The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-10
ALASKA BOUNDARY LINE,
Another Survey to Be Made to
Determine the Southern
End.
TO START NORTH TOMORROW.
Six Parties Equipped to Establish
the Line at Portland
Inlet.

AS result of correspondence between
the Canadian Government and that of
this country another effort is to be at once
made to settle definitely the Alaskan
boundary line in the vicinity of Portland
Inlet. Superintendent Duffield of the
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
at Washington has wired orders instruct
ing surveyors to proceed northward at
once. Accordingly Professor George
Davidson has been fitting out survey
parties, and they will leave on the coast
survey steamer Patterson tomorrow at
Pm.
The work to be done will not cover the
chief point in dispute in the Alaskan
boundary controversy, which is whether
Forty mile Creek, a tributary OF the Yukon
River and the scene of some rich recent
gold strikes, is under British or American
dominion, but it will fix beyond question
the southern end of the line. To attempt
to decide the point at issue would neces-
state the running of the hundred and
forty-frst meridian all over again. This
meridian is agreed upon as the longitudinal
boundary line from Mount st. Elias north
ward to the Arctic Ocean, and according to
the published maps Forty-mile Creek is
Just to the west of it and therefore in
American territory.
There has been general disagreement,
however, between the British and Ameri-
can Governments over the meanderlng
boundary line which runs down the coast
from Mount st. Elias to Portland Inlet,
following a parallel which is about ten
eminent holds that the "outside shore
line" should be followed, whereas the
American Government has succeeded in
having the boundary line follow at the
distance mentioned, the "inside shore u
If the "outside shore" contention were
yielded to it would give England the pos
session of much of the coast and also part,
even, of the Alexander archipelago.
Professor Davidson has fitted out two
astronomical and four triangulation parties,
which are to cooperate in the waters OF
the archipelago named. The triangulation
Will be confined mostly to Portland Inlet
and the approaches thereto from Dixon
Sound-quite difficult task, by the way,
owing to the fact that the rocky shores
there receive the full force of the ocean
swell.
The two astronomical parties will be
stationed respectively at Marys Island
Gust north of Dixon Sound), and Seattle,
Wash, E. +. Dickins to have charge OF
the former and Fremont Morse that of the
latter. Between these two stations nine
chronometers will be carried at intervals
by passenger steamers for two months to
establish the chronometer longitude OF
| Marys Island, Seattle being connected
| with San Francisco and Greenwich by tel
egraph. The Seattle station viii occupy
the grounds of the old University of the
State of Washington. Two of the chiefs Of
the triangulation parties will come from
the East, and will probably unite with
their collaborateurs at Seattle. All the
| survey equipage, however, is from this
city.
| Captain E. K. Moore of the United State.
| navy is in command of the steamer Pat
terson, and will have charge of the hydro
graphic work in the unsurveyed region in
Alexander archipelago, extending from
Dixon Sound to the head of Lynn canal, in
latitude SO deg. On his trip north he will
take the outfit of the land parties, and
will carry Assistants Morse and Dickins to
their respective destinations. He will also
take up with him in tow when he leaves
Seattle the survey schooner Earnest
loaded with coal, and the large steam
launch Fuca, the latter being intended fol
use in the Portland canal.