The free press., 1895-12-19

! ures on our part as would involve restric-
I tions similar to those from which we suf-
| Ter. the way to such a course is easy.
1t should, however, by no means
be lightly entered upon, since the ne.
cesslty for the inauguration of stich d
| policy would be regretted by the best
sentiment of otir people, and because il
naturally and logically might lead to con.
sequences of the gravest character.
Relations With Great Britain.
Our relations with Great Britain. always
intimate and important, have demanded
| during the past year even a greater share
! of consideration than is usual.
Several vexatious questions were left
undetermined by the decision of the Ber.
ing sea tribunal. The application of the
| principles laid down by that august body
has not been followed by the results they
were intended to accomplish either be.
cause their execution has been more or
! less imperfect. Much correspondence has
been exchanged between the two govern
ments on the subject of preventing
the exterminating slaughter of seals
The insufficiency of the British patrol
| of Behring sea, under the regulations
| agreed on by the two governments has
| been pointed out, and yet only two British
| ships have been on police duty during this
season in those waters.
The need Of more effective enforce
the adoption of such additional regula-
| tions as experience has shown to be alb
| solutely necessary to carry out the intent
| If the award have been earnestly urged
| lpon the British government, but thus
lar without effective results. In the mean.
| time the depletion of the seal herds by
means of palagic hunting has so alarming.
y progressed that unless their slaughter is
at once effectively checked, their extinc.
lion within fGw years seems to be mat
ter of absolute certainty.
| The understanding by which the Unit
ted States was to pay, and Great Britain
| to receive, lump sum of S425, 900 in full
settlement of all British claims for DANA.
ges arising froln our seizure OF British
sealing vessels unauthorized under the
award of the Paris tribunal of arbitration,
was not confirmed by the last congress,
which declined to make the necessary ap'
preparation. l am still of the opinion that
this arrangement was a judicious and
advantageous one for the government,
and l earnestly recommend that it be
again considered and sanctioned. If, how.
| ever, this does not meet with the favor OF
congress, it certainly will hardly dissent
from the proposition that the government
Is bound by every consideration OF honor
and good faith to provide for the speedy
| adjustment of these claims by arbitration
as the only other alternative. A treaty Of
arbitration has heretofore been agreed
upon, and will be Immediately laid before
/ the senate so that in one OF the modes
suggested, final settlement may be reach.
| ed. The commissioners appointed to marx
the international boundary in Passama.
! Quoddy bay according to treaty, have
hot yet fully agreed.
Tho Alaskan Boundary.
The completion of the preliminary sur.
vey OFF the Alaskan boundary which fol.
lows the contour of the coast from the
southernmost point of Prince of Wales
! island until it strikes the one hundred
and forty first meridian at or near the
summit of Mount ST. Elias awaits further
necessary appropriation, which is ur-
gently recommended. This survey was
undertaken under the provisions of the
convention entered into by this country
and Great Britain July 22, 1899, and the
supplementary convention or FEBRUARY
| g. 1894.
AS to the remaining section Of the Alas.
kan boundary, which follows the one
hundred and forty-first meridian north
wardly from Mount st. Elias to the frozen
ocean, the settlement of which involves
| the physicil location of the meridian men
toned. unconventional agreement has yet
been made. The ascertainment of given
meridian at a particular point is work
| requiring much time and careful observa-
| tions and surveys. Such observations and
surveys were undertaken by the United
States coast and geodetic survey in 1890
and 1892, while similar work in the same
quarters under British auspices are be-
| lieved to give nearly coincident result. but
these surveys have been Independently
conducted and no international agreement
| to mark those or any other parts of the
| hundred and forty first meridian by per-
manent monuments has yet been made.
In the meantime the valley of the Yukon
| is becoming highway through the hith-
erto uneXplored wilds of Alaska, and
abundant mineral wealth has been dis
covered in that region especially at or
! near the junction of the boundary merid-
| ian with the Yukon and it's tributaries.
| In these circumstances it is expedient ln,
deed, imperative, that the jurisdictional
| limits of the respective governments in
| this new region be speedily determined.
Her Britannia majesty's government has
proposed joint delimitation of the one
hundred and forty-irst meridian by an
| international commission of experts OF
which. if congress will authorize it and
name due provision thereof, can be ac-
| complished with no unreasonable delay.
1t is impossible to overlook the vital I'M
portance of continuing the work already
| entered upon. and supplementing 1t by
( further effective measures looking to the
exact location of this entire boundary
line.
The United States and Canada.
I call attention to the unsatisfactory do
Imitation of the respective Jurisdictions
of the United States and the Dominion
of Canada in the great lakes at the ,ap.
proaches to the narrow waters that
connect them. The waters in ques--
ton are frequented by fishermen OF
both nationalities and their nets are
there used Owing to the uncer-
tainty and ignorance as to the true
boundary, vexatious disputes and inJuri-
ous seizures of boats and nets by Cana
dian cruisers often occur. while any posi-
tive settlement thereof by an accepted
standard is not easily to be reached. A
Joint commission to determine the line in
| those quarters, on a practical basis, by
measured courses filling range marks ON
shore is a necessity for which immediate
provision should be made 1t being ap-
/ parent that the boundary dispute between
Great Britain and the republic OF Ven
ezuela concerning the limits of British
I Guinea was approaching an acute stage,
a definite statement of the interest and
policy of the United States as regards the
controversy seemed to be required both
on it's own account and in view of its re-