The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-09

ne c.-,,.e,ss 80 90 Cess. s-s e.e....
Rurvey.

ne OZWMNntHE1 - w OHAMN snM aeNAam.
eurvey.
WwAsurNoror. Sept. s.-The teieerapbio a.
noupcement Of the return to Port Townsens !,
the survey parties that have been traci-s a.
line between Alaska and British Columbi, =.
created much interest. II does not whoify ..,,,.
the vered question with which the work a..
cerned. for that can be accomplished nr,, 4.
negotiations with Great Britain; but II, ~
nIshea, on our part, the data for such re,o,i,
tions and Il also gives a basis for juri,4rto,
until that nnal determination Of the Dispute
The treaty Of 1925 between Russia and l,.,,
Britain gives the authority for the fixing o, m.
frontier line. since the territorial rights we los
scss to-day are fnose which We derived .y w,.
chase In 1857 from the former power. Tb,
treaty declares that the line Of demarks,ion
beginning at the southernmost point ~ Primo,
of Wales Island, in 54s 40 north latitude. AVA
between the 13ist and 1891 degrees ~ west Ion.
gitude, thence goes north along Portland Chan.
mel as far a. the point OF the continent where |,
strikes the seth degree Of north %latituds
Thence Il follows 1.-THE summit OF the mountain,
situated parallel TO the coast AZ far as the roin,
Of intersection Of the 14lst degree Of west lon.
gitude. and thence along that lilst mcridian IA
the Frozen Ocean. Article ~. Of that treaty
gives Prince Of Wales Island 10 Russia, and
hence that island has come to US; but the ar,.
IN CDlNAhuN1 WIN NhAn IN@NANAA RA'Nl ~tllls
tend in q direct parallel 70 the coast from tss az a.
assTss q por,n ls!l,Sa. e 81 ,hs n q pieG,egyGna
the distance o. more than Ter marine leslues from tbs
the In. ,S 81 s ll,.., s Sfacsi !. 20 5f S-l snlu % Rs..Ts, q. ss an!
@snijOned; hal Be t9rns1 Z, ! lips gstalisl =,
distance OF ten marine leagues therefrDm.
This vague description has been the source a,
much perplexity. and has rendered neces,s,
the survey now completed on the part Of on,
country. Even the very beginning Of the treat,
line which is 10 pass along the channel called
Portland Channel" has been the subject Of d..
pute. some Dominion authorities holding tia,
the passage spoken OF by the treaty Is not 'h,
one called Portland Channel TODAY In certain
British maps the line bends TO the uprthwad
from Dixon Entrance and passes through a mar.
row and tortuous channel lying northwest o.,
Portland Inlet, thus conveying several island,
TO the Dominion which really belong TO US
However. on most charts. and notably on tina,
Of the Geological Survey Of Canada. the boun.
Diary passes. as II should. through the centre o.
the main channel known as Portland Inlet.
Assuming that this difficulty could be easily
disposed of. the running Of the interior line
along the summit Of the mountains parallel 10
the coast 10 Obviously q provision prolific In
troubles The whole agreement IL based upon
the supposed existence OF q continuous chain Of
mOunIalus paThlcl W n near II COAST. Such
an unbroken chain does not exist. There Is no
lack OF mountains. but they run most irregu.
larry. and in some cases there may be parallel
lines Of peaks, thus rendering the phrase thu
summit of the mountains situated parallel 10
the coast " one Of great uncertainty.
As II this were not obscurity enough. the Brit
fish have questioned the definition OF the term
coast" in the treaty. II will be observed that
where the mountain SUBMITS exceed n distance
of ten marine leagues from the ocean this latter
distance Is to be substituted as the limit OF the
Some Of our neighbors would like
TO have the ocean or coast line reckoned from
the outer shores of islands separated by narrow
only from the mainland, on the ground
this practically marks the ocean coast.
But that is a point which can hardly be main.
tained. 1t would reduce our narrow strip be-
tween the ocean and British Columbia still fur.
Their. and leave us In many places a very small
foothold on the continent. Still It Is fortunate
the treaty OF 1928 made its provision in It,
gard to the ten marine leagues. since that has
given a good basis for a survey which should in
clude a sufficient number OF points situated at
that distance from the winding shore.
The suggestions OF the necessity Of an accurate
Of the boundary go back almost to the
treaty Of 1857. Canada had manifested little
anxiety on the subject while Russia held that
territory, but our neighbors at the north seemed
to recognize when Uncle SANS
way began that the future of that region would
De changed. The desire of the Dominion for the
citing up of definite marks on the treaty line
vas increased by the discovery OF gold along or
lear the l4lst meridian. In 1871 the Treaty Of
Washington had conceded TO Canada the right
free navigation throughout the Yukon. Porcu.
zine, and Stickeen rivers, and the next year
'anada initiated a move for q Joint commission
n a atarrnlnA tla houHI..- " N----- II.
Iesire was met by the introduction Of q bill APP
ropristing $ll5.3Oo for a years surveying e-
'enses. Our engineers at that time estimated
he entire cost of the survey at 81 5000. 900 and
he time ut ten years. However. they pointed
ut that the cost might be reduced to 81, 900. 900
nd the time to four years by limiting the fixing
{ the boundary TO points where the line crossed
rivers and mountains. Surprising
he expense to be equally divided between the
yo countries, or $500. 900 each. the bill Just
OF was liberal enough as an installment;
ut though 1t met the approval OF the House the
enate did not concur. In 1875 Gen. Cameron
'timated the cost OF the survey from the south.
rnmost point throughout the coast strip to
Iount st. Elias as $l,063.2 97 and the time as
lree years.
Meanwhile the urgency for the survey became
-eater from the occurrence of disputes. In 1870
20 Hudson Bay Company was ordered away
its trading station at Fort Yukon on the
round that this post was within our domain.
lille II reported conflict between our Fort RAN
authorities and some Dominion miners had
up the subject in the British Columbia
in 1874. When, in later times the
ukon gold helds assumed increased importance.
le necessity OF ascertaining exactly where the
OF the respective countries began
ld ended was very clear. IL was not only
rcessary for the preservation of peace and
der, but for the determination of the licenses
ldlktu ID miners. Mr.. W lillian OgilNle. for
10 Dominion, made a valuable exploration
'Neral years ago, and it's results assigned 10
anada an important region in the gold bearing
'untry whlCu had hith, rto Teen claimed by W..
[ last our Government was stirred up TO make
for "A prolonged examination OF the
no under the charge OF :he Coast and GeOdetlo
lrvry.
such are some of the preliminaries that led up
the work Tow completed. After its results
ave been made known negotiations based ~
will be in order.