The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1895-12-12
PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE


scription of the treaty of Ghent baTo
not fully agreed. nav
DAMAGE CLAIMS OF SEALERs
me understanding by which the
United states was 10 nav and Great
400 itaIh 10 receive a lump sum of S425.-
W. III lull settlement of all British
eii iIs Tor damages arising from our
SEIZURE OF British sealing vessels nm.
authorized under the awards Of ~
fdrls tribunal of arbitration, was NOT
S,ohIirned by the last Congress, which
ueclined TO make the necessary appro-
~ iatlon. | am still of the opinion that
lllls arrangement was judicious and
one for the Government
ana L earnestly recommend that it be
aisaln considered and sanctioned. If
ct n ms does not meet with the
LaVor OF Congress, it certainly will
hardly dissent from the pronosition
lnat the Government is bound by every
consideration of honor and good faith
10 provide for the speedy adjustment
OF THESE claims by arbitration as the
only other alternative. A treaty of
arbitration has, therefore, been agreed
upon and will be Immediately laid be-
lore the Senate, so that in one of the
may be reached.
Notwithstanding that Great Britain
originated the proposal to enforce in
ternatlohal rules for prevention of
colislons at sea, based on the recon-
nienuatiohs OF the maritime conference
at washington, and concurred in, sug-
Eestlng March l, 1895, as the date to be
ka, and abundant mineral wealth has
peen discovered in that region, espe-
Glally at or near the junction of the
pounI larry meridian with the Yukon
and it's tributaries. In these circnml
stances 1t is expedient, indeed impera-
i've, that the jurisdictional limits of
the respective Governments in this new
region be speedily determined Uor
Britannic Majesty's Government has
proposed joint delimitation of the
l4ist meridian by an international com
of experts, which, if Congress
VIII authorize it and make due provi-
sion therefor, can be ACCOMPLISHED
with no unreasonable delay. IT is i'm
possible to overlook the vital import
ance of continuing the work already
entered upon and supplementing it by
further effective measures looking To
The exact location of this entire bonn
dairy line.
| call attention to the unsatisfactory
delimitation of the respective iurisdic.
lions of the United States and the Do
minion of Canada in the great lakes
that connect them. The waters in
question are frequented by fishermen
or both nationalities and their nets are
there used. Owing to the uncertainty
and ignorance as to the true boundary.
veXatious disputes and injurious seiz-
ures of boats and nets by Canadian
cruisers often occur, while any positive
settlement thereof by an accepted stan
dard Is not easily to be reached. A
inint RI n f
In these quarters, on a practical basis.
by measured courses following range
marks on shore, is a necessity for
which immediate provision should be
made.
ALASKA BOUNDARY DISPUTE.
The completion of the preliminary
survey of that Alaskan boundary
which follows the contour of the coast
from the southernmost point of Prince
of Wales island until it strikes the
Hist meridian, at or near the summit
Of Mount st. Elias, awaits further ne
cessary appropriations, which are ur-
gently recommended. This survey was
under the provisions of the
entered into by this country
and Great Britain July %, 1892, and
the supplementary convention of Feb
ruary g. 1894.
AS to the remaining section of the
Alaskan boundary, which follows the
l41st meridian northwardly from
Mount St Elias to the Frozen Ocean,
he settlement of which involves the
physical location of the meridian men,
toned, no conventional agreement has
yet been made. The ascertainment of
4 given meridian at given point is a
work requiring much time and careful
and surveys. Such OBJ
;ervations and surveys were underta-
zen by the United States Coast and
ieodetic Survey in 1890 and 1891, while
similar work in the same quarters I'M
Ter British auspices are believed to
give nearly coincident results; but
hese surveys have ben independently
conducted and no international agree
nent to mark those or any other parts
If the 141st meridian by permanent
has yet been made.
In the meantime the valley of the
Yukon is becoming a highway through
he hitherto unexplored wilds of Alas
orcement of existing regulations, as
veil as the adoption of such additional
equations as experience has shown to
,e absolutely necessary to carry out
he intent of the awards, have been
urged upon the British Gov
but thus far without effective
esults. In the meantime the depletion
# the seal herds by means of pelagic
uniting has so alarmingly progressed
hat unless their slaughter Is at once
checked their extinction
within few years seems to be mat
err of absolute certainty.
MONROE DOCTRINE IN VENEZU-
Ella.
1t being apparent that the boundary
dispute between Great Britain and the
'epublic of Venezuela concerning the
limits of British Guiana was approach
ng an acute stage a definite statement
If the interest and policy of the Uni
ed States as regards the controversy
seemed to be required, both on it's own
account and in view of it's relations
With the friendly powers directly con-
,erned.
In July last, therefore, a dispatch
was addressed to our ambassador at
london for communication to the
British Government, in which the at
titude of the United States was fully
and distinctly set forth. The general
therein reached and formu-
lated are, in substance, that the tradi-
tional and established policy of this
is firmly opposed to
forcible increase by any European
power of it's territorial possessions on
this continent; that this policy is as
well founded in principle as 1t is
dents; that, as a consequence, the Uni
ted States is bound to protest against
the enlargement of area of British
in derogation of the rights ana
against the will of Venezuela; that,
the disparity in strength
of Great Britain and Venezuela, the
territorial dispute between them can
be reasonably settled only by friendly.
impartial arbitration, and the resort
to such arbitration should include the
whole controversy, and is not satisfied
IL one of the powers concerned Is per-
mitted to draw an arbitrary line
through the territory in debate and
to declare that 1t will submit to arbi-
tration only the portion lying on one
side of 1t.
In view Of these conclusions, the dis
patch in question called upon the Brit
ish Government for definite answer
to the question whether 1t would not
c,,hnit the territorial controversy be-