Upon arriving at Friday Harbour, we did our first real cycle with our 50 pounds of luggage. It was quite different to riding with no luggage (actually can be easier as the bike is quite a lot more stable). Out to our campsite which felt like it was all downhill. I was quite worried about riding back in to the ferry yesterday morning with all our luggage as it felt all uphill. I was so pleasantly surprised that it was really quite easy - roads can be deceptive on the bike.
After setting up camp we rode out to Roche Harbour - having no idea what we were going to find there. Again, the roads were all downhill, quite worried about when we would start climbing to regain the height. Roche Harbour was quite a revelation. Down the bottom of a very steep hill (Peter rode up, I rode up half), it appears to be a very wealthy enclave, with a resort and marina.
It was the original site of the Lime Kiln works. These were set up by the British Army to provide work for their soldiers, so that they didn't get bored at their army camp. (when we rode the the camp. we realised that it would have been a long walk to the kiln works each day - it was several miles and the soldiers slept back at the barracks.) The Kilns were to process lime from the limestone. San Juan Island and many of the neighbouring islands were deforested to provide the timber to fire the kilns.
After the British troops left, the kiln works were taken over by private interests. The main owner was the McMillin family - who competed for grandiosity with the Butchart family (of Victoria Butchart gardens and commercial wealth fame).
The lime was exported everywhere and used in the manufacture of steel, plaster, cement and paper. The lime itself was highly combustible and led to several ships catching on fire, sinking and with the consequent loss of life. The kiln works were down by the harbour and there are photos there of a smoky inlet, that must have been quite unpleasant to live in when the kilns were going. There remains the McMillan home and formal gardens - in keeping with the times.
Of more interest is the role that San Juan Islands played in international politics. Both America and Great Britain laid claim to the San Juan Islands group. Given that Canada was British and Washington State was American, it is understandable. They agreed on the 'Oregon Treaty' to divide the borders. This stated that the dividing line was the 49th parallel and 'the middle of the channel.' Unfortunately, 2 channels exist The Haro Strait, nearest to Vancouver Island and the Rosario Strait nearer the mainland. The San Juan Islands lie between them and both sides claimed the entire island group.
So, after a while, both sides set up a camp on San Juan Island. The British camp on the Northwest side and the American camp on the SouthEast side. The Hudson Bay Company established a shee farm where todays American Camp is and tensions started to rise. This continued for 6 years until on June 15, 1859, an American shot a Hudson Bay Company (British) pig rooting in his garden. This brought things to a head. BUT instead of fighting, it was agreed that the forces would be reduced to no more than 100 US soldiers and a single British warship.
The two camps co existed peacefully for the next 12 years. In 1871, the boundary question was submitted for arbitration to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, who a year later ruled that the islands belonged to the United States. The British left in November 1872 and the US troops two years later. Peace was affirmed, and San Juan Island would be long remembered for the 'war' in which the only casualty was a pig (and a Rear Admiral in the British troops was knighted because of this feat.)
Very impressive example of arbitration at work.
No comments:
Post a Comment