New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-08


EST NORTHWESTERN POSSESSIONS EN-
CrTEMENT OK THE PACIFIC COAST
Seattle. Wash May %.
with one eye on Engands peculativc psorcnsi-
ties made manifest in Central America and the
Pacific Ocean. southwark from here. ana the other
op,jc fairly rlvocd on her piratica movements In
Alaskan territory In the north. the watchdog Of
Uncle Sans interests N this part of the world is
now sorely afflicted with Hhat may be termed
ease Of double s;rabismus. Loyal Americans ny the
thousand this coast are becoming alarmed over
the situation. fearing that cunning John Bul will
soon wrest from the United states vast extent of
territory that is OF es;imable value u this coun-
try being already O.. # the more important mar
kets for the entire acnc Coast. That this spirit Of
uneasness. so widespread and universal recogn.z-
ng political lines. puts the stamp Of disapprova
on the acts of the President and sadly questions
the executive Diplomatic capacity now
thronei at the National seat of Government there
can be doubt. This spirit OF uneasincss. which
has prompted the commercial body OF this and
other coast cities to remind Secretary Gresham Of
the importance of this question. Is founded overt
acts Of intentional territorial encroachments in
Alaska on the part of England that leave no room
for doubt as 70 the position she will take when
the Alaskan boundary question up for adjudi-
cation on December 81 per the supplemental con-
yenton between the United States and Great
Britain.
on February 2s. 1925. Stratfori Canning, British
Plenipotentary. and Count de Nesserode and
Pierre de Pole;c,a. for Russia. signed a treaty
whereby what is Alaska became the property
OF Russia Under this treaty the boundary
specifically set forth. Is shown in the two fol-
lowing sections from that instrument:
Section 3. The line OF demarcaton between the
poss 81 the continent ana the Stands Of america
TO the northwest shall be drawn in the following
Of the island called Prince of Wales Island. which
point lies in the parable. of "a degrees 70 minutes
1884 degree of west longitude. the same line shall
ascend 10 the north along the channel called Port
Were n Strikes the 5sth degree of north latitude
from this last-mentioned point the line of
Ion shall follow the summit Of the mountains
situated parallel 10 re coast as far as me point
of the same meridian. and finally from the said
pon, Of intersection the said meridian line Of the
last degree in its prOongation far the frozen
ocean shall form the limit between the Russian
and British possessions on the continent Of America
sec. 4 That wherever the SUNNI, Of the noun
tains. which extend in direction palnMel TO the
point Of intersection Of the liist ,desree 81 west
man len marine leagues from the ocean. the limit
between the British possessions and the line Of the
toned, shall be formed by a line parallel 10 The
the distance OF ten marine leagues there;rom
In 1S;7 the United States purchased Alaska in its
entirety from Russia. paying for it $4,000 Eng
land did not then raise question as 10 the boun-
dairy but during all the time that Russia was the
nine years-forty-two years under Russian-Brit!sh
ownership and seventeen years under United States
British control the Alaskan boundary as above
set forth was never questioned. but In all maps.
charts and British official matters this boundary
Mne was shown and represented as American maps
and official documents st!l hold II. and as II came
10 this Government from Russia. la 1881 the Do
,.nlon of Canada under the British flag. on its
maps and territorial charts changed the Alaskan
boundary line to suit It's own selfish purpose. but
the Dominion press was silent on this point until
lSoe That the British Government recognized what
the Dominion OF Canada makes claim TO is proven
hv tho fact that at the nsiiga;lon OF Her Maj
eaty's Government the United states on July :.
lS2. entertained Great Britain IN convention. re-
su,ing In the appointment " n commission for
tho purpose as set forth In Article ! OF that con-
vcnion: providing for the delimitaton OF the ex-
istng boundary between the United States and Her
Maicstys possessions In North America, in respect
10 such DO .tions OF said boun iary Inc as may not
n fact have been permanently marked In virtue
Of treaties heretofore concluded The time allowed
by this agreement to complete surveys and submit
eu1I reports ended November % 1894. but by sup
Elemental convention. ratified by President Cleve-
land and Secretary Gresham on March p. 1874 the
time limit extended 20 December 81. mo- when
final reports are be submitted by each OF the
.'high contracting parties on a matter wherein the
United States by reason OF this Government hav-
ing consented TO the commissions Of 1892 has much
AZ stake without any apparent reason for permit
ting England TO get at least a technical foothold
on American soil.
The disputed lands are in the southeastern d.
vision Of Alaska. IN what r. known as the PAN
handle Of that vast empire. which DIVISION alone
comprises about 300 square miles Of terriio oiys
The claim set up by the BRUSH government "nlCh
now conforms 10 their maps, charts etc., NN4ce
ls in brief is that instead Of poran1 pnanne
Channel. meant: and starting from t.ls point
Rrltlsb includes an area about coo miles in length
and OF varying widths up TO 80 miles inclndins as
Mr. Begg an English authority. states, about a
hundred miles OF seacoas with its harbors ana the
Islands adjacent thereto" In pursuance OF NE ih
States have each had and now have engineering
parties in the disputed territory A point Is n'are
simply making ordinary surveys, basing ihelr lilu
ings on field notes and such matters OF fe n t,r
lish engineers are making complete chain OF pnot,,
graphic Views seeking 10 es s., ,h Brsh
treaty Of 1875 as SITUATED parallel to ne coast
narcation shall follow" set forth in that con.
vention. score Of Americans fully conversan,
with this section OF Alaska. having traverSei m
many times assert that there Is no dehnei IanSSe
treaty referred 10 bur that thai particular section
ten marine leagues from the winnings OF me coar'
line. is a jumbed-up mountainous country OF 'alH
Ing width whereas by Photographic views ski ski
fully arranged continuous rang NAY De thoyeh
such representation wonld be face
Dr. Sheldon Jackson. United states Genera Ay'i ~
Sitka Alaska after having spent the winter IN
lis there enough Of value in this disputed seciion
to make fuss about the Doctor saia ae
funny part Of IL all Is the check displayed Dy En5
land in attempting TO take in territory or wndrn
Russia and the United States have iOr SHY $3.50 dds
had free and und!sputed possession, ana WilVh
our Government nov owns by right OF purcn in,e
No nation on the face II the earth tnht ma" SCI
resuect would make such "A claim The value OF
strip that the Engsh Government UNITS rs now
almost lnestmable. Alaska last year IN n beg nn
canneries alone did business Of fully %Ve', ~,
puied Alaskan territory. One OF the famous sola
mines OF the world, listed in San Frin,Ssu' al. 20
many other gold and silver properties there mar a
are rapIdly icing developed. while the ul'ouo.St
fo,es,s OF this section are greater than any IN the
United States. up TO this time no timber has
preventing this the forests being held under GOV
ernment control 10 prevent syndicatcs ana sp'o
la,ors from getting In and taking up THIS VAST *
tent OF fine timber and by this act We have n"Id d
forest reserve that will be- OF incalcuabe Vauc 70
IN. Tinted states in the future " she maintains her
ownership thereto Besides ms ancLe Spich he