and by the lead at night; whilst it is a manifest advantage to a sailing-vessel to be able to anchor in a moderate depth should calms, strong tides, or fogs render it desirable, and when it would probably be impossible to fetch a harbour. The width of the Rosario Strait, southward of the Alden Bank, soon decreases to 3 miles and 2 miles (English), which latter is about its average breadth. Between Cypress and Blakely Islands, it is as narrow as 13 miles; but soon opens out again to 2 miles. The Bird and Belle Rocks lie almost in the centre of the Strait, 3 miles (English) within its southern entrance. The former is an extensive rock, 15 feet above high water. The latter lies north-north-east of it, more than half-a-mile (English), and is covered until near low water. The tides, which sweep with considerable strength over these rocks, are calculated to render the passage between them dangerous to sailing-vessels in calms or fogs; but there is a good passage on either side of them; that to the eastward of them being 12 miles (English) wide, while the width of that to the westward is 14 miles (English). The Williamson and Denis rocks which extend about one-third of a mile off the south-west side of Allan Island, are easily avoided. The former is 22 feet above high water; the latter awash at low spring tides.

The Davidson Rock, occasionally uncovering itself at low spring tides, lies three-fourths of a mile (English) east by south of Colville Island,

and is easily avoided, as it is marked by kelp. The only other hidden danger which has been discovered to exist in Rosario Strait is the Panama Reef, which extends one-third of a mile (English) off the north-west end of Sinclair Island. This reef is marked by kelp, and uncovers itself at low water. A rock also, which is about the same distance west of Rock Islet, near the north end of Cypress Island, is also marked by kelp, and uncovers itself at low water.

The tides in Rosario Strait run with considerable strength; in the narrow part between Cypress and Blakely Islands they have been found, during spring tides, to exceed 6 miles (English) an hour; in other parts of the Strait their velocity is from 2 to 5 miles (English). The depth of water, however, being from 25 to 35 fathoms over the greater part of the Strait, admits of vessels anchoring anywhere, if it should be necessary; but the most desirable stopping places are Fidalgo Bay, on the western side of the island of the same name; Walmouth Bight, on the south-east side of Lopez Island; the Guemes Passage, and Strawberry Bay, on the west side of Cypress Island.

The Canal de Haro.

On the other hand, the Canal de Haro, from Chart No. 4. the point where the Strait of Georgia may be said to lose the characteristic features of a single Strait, takes a direction about south-west and a half south between the east point of Saturna Island and the small Island of Patos, for a distance of 8 miles (English), it then turns to the westward, and runs in a direction south-west by west for almost an equal distance, until between Stuart and Moresby Islands, where it turns to the southward, and runs for a further distance of about 20 miles (English), trending to the south-east, when it strikes the Strait of Fuca.

The width of the Canal de Haro at its northern entrance between East Point and Patos Island is 2 miles (English), where, from the strong tides and irregularity of the bottom, heavy races occur; about the same width is carried for 12 miles (English) when, between Turn Point and Moresby

The Canal de Haro.