George Bancroft to James Buchanan, October 19, 1848

Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Buchanan.

Sir: I send you a man of Vancouver’s Island, recently published by James Wyld, geographer to the Queen. It purports to mark, by a dotted line, the boundary between the United States and Great Britain. You will see that this map suggests an encroachment on our rights by adopting a line far to the east of the Straits of Haro. You may remember that Mr. Boyd, more than two years ago, suggested to you that a design of preferring some such claims existed. I inferred, from what I could learn at that time, that this design grew up with the Hudson’s Bay Company, and I had no reason to suppose it favored by the Colonial Secretary. * * *Mr. Bancroft continues the suggestion that unjust claims may be made.

I am, &c.,