398 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Over this territory New Brunswick for many years past has claimed 
and exercised ownership and jurisdiction; has assisted its inhabitants in 
distress ; and during the struggle with the neighbouring State of Maine 
on the Boundary question, actively and at much inconvenience and expense 
maintained her jurisdiction and possession, and, by her energy, for many 
years assisted in frustrating the attempts at actual occupation made by 
parties from the State of Maine; while Canada, removed from the scene 
of disquietude, remained passive. (Blue-book, 93). 
The commissioners then propose a compromise line between the 
provinces, namely, to prolong the straight line of the treaty of 1842 
until if strikes the parallel of 47° 50’, which it is to follow due east 
until it strikes the Kedgewick River, which is to form the boundary with 
the Restigouche to Bay Chaleur. North of the Restigouche they thus 
award to Canada some 2,660 square miles legally belonging to New 
Brunswick, while of the neutral territory west of the north line 2,300 
square miles are given to New Brunswick and 2,100 to Canada. Such 
a boundary, they consider, will be easy to mark out on the ground, will 
make the provinces of a convenient form, and will assign to each the 
parts in their respective possession at present. 
The report impresses one as admirable in its tone and intentions, 
and it had no small part, as we shall see, in determining the final settle- 
ment of the whole subject. 
A very valuable topographical appendix to this report was prepared 
by Robinson and Henderson, giving detailed and valuable information 
respecting the region of the boundary, and containing the foundation 
of our present topographical knowledge of that part of the country. In 
this report they discuss the various practical objections to the com- 
promise lines earlier proposed.* 
This report was transmitted by Earl Gray to the New Brunswick 
and the Quebec Governments, and it is of great interest to note their 
replies. 
New Brunswick’s reply, dated Oct. 26 (1848), was as follows: — 
The Lieutenant Governor and Executive Council of New Brunswick 
having considered the copy of the Report of the Commissioners on the dis- 
puted boundary with Canada, furnished by Her Majesty’s Secretary of State, 
are of opinion— 
That the proposition recommended by the Commissioners should be 
assented to by New Brunswick, and received as an equitable settlement of 
the question so long pending. 

1 On pages 94-98. They object to such lines as require the joining of 
distant points, since in an unknown and unsurveyed country it is very diffi- 
cult to run such lines unless the positions of the points are very accurately 
known. They prefer such lines as are run in a given compass direction 
from a given point. The subject of the respective merits of different kinds of 
boundary lines is briefly discussed also by Major Robinson in papers of the 
Corps of Royal Engineers; New Series, IV., 2. 
