Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02
ALASKA AND ITS BOUNDARY
The Last Vestige Of European Domino
ton Over North America
How British Surveyors Have COntin-
American Territory Mt stake.

Mr. Marcus Bakers address before the
National Geographic Society on Alaska and
| it's boundary of which brief account
was given in Saturdays Star. has caused
| considerable discussion. Mr.. Baker read
somewhat full accoun; of the whole sub
ject, Illustrating it with maps and dia-
grams. He first described the boundary
| in general terms. referring to the maps
for illustration, and then proceeded to set
forth at some length the conditions exist
ing prior to and at the time that the boun-
dairy line was established in 1925. That
| history in brief is as follows:
Prior to 1850 nothing was known of the
western coast of North America north of
Oregon. Indeed, twenty-five years earlier
than that it was not known whether Asia
and North America were united or sepa-
| rated. To Peter the great Gar of Rus
STA, is due Behring'S first expedition in 1l23
which was organized and dispatched TO
settle the question of the union or sepa-
ration of Asia and America. Behring'S re-
turn ana report raised more questions
than it settled, and he was dispatched on
a second voyage of exploration and dis
covery on the west coast of North America.
The hardshps OF that memorable voyage,
the separation of the ships by storm, and
Behring'S tragic death the island, which
bears his name We're briefly set forth.
From that voyage resulted the first map
not purely fanciful of what is now Alaska.
A copy of that map, which for forty years
remained substantially the only map of
the region, was exhibited. Then came the
discovery and map of that redoubtabe
English captain, Cook, who in lT7S, traced
out the principal outlines of the Alaska
coast from its southern boundary to ley
Cape. The map of this navigator was also
exhibited. Vancouver, who had been one
fr
England before President Washington was
half through his first term to continue
Cooks researches and especially to seek
for a northwest passage. This work was
described, and copies of two of Nancouv-
ers maps exhibited
The Cars Sweeping Ukase.
In 1921 the Car of Russia by procla-
nation or 'ukaZ' as it is called, declared
that all the land bordering the north
Pacific ocean from northern Japan north
ward on the Asiatic coast and southwark
on the American coast to latitude 81 de-
grees 40 minutes was Russian territory,
and warned all foreign vessels not to ap-
proach within 100 miles thereof, except by
reason of distress. Russian cruisers were
sent out to enforce this proclamation, and
the brig Pearl of Boston was seized.
Against this the United States protested.
Great Britain also entered her protest 1t
resulted that three years later conven-
I
States and Russia, by which the car re-
coded from the position taken in this ukaz,
conceded the right to hunt, fish, and trade
in those waters and agreed to make no set
Elements on the American coast south of
latitude 81 degrees 10 minutes The United
States stipulated at the same time to make
none north of that parallel. The following
year similar convention was entered into
between Great Britain and Russia, and at
the same time the eastern boundary of
Alaska, which is now attracting public
a attention. was laid down.
The speaker having gone this his
tory and set forth the geographic facts,
which the diplomatists We're in possession
of when framing this convention, empha-
sized ii by few facts which the negotia-
tors did not know. The north coast of
Alaska a blank on the maps Whether
Alaska and Greenland We're united sep
arated man knew. The Russians had
gained a little knowledge of the great river
kwikpak. the Eskimo word for Big river,
but had no knowledge of the river beyond
its mouth. That this river was identical
with the Yukon not even dreamed of,
and it remained unknown for years after
ward Thus when the Hist meridian was
selected as a boundary it passed through
a region of which they knew more than
we row know of the region about the
south pole.
The boundary Line.
The speaker then distributed printed slips
consisting of extract of that part of
the treaty which describes the boundary
line, and proceeded with the heip of the
maps to carefully examine the language
in the light of the historic facts and the
knowledge possessed by the diploma fists.
II will be remembered that the boundary
line starting on the parallel of "a degrees
10 minutes proceeds up Portland canal to
its head. and then follows the crest of the
mountains, which We're shown Van
couver's maps. and believed by the diplo-
matiStS to extend in a direction parallel
to the coast to the Hist meridian, and
thence due north to the Arctic ocean. 1t
was, however, further provided that in
case these mountains should be found more
than thirty-five miles inland from the
coast, then the boundary was to be line
parallel to the winding of the coast, and
at a distance of not more than ten marine
leagues therefrom. Referring TO the facts
laid before the Geographic Society in pre-
ViouS years the speaker called his audi
ence to witness that the supposed range
of mountains did not exist and that there
fore the alternative clause in abe treaty
must needs be adopted.
Changing the Map.
On all maps from 1928 down to 1884 the
boundary line it was declared, had been
shown as, in general terms, parallel to
the winding of the coast, and thirty-five
miles from it. In 1884, however. an Off
Cial Canadian map showed marked de-
Election in this line at its south end. In
stead of passing up Portland canal. this
Canadian map showed the boundary as
passing up Benin canal, arm of the
sea some sixty or seventy miles west of
Portland canal. This change having been
made on the bare assertion that the words