THE CHARACTER AND IDENTITY OF THE MOUNTAINS AS SHOWN EV THE NEGOTLE TiuNs AND THE TREATY,
Let us see how the question as to mountains avese, progressed and culmimited. Mr. Canning. in his instructions to Sir C. Bagot of Jany. 15, 1824, snid:
Hi vour exeellency can obtain the strait whieh separites the islands from the main- lau as the boundary, the protongation of the Ine drawn through that strait wonld strike the mainland near Mount Elias—the lowest point of unqnestioned Russian discovery. Bat if that were too much to insist open, the one himedred and thirty. fifth clegree of longitude, as <nggested by your excelleney, oorthwart from the head of Lynns Harbor, might snttiee,
It would, however, in that ease be expedient to assign, with reepeet to the mainland zouthwanl of that point, a limit, say, of 50 or 100 nvtles from the coast, beyond which the Russian posts showld not he extented to the eastward. We must not on any account admit the Rassian territory to extend at any point to the Rocky Mountains.
Thus he expected Russian to have a substantial stvip of land on the continent. In this he followed the sugyvestion of the Hudson's Bay Company.”
The earlier propositions of Sir Charles Bagot made no reference whatever to mountains. Their first introduction was in the Russian counterdiaft as follows:
To complete the line of demarcation and render it as distinct asx possible, the plenipetentiaries of Rassin have expresset the desire to make it follow Portland Channel up te the monntains which border the enast.
From this point the boundary would ascend along those monntains, parallel to the sinnosities Gf the coast, as far as the one luteal and thirty-ninth degree of longi- tude (meridian of Lowdion), the line of whieh degree, prolonged northward, woul! form the ulterior limit between the Russian anil Haglish possessions, to the north as well as tothe east. ©
This langnage is 2 clear demonstration as to the mountains had in view:
ist. They were ~ to complete the line of demarcation and render it is distinet as possible,”
tnd. The line was ** to follow Porthid Channel up to (he mountains.”
3rd. Tt was to ascend along the mountains parallel to the sinuosities of the coast,
«UT, & C. App, 148. eUL8.C, App, 158,
ToS. CL App., 150.
