AMERICA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 228, 27 December 1859, Page 4

AMERICA.

THE BOUNDARY DlSPttoE. Thb " San Juan question," to which we referred in our last as having presented itself with sudden claims to attention among the news from America is in reality a controversy ot several years, standin"-. San Juan is one of the Arroo Islands which lie°between Vancouver's Island and the mainland of North America. The entire group is claimed by the Government of the United States under the treaty of the 15th June, 1846, generally known as the Oregon Treaty. In the words ot that instrument the boundary line dividing the territories of Great Britain and the United States runs " along the 49th parallel of north Latitude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent irom Vancouver's Island, and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel and of lucals Straits to the Pacific Ocean." But there are two channels separating the continent from Vancouver s Island one on each side of the Arroo Islands, and according as one or other of these is taken to be the channel referred to will the Islands belong to Grout Britain or the United States. Commissioners of both countries have been for some time em>a»i>a in trying to arrange the question, but without success. In order to bring the affair to a point, and perhaps with an eye to Democrat intirt^ts at the presidential election, orders have kvn sent from Washington to Gen. Harney dim'tiu'v him to San Juan with United States tnwvs, claiming the island as part of the Washington territory. The general had sent thither a company of infantry and four companies, of ar-" j tillery,'supporting'them with four vessels of the American navy. The New York papers states that Governor Douglas had protested in the name of her Majesty against the occupation, claiming . the island as under the supremacy of the British crown, and had sent thither a force of sappers and miners with H.M.S. Tribune, Satellite, and Plumper. The New York papers eagerly hail adifficulty with England which promises a tolerable-... amount of excitement, without the probability of becoming dangerous. The -New York Herald protests against the motion that this controversyis about ail insignificant matter, and declares that San Juan is particularly important in a military point of view; and that the propriety of making U a second Cronstadt has recently bebii discussed in England.

There appears to be little doubt that the dispute will yet be settled amicably : but at one time affairs on the island,were in a critical state. The excitement amongst the English and American population became almost ungovernable. It iseven reported that Governor Douglas had determined upon hostilities; but that the admiral in command of the British squadron in the channel refused to act without orders from home. Our latest news from" the United States contains a statement that the island is now in the joint possession of American and English troops, effected without collision or bloodshed. But this is denied by the officials of the United States War Department. Mr. Campbell, the American Boundary Commissioner at San Juan, had sent despatches to Washington saying, that he did not apprehend any fighting. General Scott was sent from Washington some time ago to San Juan ; and it is believed that the presence of that veteran diplomatist will moderate the violence of General Harney.