292 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
not included within Nova Scotia (thus comprehending all of the 
islands in Passamaquoddy Bay together with Grand Manan as shown 
by Map No. ?8) the question resolved itself into that of the deter- 
mination of what islands were included in the Alexander grant of 
1621. The wording of that grant so far as it concerns our present 
purpose ascribes to Nova Scotia the following boundaries :— 
ad occidentem ad stationem Sanctae Mariae navium vulgo Sanctmareis Bay 
et deinceps versus septentrionem per directam lineam introitum sive ostium 
magnae illius stationis navium trajicientes quae excurrit in terrae orientalem 
plagam . . . . ad fluvium vulgo nomine Sanctae Crucis appellatum 5 
includendo et comprehendendo intra dictas maris oras littorales ac earum 
circumferentias a mari ad mare omnes terras continentis cum fluminibus 
torrentibus sinubus littoribus insulis aut maribus jacentibus prope aut infra 
sex leucas ad aliquam earundem partem ex occidentali boreali vel orientali 
partibus orarum littoralium et praecinctuum earundem et ab euronoto (ubi 
jacet Cap Britton) et ex australi parte ejusdem (ubi est Cap de Sable) onmia 
maria ac insulas versus meridiem intra quadraginta leucas dictarum orarum 
littoralium earundem magnam insulam vulgariter appellatam Yle de Sable. 
TRANSLATION. 
Westward to the roadstead of St. 
Mary, commonly called Saint Mary’s Bay, and thence northward by a straight 
line, crossing the entrance, or mouth, of that great roadstead which runs 
towards the eastern part of the land . . . . to the river generally known 
by the name of St. Croix . . . . including and containing within the said 
coasts and their circumference, from sea to sea, all lands of the continent 
with the rivers, falls, bays, shores, islands, or seas, lying near or within six 
leagues on any side of the same on the west, north or east sides of the same 
coasts and bounds and on the south-southeast (where Cape Breton lies) and 
on the south side of the same (where Cape Sable is) all seas and islands 

river. Here its position was less inconsistent geographically, and also his- 
torically since, although some attempt was made by the committee of Con- 
gress to show that the St. John was the western boundary of Nova Scotia, it 
was nevertheless practically a new boundary. When the American negotiators 
could not secure the St. John and accepted the St. Croix on the ground that 
it was the ancient boundary of Nova Scotia, they still retained the phrase- 
ology of their instructions, only transferring the due east line from the St. 
John to the St. Croix, overlooking the fact that while not out of place in the 
one position, it was wholly so in the other. Incidentally the incident illus- 
trates the preponderating influence of thé American negotiators in the fram- 
ing of the treaty. The matter was, however, of no practical importance, for 
the Passamaquoddy islands all fell to Nova Scotia by the clause including 
within that province all that were within six leagues (eighteen miles) of her 
coasts (see Map No. 28). It is interesting to note that had this clause not 
been inserted in the grant of 1621, Nova Scotia could have possessed (and 
New Brunswick would possess to-day) only those islands east of the line to 
St. Marys Bay which would have cut through both Campobello and Deer 
Island (Map No. 28). The American Agent denied the validity of the Alex- 
ander grant, and hence under the due east line clause was able to claim for 
the United States all of the Islands in Passamaquoddy Bay. 
