land agent's forces at the Aroostook
have been reenforced by about 600 good and effective men, making the
whole force now about 750.

I have a letter from Mr. Jarvis dated the 19th, before the reenforcement
had arrived, and when his company consisted of only 100 men. He says he
found the men in good spirits and that they had been active in making
temporary but most effectual defenses of logs, etc.

After describing his defenses, he says: "By to-morrow noon a force
of 100 men would make good our position against 500. _Retreating,
therefore, is out of the question_. We shall make good our stand against
any force that we can reasonably expect would be brought against us."
He says further: "I take pleasure in saying to you that a finer looking
set of men I never saw than those now with me, and that the honor of our
State, so far as they are concerned, is in safe-keeping."

The draft of 1,000 men from the third division has been made with great
dispatch. The troops, I understand, arrived promptly at the place of
rendezvous at the time appointed in good spirits and anxious for the
order to march to the frontier. The detachment from this second division
will be ordered to march at the earliest convenient day--probably on
Monday next. Other military movements will be made, which it is
unnecessary to communicate to you at this time.

The mission of Colonel Rogers to the lieutenant-governor of New
Brunswick has resulted successfully so far as relates to the release of
the land agent and his assistants, and has been conducted in a manner
highly satisfactory.

JOHN FAIRFIELD.

[Memorandum.]

WASHINGTON, _February 27, 1839_.

Her Majesty's authorities consider it to have been understood and agreed
upon by the two Governments that the territory in dispute between Great
Britain and the United States on the northeastern frontier should remain
exclusively under British jurisdiction until the final settlement of the
boundary question.

The United States Government have not understood the above agreement
in the same sense, but consider, on the contrary, that there has been
no agreement whatever for the exercise by Great Britain of exclusive
jurisdiction over the disputed territory or any portion thereof, but
a mutual understanding that pending the negotiation the jurisdiction
then exercised by either party over small portions of the territory
in dispute should not be enlarged, but be continued merely for the
preservation