The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-13

Washington City. Jan. 12--Senator pa-
VIs, oG the committee On foreign relations.
has been giving considerable attention 10
the Alaskan boundary dispute. lie has
found nothing IN bls tnVeStiGat don which
would cause him To change the lines whica
have always been understood as the
boundary, and upon whloR both countries
have been proceeding FOR many years. ae
SAYS that the only question in dispute -
whether the ten marine leagues from tne
ocean meant from the malniand or from
the adjacent islands. Air. Davis says this
does not even present u case Tor srhitra-
tiOn, because Il is manifesuy plain that
the shore OF the mainland OF the continSat
is the basis OF the true line. Il Is also
evident from the selection OF the mount
ain range as a line that the men who Drew
the boundary agreement meant that tha
line should be ten leagues from the ocean
where il touched the mainland. Islands.
he says. always go with the shore. and
when a question arises rs 10 whether an
island, no matter at what umC settled or
claimed. belongs TO ono country or an
other il goes always 10 t6e co8UtYE own
ing The mainland II the mainland IS adJa-
cent. So IL is with the islands OF the Alas
kan archipelago. They became the prop
crty OF Russia because Russia owned tho
mainland of the shore, and became the
property Of the United States when Alaska
was sold TO this country.
The desire Of Great Britain far n portion
OF the Alaskan coast IS plainly apparent.
declares Senator Davis, when 30 is Consid-
cred that there is "a vast country IA tha
Northwest territory which can reach tho
seaboard only through pass in the North
Rocky mountains and thence across the
strip of land owned by the United States.
East of the Rocky mountains and east OF
the Alaskan coast IS a country or almost
inestlmable extent, known as the Peace
river country. There may be iooooo.6o
acres OF tiIlable or pasture lands there. it
has the heneht of the warm air currene
from the Pacific which makes ii a milaer
climate than In those parts OF the North
western territory sttll further east. IL is
desired by Great Britain 10 open this great
wheat and stock producing country, and.
as "A short route 10 the sea, branch of the
Canadian Pacific railroad could be built
through this Peace river region and by a
pass through the mountains reach the sea-
coast without much trouble ard by much
shorter haul than hy railroads further
south. This would give the Canadian Pa
cific another Western terminus. would
build up a British city right upon the flank
OF the Alaskan possessions OF the United
States: there would be another great na-
val station and military post commands
ing our Alaskan territory. and the pr0tes-
tiOn which the Alaskan coast now gives TO
this country would be largely nullihed 81
The object OF Great Britain is quits
plain. Upon the great fertile lands 10 30
opened by building "A road 10 the coas'
through the Peace river region Their. q
would be vast fields OF cereals competing o
with the grains raised in our states along
our northern border. At present thes'
fields cannot be opened nor the lands de-
veloped because OF the long rail haul TO
the terminus OF the Canadian Pacific road.
without another terminus in Alaska these
great fields cannot be opened without the
consent Of the United States. But Senator
Davis does not think this movement Will
ever seriously concern the question Of ar
bitrating the Alaskan boundary.