![\"Flag](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/e\/ef\/Flag_of_Hawaii.svg\")
<\/a>I\u2019m not considering embassies or consulates, either. And I’m not I referring to Union Flags flown outside of various self-styled “British Pubs” scattered throughout the United States. Those serve a thirsty expatriate community or as a cheap marketing ploy. Really, this is not a trick question. I\u2019m referring to an honest-to-goodness genuine Union Flag flying over sovereign American territory controlled by an agency of the United States government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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It\u2019s all due to the Pig War<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This obscure Anglo-American disagreement had roots in a much greater dispute involving large swaths of western North America. I’ll briefly summarize the issues surrounding the Pig War. However, if you would like to know more you can always consult Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Britain and the United States resolved the preponderance of the western land issues peacefully in the Oregon Treaty of 1846. The parties designated the 49th parallel as their boundary from the Straight of Georgia all the way to the Rocky Mountains (this agreement also created the Point Roberts oddity<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n They further agreed that all of Vancouver Island, located west of the Strait of Georgia, became British territory even though some of it fell south of the 49th parallel. That sounds amicable enough. It\u2019s nice to see countries resolving their disputes diplomatically; a welcome change from the War of 1812 and that earlier revolution stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The provisions accounting for the 49th parallel and Vancouver Island were clear. Unfortunately the dip in the border as it jogged south of the 49th parallel and around the southern end of Vancouver Island was not. So it became a point of serious contention. Here the treaty said the boundary should go:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026to 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’s straits to the Pacific Ocean.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Well, we\u2019ve got a problem. This is what sits squarely in the middle of “said channel”:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that there are two<\/i> major channels, Haro Strait and Rosario Strait. Naturally British interests favored Rosario Strait while American interests favored Haro Strait. Both sides claimed San Juan Island and established settlements. Neither side recognizing the authority of the other and it was only a matter of time before interests clashed. The spark finally ignited in 1859. An American settler found a pig owned by the Hudson Bay Company trespassing on his property and promptly shot it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The situation started spiraling out of control with tit-for-tat military reinforcements. Within two months nearly five hundred American troops with 14 cannons dug-in at San Juan Island. There they stared down three British warships manned by two thousand sailors and 70 mounted guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cooler heads prevailed once the crises rose to higher levels of government. The absurdity of armed conflict over a pig reached people with the ability and authority to diffuse the situation. Both nations agreed to a joint military occupation of San Juan Island until final resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n British Royal Marines arrived under terms of the agreement and established a garrison known as English Camp. They shared San Juan Island with their American counterparts on the opposite end of the island. The arrangement lasted more than a decade until an international arbitration commission ruled in favor of the Americans. The Royal Marines decamped peaceably in 1872.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nImprecise Treaty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/e\/e1\/San_Juan_Islands_map.png\")
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\n\n\n\nPressure Builds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"American](\"https:\/\/www.howderfamily.com\/graphics\/blog\/san_juan_island-1.gif\")
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\n\n\n\nBut what about the flag?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n