Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-05


waits further necessary appropriation
which is urgently recommended. This
survey was undertaken under tho pro.
sisions of the convention entered into
" this country and Great Britain July
I'D, 1892, and the supplementary con
vention of February Sd, 1894.
AS to the remaining section Of tho
Alaska boundary, which follows the
one hundred and forty-first meridian
northwardly from Mount st. Elias to
the Frozen Ocean, the settlement of
which involves the physical location OF
the meridian mentioned, no conven
tional agreement has yet been made.
The ascertainment OF given me-
ridian at a particular point is a work
requiring much time and careful OBJ
servations and surveys Such observa-
tions and surveys were undertaken by
the United States coast and Geodetic
survey in 1890 and 1891, while similar
work in the same quarters under
British auspices are believed to give
nearly coincident results but these
surveys have been independently con-
Quoted and no International agreement
to mark those or any othoI parts OF the
one hundred and forty first meridian
by permanent monuments has yet been
made. In the meantime the valley Of
the Yukon is becoming highway
through the hitherto unexplored wilds
of Alaska and abundant mineral wealth
has been discovered in that region,
especially at or near the junction of the
boundary meridian with the Yukon
and its tributaries. In these circum-
stances it is expedient and. indoed,
imperative. that the jurisdictional
limits of the respective governments
in this new region be speedily deter.
mined. Her Britannia Majesty's gov
ernment has proposed a joint delimi-
tation of the one hundred and forty
first meridian by an international
commission of experts, which, if Con
gress will authorize it and make due
provision therefor, can be accomplished
with no unreasonable delay. 1t is i'm
possible to overlook the vital Importance
of continuing the work already entered
upon, and supplemented it by further
effective measures looking to the exact
location of this entire boundary line.
/ call attention to the unsatisfactory
delimitation of the respective jiiris.
dictions of the United States and the
Dominion of Canada in the Great
Lakes at the approaches to the narrow
waters that connect them. The waters
in question are frequented by fisher
men of both nationalities and their
nets are there used. Owing to the
uncertainty and Ignorance as to the
true boundary, veXatious disputes and
injurious seizures of boats and nets
by Canadian cruisers often occur,
while any positive settlement thereof
by an accepted standard is 50 easily
to be reached.
A joint commission to determine the
line in those quarters, froH practical
basis, by measured courses following
range marks on shore is necessity for
which immediate provision should be
made.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE AFFIRMED.
1t being apparent that the boundary
dispute between Great Britain and the
Republic of Venezuela concerning the
limits OF British Guiana was approach
ing an acute stage, defined statement
of the interest and policy of the United
States as regards the controversy
seemed to be required both on its own
account and in view Of its relations
with the friendly powers directly con-
cerned. In July last therefore dis
patch 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
conclusions therein reached and formu.
lated are in substance that the tradi-
tional and established policy of this
government is firmly opposed to forci-
BILE increase by any European power oi
its territorial possessions on this ccn.
tinent; that this policy is as well
fo lnded in principle as it is strongly
supported by numerous precedents
that as consequence the United
States is bound to protest against the
enlargement of the area of British
Guiana in derogation of the rights and
against the will of Venezuela; that,
considering the disparity in strength
of Great Britain and Venezuela tht
territorial dispute between them car
be reasonably settled only by friendly
and impartial arbitration, and that
the resort to such arbitration should
include the whole controversy, and il
not satisfied il one of the powers con
cerned is permitted to draw an arbi
trary line through the territory in de
bate and to declare that it will submit
to arbitration only the portion lying
on one side of it. In view of thest
conclusions, the dispatch in question
called upon the British government fol
definite answer to the question
whether it would or would not submit
the territorial controversy between
itself and Venezuela in it's entirety Il
impartial arbitration.
The answer of the British govern
ment has not yet been received but il
expected shortly, when further com
munication on the subject will proba
bly, be made to the Congress.
Early in January last an uprising
against the government of Hawaii wal
promptly suppressed. Martial law was
forthwith proclaimed and numerous ar
rests were made of persons suspected o
being in sympathy with the .Royalis
party. Among these were several citizent
of the United States who were either
convicted by military court and sen.
fenced to death, Imprisonment, or fine,
or were deported without trial. The
United States, while denying protection
to such as had taken the Hawaiian oatf
of allegiance, insisted that martial law
though altering the forms of Justice,
could not supervise justice itself, and
demanded stay of execution until the
proceedings had been submitted to this
government and knowledge obtained
tberefrom that our citizens had re
ceived fair trial. The death sentences
were subsequently commuted or were
remitted on condition of leaving th,
islands. The cases of certain Ameri.
cans arrested and expelled by arbitrary
order without formal charge or tria
have had attention, and in some in
stances have been found to iustif,
remonstrance and claim for indem
nifty, which Hawaii has not thus fa,