The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-10
THE ALASKA BOUNDARY.
An Important Matter Almost Ignored In
Cleveland's Message.


New York Sun: The coming session
of congress can hardly fail to take note
of the extraordinary claim set up by
Canada to a portion of Southeastern
Alaska. That claim, 1t is true, dates
back eight years, to the dehneation of
a new boundary line on Dominion
maps; but II Is only of late that the
question has become urgent, Through
the growing value of the mining region
close upon the boundary. and with re-
ports, not confirmed, of attempts of
the Dominion to exercise a practical
Jurisdiction up to her claims.
The area covered by these encroach-
ments consists of valuable timber and
mineral lands, but its chief feature is
that of carrying British Columbia ju-
risddction down to various inlets on the
coast line, although the palpable OBJ
tect of the treaty of 1925, which defines
the boundary. was to put the coast ju-
riSdiction in the hands of Russia whose
title now belongs to us by purchase.
There is no dispute ais to the north
ern part of the boundary line, from the
neighborhood of Mount st. Elias to the
Arctic ocean, because there it follows
the 141st meridian of west longitude,
which can be, and at certain points has
been, fundamentally ascertained. The
trouble Is from Mount ST. Elias south
ward to the southernmost point of
Prince of Wales island which is the
starting point of the treaty line. The
boundary, as we trace 1t, starts east
ward from that point to the main shore
OF the continent, and, going up PORT
land canal, between Fort Simpson and
Cape Fox, proceeds thence northward,
following the treaty direction to keep
''ten marine leagues from the ocean"
up to point in the region of Mount
Fadrweather. and thence. still at the
treaty distance from the coast, contin-
ues northwesterly up to Mount st.
Elias. where the 141st meridian is
struck.
The British line goes up Benin chan
mel, which is many miles west of what
we call Portland canal, on the assump-
ton that the former is the Portland
canal mentioned by the treaty. Then IL
arbitrarily assumes that the 10 marine
leagues are to be measured from the
shores of certain islands along the
coast. instead of from the mainland
coast.
The result would be TO transfer to
Great Britain at the southern extrem-
tty of this coast strip several large isl
ands, including our well-known settle
ment of New Metlakahtla and a slice
of the mainland. Then. proceeding
northward nearer the coast at every
point than our line, the British boun-
dairy approaches Juneau and crosses
Lynn canal so near Admiralty island as
to secure for Great Britain Pyramid
harbor, Chilkat, Haines and the Pres
byterian mission in that region. In
like manner IL crosses Glacier bay well
toward ITS mouth, and runs but little
east of Mount Fairwearher.
In the old days, when "a degrees 40
minutes was the parallel considered by
us as our proper northern boundary,
and when $40. or fight" was in some
quarters a popular cry. we accepted in
stead of the 18th parallel, and even
consented. at Great Britain's urgency,
that the line should be DETECTED far
below the 18th parallel at the coast, in
order to give her the whole of Vancou-
yer island, so as not 20 have that ISL
and under two jurisdictions Very
soon afterward, in spite OF our conces-
sion as to Vancouver island, Great
Britain claimed that Rosario straits,
and not the Haro canal. was the true |
main ship channel mentioned in the |
treaty as the boundary line agreed up |
on. This would have given her the |
san Juan group and brought her close |
upon our coast. The question was put |
10 the emperor of Germany as referee, |
and his decision was for the United |
States.
The analogy between the claim thus |
put forward by Great Britain al that 1
time. in an attempt to substitute some /
other channel or canal for the one men
toned in the treaty. and her present /
attempt TO 90 the same thing In set !