از آنجا که طبق ماده ۱ معاهده منعقدشده در ۱۵ ژوئن ۱۸۴۶ در واشنگتن میان ایالات متحده و علیاحضرت ملکه بریتانیا مقرر گردید که خط مرزی میان قلمروهای ایالات متحده و قلمروهای علیاحضرت ملکه بریتانیا — از نقطهای واقع بر مدار چهل و نهم عرض جغرافیایی شمالی که پیشتر تعیین شده بود — باید در امتداد همان مدار به سمت غرب ادامه یابد «تا میانه آبراهی که قاره را از جزیره ونکوور جدا میکند، و از آنجا به سمت جنوب، از میان آبراه مذکور و تنگه فوکا، تا اقیانوس آرام»؛
Whereas it was stipulated by Article I of the treaty concluded at Washington on the ۱۵th June, ۱۸۴۶, between the United States and Her Britannic Majesty, that the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of Her Britannic Majesty, from the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude up to which it had already been ascertained, should be continued westward along the said parallel of north latitude “to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver’s Island, and thence southerly, through the middle of the said channel and of Fuca Straits, to the Pacific Ocean;” and whereas the commissioners appointed by the two high contracting parties to determine that portion of the boundary which runs southerly through the middle of the channel aforesaid, were unable to agree upon the same; and whereas the government of Her Britannic Majesty claims that such boundary line should, under the terms of the treaty above recited, be run through the Rosario Straits, and the Government of the United States claims that it should be run through the Canal de Haro, it is agreed that the respective claims of the Government of the United States and of the government of Her Britannic Majesty shall be submitted to the arbitration and award of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, who, having regard to the above-mentioned article of the said treaty, shall decide thereupon, finally and without appeal, which of those claims is most in accordance with the true interpretation of the treaty of June ۱۵, ۱۸۴۶. Article XXXV.