The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-30
San Frauscssea Gail.

San Francisco Call
The Seattle rost-Intelligeneer publishes
an interview with MIR. v. Wilson. giving
the outlines Of a controversy now pend
ing between the United States and Great
Britain over the bouisiary line between
Alaska and British Columbia The Call
OF Sunday morning published an inter-
view with q gentleman who prefers not
to give his name to the public on the same
subject. From these two interviews il
appears that the British government Is
basing q claim 10 ports and waterways
through which the products of Alaska
pass to the sea- The Calls correspond
ent says.
The contention OF England Is wrong on
the face of II. All the rich trade from
the interior OF Alaska. or nearly all OF
IL. comes TO the heads OF the Lynn canal
and the two inlets now. and 1t is this
which England Is striving for by having
this territory thrown within her bound
aries.
or course. the right Of a thing Is not
determined by the value of n. But the
British claim seems 10 rest upon a map
of a country that never existed. In other
words, tbs country as described on the
map was u kind Of coniecturcd country.
a treaty between England and Russia
was formed before Alaska was sold 10
the United States; and before anything
was accurately Known OF the topography
of Alaska England now proposes TO
follow the lines on map that was not
actually a map at all, but a kind OF
chart denoting the points of a land that
L
Is the view expressed By the post.Intelil-
geneer:
III the dellmitatioI of the boundary de-
cided ON by the international commission
should be highlands Interpretation OF the
treaty between Russia and Great Britain
a very small proportion OF the imports
and exports or Alaska would pass through
American ports. for the best harboys
would be awarded to England, and the
long. narrow strip OF Alaska which ex-
tends down to the coast would be rrae-
ticaily worthless 10 the United States.
On the other hand. IL the American COM
nissioncrs take q firm stand ami insist
that the coast line shall be regarded as
following the shores of tbs principal bays,
iniets and estuaries, the isarbors will fall
to the lot of the United States, and Puget
Sound will carry the cosnracrce not only
of Alaska itself. but OF the whole OF
Northwest Canada, WHICH has no inlet
or outlet except by sea-
II Is much to be hoped that tho United
States commissioners will take a firm
stand. This northwestern boundary quess-
ton has been Il series of humllsations for
this country ever since 1t became sub
a.
back-lown was on the 5i.4o or fight prop
osltion. We neither got the 5ffo bound
airy line nor did we fight. Then came the
Alaska seal fisheries matter. With pre-
ciseiy tina same right 70 one-lsalf OF
BerIag sra that Russia has to the other
half we submitted our claim to erblfra-
tion and lost everything we contenieI
for. We not only lost the fishing grounds.
but are under an obligations 20 pay
nearly half a million cellars for not hay-
ing abandoned thera sooner.
1t looks now as if these Entertainments
would be continued until the firm stand
our contemporary speaks OF is taken.
Great Briiaints hand appears first on the
north. then Oh the south IL is now max
ing prefense Of a protsctorate over a
tribe of Indians in Nicaragua the basis Of
interference in the American control OF
the proposed Nicaragua canal. III would
be a lesson to the United States if we
should be sold ont Of bosh Alaska and
Nicaragua Tho statesmen OF Great Brit
ain can see To the most oiyscure corner OF
British territory and estimates it's c6tn-
mercIai, industrial or sssratsgic value. But
with here and there wn exception 1Arfcri-
can statesmen sacrifice distant western
interests to the immediate interests Of f,sa
Atlantic coast. The present aaninistra-
tson thinks 1t OF more importance 10 send
a Turveydrop TO the English court than n
man who viii stand up for the rights cf
his coir,irs. All Our diplomacy and pretty
much all eur legislation in the two last
years have been dictated by British oF'in-
son. Il is about time 20 put e few Aneri-
cans on guard