New-York tribune., 1896-01-03
ALASKAN BOUNDARY PUZZLE.
LORD ABERDEEN's SPEECH LIABLE TO
MIsCONsTRUCTION.

SOUTHEAST LINE ACCORDING TO THE
TERMS OF The TREATY-rdE LINE
ALONG THE I4isT MERIDIAN
MORE DISTINCT
Ottawa Ian 2-Thc sixth session o! the With
Parliament Of the Dominion of Canada was opened
by Lord Aberdeen. the Governor-Generai' al 3
o clock this afternoon with speech from inc VII OH"
Tho speech began by congratulating the people
upon the bountiful harvest and the evidence OF IN
croo sed octivity in various branches Of commerce
and industry II regretted that the Mahltooa
Government were not prepared to promote amend
ments 10 the acts respecting education In the schools
IN that province thereby rendering IL necessary 10
introduce Federal legislation on the SUBJECT ioucii
ing upon the Alaskan boundary question ana tle
copyright controversy the speech contnued'
am happy TO be able to inform you that the 'oH'-
mIssoners appointed by Great Britain ana the
United States for the purpose of deiinitng the
boundary between Alaska and CANADA nave Co'i-
cluled their lahors and have signed JOINT report
for presentation to their respective Governments
This report will be laid before Parliament III due
time.
"A, tho reoucst Of the Secretary of State for tho
Colonies a delegate of.my Government visited Eng
land Last summer to confer with the imperial au-
thorit.cs upon the question of copyright HIS report
will be laid before you, and doubt not tha' MS
subject will again receive your earnest attention.
Washington. Jan. 2-The statement in Lord Aper-
deems address that the Commissioners appointed
~. Great britain and the United States for the
purpose Of demitng the boundary between Alaska
and Canada had concluded their abors and signed
a Joint report for presentation TO their respective
Governments, is liable to misconstructlon without
explanation. II must not be assumed that these
Commissioners have agreed upon A boundary line
between Alaska and Canada they have simply
signed n report upon the results Of series oi sur
,ho, hoy boen I'm prOgreSS Tor several years
These surveys were carried on by parties from
the United States and Canada under direction oil
Commissioner from each country. appointed pur-
suant TO tho provisions Of convention concluded III
Washington July 90 1892 for the purpose OF deter
mining II possible the boundary line Of southeast
Alaska The Commissioner for the United States
was Or r g. Mendenhall superintendent OF the
Coast and Geodetic Survey from September >. 1872,
until July !. 1894. and his successor at the heau oi
the Survey General " " Dufteld since ms h,S
astronomer OF the Department of Interior. has
served continuously as commissioner. Canada
The boundary line between Alaska ana ta@iaua @
Has nS'd IN fra3 IN Substance as Follows:
Reginning at the southernmost point OF f'rllCe
OF Wales land northward through ne waters oa
Portland Canal to ss head; thence ioV"ns prn ,bnv @
summit Of the mountains 10 a point Where tney
,nterscrt the lAst meridian of longitude provlded
that no point shall the eonnaary trn b De shore
This provision inserted by Canning VINO na1
snG soT bow Hntrs,worthy they we're The
lin range taken as the basis OF the boundary de-
limited in the treaty p"ared on all the maps
OF the day. and would have formed an huh'daoi, IA a.
natural boundary line Bur. unfortunatey' as IL
s.hseGuently proved. they did not exist, IN tnee
shape shown on the map. with a weIl,uenh'1n
summit and so the line has always Oeeh III
doubt. - . >.,.ooro E,lis
last week to sign their report the Psrio 'T Wba9 9
conp,eti ion having expired on leccinber 81. w ma
that report Is cannot. OF course, be toli Du' IL -
b.l eyed that II comprises statement slo"iHs
that is practically impossible 10 run a i'i!e as
i,tI dovn I'm the treaty. The surveys nave demon
sfrated that fact. What next Is 10 be dOhe II Il
nuest on FOR the dipOmatists. who VIII nave 10
determine what shall be substituted i9r tha' IN
posslble line The necessity ior specify rcicn.iIs
conc'usinn I'm this regard was urged upon 'oH-
rress by President Cleveland in his annual mes
,bo ,rs.
ner dan from Mount ST Elias north 10 the Arctr rt
ocean the situation. IS much simpler Mt os.NIe,
Canadian surveyor, and j. r.. Mcptathh, p' IN, In,
United states Coast survey. t'lapI,,sneu @ .l,a'
,lrailv agreeing in their location The Inc was
continued 10 the Porcup'ne Rx.r ana tienCe i nor
~ ,h Arcflc ocean by j. II. Turner. OF the Coast
Snrvev in lsgl-S2 since which time no work nhs
been done by the United states pi''ciaiS' IN H.,
Ogilvc however has been engaged the ;ast SUM-
mcr in extending the Ene south rom lme r fumon s
p'ver 70 Forty Mile Creek and beyond. The cross-
mo ~ the Yukon is about three hundrei Hllies
north of Mount 81. Elias II appears 10 W. y, p 80
,velI settled by the United Staes surveys that me
void mines on Forty Mile Creek must De ap
nnToa ached through British territory the Juhct.omm
~ Thar stream with the Yukon Rver belts wen
within Their lines. The agitation OF ne Ig q,
", tha boundary southeast OF Mount - E.las ~
a,v due II is believed to the desire OF the Bit
ish authorities to possess the entrance io i me
Yukon country from the south IT she ca" w anc
tourney of 0Co miles around tne coast anu Ive Ie
Mis- ND the RIVER itself 10 the god-bearins regions
a1