John, in a straight line, and in the nearest direction; but if the said point shall be found to be less than seven miles from the nearest point of the summit or crest of the highlands that divide those rivers which empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the river St. John, then, the said point shall be made to recede down the said northwest branch of the river St. John, to a point seven miles in a straight line from the said summit or crest; thence, in a straight line, in a course about south, eight degrees west, to the point where the parallel of latitude of 46° 25′ north intersects the southwest branch of the St. John's; thence, southerly, by the said branch, to the source thereof in the highlands at the Metjarmette portage; thence, down along the said highlands which divide the waters which empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the head of Hall's Stream; thence, down the middle of said stream, till the line thus run intersects the old line of boundary surveyed and marked by Valentine and Collins, previously to the year 1774, as the 45th degree of north latitude, and which has been known and understood to be the line of actual division between the States of New York and Vermont on one side, and the British province of Canada on the other; and from said point of intersection, west, along the said dividing line, as heretofore known and understood, to the Iroquois or St. Lawrence River."

ARTICLE II.-Description of boundary line.

ARTICLE III.-Navigation of the St. John to be free to those of either party dwelling on the upper waters of the river, for all produce not manufactured, etc.

ARTICLE IV.-Prior grants of land in the disputed territory to be held valid.

ARTICLE V.-Distribution of the "disputed territory fund." ARTICLE VI. Two commissioners to be appointed to mark the boundary line between the St. Croix and St. Lawrence rivers.

ARTICLE VII.-Certain waters in the St. Lawrence, Detroit, and St. Clair rivers to be free to both parties.

ARTICLE VIII.-(Suppression of the Slave-Trade.)-"The parties mutually stipulate that each shall prepare, equip, and maintain in service on the coast of Africa a sufficient and adequate squadron or naval force of vessels of suitable numbers

and descriptions, to carry in all not less than eighty guns, to enforce, separately and respectively, the laws, rights, and obligations of each of the two countries for the suppression of the slave-trade, the said squadrons to be independent of each other, but the two Governments stipulating, nevertheless, to give such orders to the officers commanding their respective forces as shall enable them most effectually to act in concert and co-operation, upon mutual consultation, as exigencies may arise, for the attainment of the true object of this article, copies of all such orders to be communicated by each Government to the other, respectively."

ARTICLE IX.-Remonstrances to be made with other powers within whose dominions a market for slaves is found.

ARTICLE X.-(Extradition of Criminals).-See Treaties of Extradition.

ARTICLE XI.-(Duration of the treaty.)-The eighth article of this treaty shall be in force for five years from the date of the exchange of the ratifications, and afterwards until one or the other party shall signify a wish to terminate it. The tenth article shall continue in force until one or the other of the parties shall signify its wish to terminate it, and no longer. ARTICLE XII.-(Ratifications.)

Concluded June 15, 1846. Ratifications excharged at London, July 17, 1846. Proclaimed August 5, 1846.

ARTICLE I.-(Boundary line west of the Rocky Mountains.)— "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, an 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 forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, remain free and open to both parties."

ARTICLE II.—(Navigation of the Columbia.)—The great northern branch of the Columbia, from the point where it intersects the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the point where said branch meets the main stream of the Columbia, shall be free and open to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, as also the Columbia from that point to its mouth, subject to regulations not inconsistent with the present treaty.

ARTICLE III.—The possessory rights of British subjects in the territory south of the 49th parallel to be respected.

ARTICLE IV. (Farms and lands belonging to the Puget's Sound, Agricultural Company.)-" The farms, lands, and other property of every description belonging to the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia River, shall be confirmed to the said company. In case, however, the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States Government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole, or of any part thereof, the property so required shall be transferred to the said Government, at a proper valuation, to be agreed upon between the parties."

ARTICLE V. Ratifications to be exchanged at London, within six months. Signed at Washington, June 15, 1846, by

JAMES BUCHANAN.
RICHARD PACKENHAM.1

1 A dispute subsequently arose between the two governments as to the true meaning of Article I. of this treaty in respect to the channel between Vancouver's Island and the main land. The British government insisted that the Rosario Straits formed the cannel intended by the treaty, whereas the United States insisted that the Chanal de Haro was the proper

GREAT BRITAIN, 1850.

CONVENTION RELATIVE TO A SHIP-CANAL BY WAY OF NICARAgua, COSTA RICA, THE MOSQUITO COAST, OR ANY PART OF CENTRAL AMERICA.

Concluded April 19 1850.

1850.

Ratifications exchanged at Washington, July 4,
Proclaimed July 5, 1850.

ARTICLE I." The Governments of the United States and Great Britain hereby declare that neither the one nor the other will ever obtain or maintain for itself any exclusive control over the said ship-canal; agreeing that neither will ever erect or maintain any fortifications commanding the same, or in the vicinity thereof, or occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America; nor will either make use of any protection which either affords or may afford, or any alliance which either has or may have, to or with any State or people for the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such fortifications, or of occupying, fortifying, or colonizing Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America, or of assuming or exercising dominion over the same; nor will the United States or Great Britain take advantage of any intimacy, or use any alliance, connection, or influence that either may possess, with any State or Government through whose territory the said canal may pass, for the purpose of acquiring or holding, directly or indirectly, for the citizens or subjects of the one any rights or advantages in regard to commerce or navigation through the said canal which shall not be offered on the same terms to the citizens or subjects of the other."

ARTICLE II. "Vessels of the United States or Great Britain traversing the said canal shall, in case of war between the con

channel. The question was referred, by the 34th article of the treaty of 1871, to the Emperor of Germany as arbitrator, who subsequently decided the question in favor of the American claim. (October 21. 1872.)

tracting parties, be exempted from blockade, detention, or capture by either of the belligerents; and this provision shall extend to such a distance from the two ends of the said canal as may hereafter be found expedient to establish."

ARTICLE III.-"In order to secure the construction of the said canal, the contracting parties engage that, if any such canal shall be undertaken upon fair and equitable terms by any parties having the authority of the local government or governments through whose territory the same may pass, then the persons employed in making the said canal, and their property used or to be used for that object, shall be protected, from the commencement of the said canal to its completion, by the Governments of the United States and Great Britain, from unjust detention, confiscation, seizure, or any violence whatsoever."

ARTICLE IV. "The contracting parties will use whatever influence they respectively exercise with any State, States or Governments possessing, or claiming to possess, any jurisdiction or right over the territory which the said canal shall traverse, or which shall be near the waters applicable thereto, in order to induce such States or Governments to facilitate the construction of the said canal by every means in their power; and furthermore, the United States and Great Britain agree to use their good offices, wherever or however it may be most expedient, in order to procure the establishment of two free ports, one at each end of the said canal."

ARTICLE V.-"The contracting parties further engage that when the said canal shall have been completed they will protect it from interruption, seizure, or unjust confiscation, and that they will guarantee the neutrality thereof, so that the said canal may forever be open and free, and the capital invested therein secure. Nevertheless, the Governments of the United States and Great Britain, in according their protection to the construction of the said canal, and guaranteeing its neutrality and security when completed, always understand that this protection and guarantee are granted conditionally, and may be withdrawn by both Governments, or either Government, if both Governments or either Government should deem that the persons or company undertaking or managing the same adopt or establish such regulations concerning the