Pearse Canal
Name origin
The strait was named by Captain Daniel Pender in 1868 as part of surveying of the coast, in association with Pearse Island.
International boundary
Pearse Canal was established as part of the Canada-United States border as part of the outcome of the Alaska boundary dispute with the Hay-Herbert Treaty, otherwise known as the Alaska Boundary Settlement, of January 24, 1903. US claims had included Wales and Pearse Island. Under the terms of the treaty, Pearse Canal along with Tongass Passage (due west of Canada's Wales Island) and the Portland Canal is defined as "Portland Channel", a term which was established as defining the boundary by the Anglo-Russian Treaty of 1825 but which remained undefined and not on maps until this time. Disputes over the meaning of the term were pivotal to the eventual settlement of the boundary in this region. A varying interpretation maintained the meaning was Clarence Strait, while the original US interpretation interpreted it as south of Wales Island.
References
- ^ "Pearse Canal". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ^ "Pearse Canal". BC Geographical Names.