SURVEY OF THE NORTHWESTERN BOUN 
AliV OF THE UNITED STATES. 1851 L861. 
1>\ Marcus Baker. 
I \ "l TlODl ( TIOV 
By the Northwestern Boundary, as here used, is meant thai pari of 
the boundary Line between the United States and Canada which 
extends from the summit of the Rock} Mountains westward along 
tin 1 forty-ninth parallel to the seacoasl at Point Roberts and thence 
through the waters of ( reorgia, Haro, and Juan de Fuca straits to the 
Pacific. 'This line naturally divides itself into two pari-, the land 
boundary and the water boundary. This paper i reats only of the land 
boundary. As to the water boundary, the joint commission charged 
with llif survey disagreed, and its location was finally determined l»\ 
arbitration in L871, the arbiter, Emperor William [, of Germany, 
deciding in favor of the American claim. The prominence given this 
part of the line, growing out of the arbitration, has made it- history 
well known. In regard to it there is an abundance of printed mate- 
rial. The history of the land boundary, however, is very imperfectly 
known. Little has been published respecting it, and its storj is to be 
gathered largely from manuscript memoranda, notes, sketches, pic 
tures, correspondence, and the memories of men still living. 
From time to time information respecting this line is needed l>\ the 
Executive Departments. In L897 the Geological Survey was directed 
by Congress to survey and mark the boundar} between Montana and 
Idaho. In performing this duly ii became necessary to connect with 
the survey of the forty-ninth parallel. The search then made of the 
records in the State Department showed the desirability of preparing 
a concise history of the northwestern boundary, its establishment, 
survey, and marking, with a summary of results. To exhibit such a 
history and summary is the object of this bulletin. 
SOURCES <>) INFORMATION. 
The sources of information from which this account is prepared are 
three, viz: 
(a) Government publications, consisting of the Statutes at Larj 
executive documents, official reports, etc. 
