The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-20
MAKING The BOUNDARY,
The Superintendent OF the Coast
Survey on the Alaskan
Boundaries.
Alaska Has Boon Owned by the
United States Twenty
Five Years.
st,ll the Diyidine Lines Between II and
tho British Possessisns Have never
Been Surveyed.
From the Salt lAae Herald.

From the Salt ! axe Herald.
WARRINGTON. June 19.-From the eafiiess
times, q largo proposition OF the innunera-
hls wars that have occurred have had thsir
origin in disputed boundary lines. In
many i~pstsnces boundary line cons'ovsf-
.iss MIGHT have been avoided had the lines
been properly defined in tho beginning.
Their marking Is important. Wnen once
properly defined. q line can b remarked
Whenever necessary. II its defnition 10
not free from ambiguity 1t will be impossi-
Bile. after a lapse of = short time. to repro
duce the original line with certainty.
In q general way boundary lines may be
said to be natural or onical. ana
they are often both. The channel OF q
river is an example Of . natural boundary
line often utilized. Such u line 10 suolecs
to changes, and often gives rise to lengthy
snd unpleasant disputes. II has. however.
many advantages, and If . boundary 10 de-
fined as following the channel of a river ~
a certain epoch. it may BIO . safe line.
The boundary line between Alaska n
British America is defined in a manner
which is far from satisfactory. In 1867 a
treaty was concluded between the United
States and Russia, in virtue OF which the
territory now known as Alaska, then usually
called Russian America, became the prop
erty OF the United States. ln this treaty
the boundaries Of the country coded, % Tar
AZ relates to the eastern limit. are defined
precisely as in the treaty OF 1926.
without quoting the exact words OF the
treaty, il will suffice to say that this line
consists Of two parts. one OF which 10
..a~stronomicar' and the other natural
Thu astronomical line Is the 141st meridian
Of west longitude ana forms sns
British America. 1t runs from the
Arctic ocean southwark 10 point in the
vicinity Of Mt. st. Elias. which is within q
few miles of the shores of the north Pacihc.
In 1892 tho lower end of the meridian was
hxed by observations in the neighooEhood
Of Mt. s.. Elias. II was found to pass
through that mountain. but not through its
summit. The geographical position and
heioht of the latter were determined. Inc
heioht. concerning which there has been
much discussion. was found to be !a.olo
feet. this being the mean OF many deter
limitations. from five different points. IN
close accord with each other. It is not,
therefore, the highest mountain on the con.
tinent. being exceeded by a few hundred
feet BY Orizaba OF Mexico.
But there is a very important part OF
Alaska, which ia q narrow strip OF lhnd e1-
tending along the coast from the point
where tho l4ist meridian touches Mount
ST, Elias down to latitude ifty-fcur de-
orees fortv minutes. According to the
treaty, setting out from the intersection Of
the Portland cannl and the parallel of
fifty six the Lime of demarkation shall
follow the summit of tho mountains stu
-A-l -n.n1>1 ~ $ha ~Oouf no far aa ShA
point OF intersection of the 141st degree of
vest longitude" Here the existence of a
range of mountains parallel to the coast is
assumed. Such q range was shown in the
old sketch maps OF 1926. At present it is
believed that no such range exists. IT -
possible that q doubt existed in the minds
OF the treaty makers. for in another article
it was agreed that whenever the summit OF
such range should prove to be more than
ten marine leagues (about thirty-ive miles)
from the ocean, the boundary should be-
formed by a lime parallel to the windings
of the coast. and which shall never exceed
the distance of ten maine leagues there
FROM"
In 1899 a convention was entered into by
the United States and Canada, providing
for a Joint survey of that past of the line
which separates the narrow strip known as
southeast Alaska from b itish bia.
One commissions was to be appointed
from each country. Hon. w. f. King. OF
Ottawa, was selected as the British Cana
dian commissioner and the superintendent
of the coast and eeodetic survey ns the
commissions on the part OF the United
states. Parties were organized for the ex-
eoution of the work and started for their
destination about the middle Of April. The
plan Of campaign Is essentially as follows;
For the coming season operations will bs
confined to the vicinity of three rivers
which OF oss the narrow strip of territory
involved. They begin just north of tn
Portland canal and are the Unuk. the sti'
rivers astronomical stations will be estAb.
lished and temporary observatories erected
Latitude will be- determined by observa
ton and longitude by means OF a humble
of chronometers which will be carried b.
the coast survey steamer Hassler from Sltk
to these stations. one after the other. AM
back to Sitka, making o round trip 40 oftel
as once in two weeks during the season
Differences of longitude, as every on
knows. is simply difference Of time. Th
longitude OF Sitka WAS determined ver
accurately in tho campaign of 1892. b
transporting ohronometsrs from Sitka
where an astronomical citation will ais
be maintained. to each of the oths
points in turn. the respective diff
ferences in local time between thes
stations and Sitka will be made known
The mouths of tho rivers being thus acou
Tately located, a survey OF eacn river ny
system of triangulntion from the mouth t
r distance of at least ten marine league
from the coast will be executed. Typo
Graphers will also be engaged in recon
aissance of the interior between these tw
rivers, for the purpose principally Of detel
mining whether there exists a range {
mountains parallel to the coast.
Where an accurate delineation OF the So
eral rivers crossing the territory is avail
able, showing their courses, directions an
distances, it will BIO possible for "A bounda,
commission to ngree on a line. made up
straight lines joining selected points c
these rivers, which will be in ~prac.ico
agreement with the second definition
found in the treaty. In the opinion of Il
writer this is tho only rational solution
the problem. The first definition of Il
trehty is impossible, and the second. il Il
orally interpreted, is impracticable.
T. G. MENDENHALL.