American delegates were really only asking for their free rights for the coastal colonies they occupied. The extending the map of America west, adding all those lands to the west of the Appalachian Mountains was more of an additional demand to further strengthen their case for independence for the seaside thirteen colonies.

When the British included all lands on the map east of the Mississippi to America, American delegates were amazed and elated. And, since all knew that the Mississippi came all the way down and into the Gulf at New Orleans, on the American side of the river, it was only a question of where it began.

The intent was that the boundary between British held Canada and the new United States of America would extend from the mouth of the Great Lakes over to the point of headwater with the Mississippi. American antique history as shown in maps and charts takes some mysterious turns.

One has to smile at the confusion the brilliantly ignorant American delegates allowed to slip by next. The British, unaware of the exact chart location of some of these French forts, suggested to the American delegates that perhaps the Mississippi began up north at Lake of the Woods?

And American delegates whistled and looked at the ceiling, as they, unlike the British had been up and down, or knew from the French about the French forts from New Orleans in the south, St. Louis in the middle and St. Paul up at the falls, where the great river petered out soon north.

French Canadian traders had traded furs for blankets with local natives for centuries. Did the American delegates allow that they had information, that, ahem, no, the Mighty Muddy mingled into a much smaller pond in the middle of Minnesota? No, they did not.

I imagine some otherwise honest Yankee traders hood winked the British. And I am puzzled that the American media are not demanding the honest and noble repatriation of this land, from that point to the Pacific tidewater. If the error was the other way, perhaps?

The correct United States -Canada boundary charts would mean that the mighty U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in Everett Naval Base is actually in Canadian waters. Since she and her crew visit us on good will all the time, we will not make a fuss. Being Canadian, though, we thought we might pull at your sleeve, Sir, and point this out.

We could not afford the upkeep on it anyway: although the oil now comes from us. Brothers on this continent, way more than China and Russia glaring over their borders. Forward we go, thrive we will. Pay attention we know: the ball is constantly moving. And we can all salute Abraham Lincoln when he/she pulls into port. Wonderful values, great hopes for the future. The globes and charts and maps can show you this too.Enjoy.