74 NORTHWESTERN BOUNDARY OF UNITED STATES. [bull. 174. 
Towards the close of October, Captain Prevost visited the 49th 
parallel and informed rne that Captain Richards had not yet arrived, 
but that, as he had satisfied himself of the general accuracy of the 
United States Coast Survey chart of the channels and islands between 
the continent and Vancouver's island, he should act independently of 
him. He therefore proposed that we should at once proceed to the 
determination of the water boundary. Several meetings of the joint 
commission accordingly took place, at which the question of the 
boundary channel was verbally discussed. The British commissioner 
claimed Rosario straits (the channel nearest the continent,) while I 
claimed the Canal de Haro, (the channel nearest Vancouver's island) 
as the boundary channel, intended by the treaty. Between these two 
channels lies the Haro archipelago, a group of islands, of which San 
Juan forms a part. 
The verbal discussion was followed by a correspondence on the sub- 
ject, in which the merits of the question were fully set forth. Captain 
Prevost concluded the correspondence by a proposition to compromise 
the difference, by running the boundary through an intermediate 
channel which would secure the island of San Juan to Great Britain. 
This proposition I declined. 
For more full information in regard to the question of the water 
boundary I would respectfully refer to Senate Ex. Doc. No. 29, 2d 
session, 40th Congress. This document contains the correspondence 
above referred to, with a geographical memoir of the islands in dispute, 
and a map and cross-sections of the channels. 
In conformity with the fifth section of the act organizing the com- 
mission, the President (through the Secretary of the Treasury) directed 
the Superintendent of the Coast Survey to place the steamer Active 
and brig Fauntleroy at the disposal of the commissioner when 
required. Both vessels were accordingly employed for the survey and 
soundings of the various channels and islands between the continent 
and Vancouver's island, a portion of the expenses of the Active being 
paid by the commission during the time that vessel was employed on 
this duty. 
After the arrival of the British surveying steamer Plumper, Captain 
Richards co-operated with the United States Coast Survey vessels, and 
a thorough and complete survey of all the channels and islands between 
the continent and Vancouver's island south of the 49th parallel was made. 
The map above referred to is the result of this joint survey, which 
occupied several seasons. 
In the summer of 1858 Col. J. S. Hawkins, royal engineers, 
appointed by the British government commissioner to determine the 
boundary line along the 49th parallel, arrived from England with a 
suitable party organized for field operations. At the time of his 
