The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-13
Of Alaska is Receiving Con-
siderable Attention.
Senator Davis Says There is
Nothing to Arbitrate.
WHATENGLAND WANTS
It is Just Like the Venezuela
Controversy.
Is a Short Route for Britain
to the Sea.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Is. Sen ator
Davis of the committee on foreign re-
lations, has been giving considerable
attention to the Alaska boundary dis
pute. He has found nothing in his in
designations which would cause him to
change the lines which have always
been understood as the boundary, and
upon which both countries have been
proceeding for many years. He says
that the only question in dispute is
whether the ten marine leagues from
the ocean meant from the mainland or
from the adjacent islands. Mr.. Davis
says this does not even present a case
for arbitration, because it is manifest
ly plain that the shore of the main
land of the continent is the basis of
the true line. 1t is also evident from
the selection of the mountain range
as a line that the men who drew
the boundary agreement meant that
the line should be ten leagues from
the ocean where it touched the main
land. Islands, he says, always go
with the shore, and when a question
arises as to whether an island, no
matter at what time settled or claimed,
belongs to one country or another, it
goes always to the country owning the
mainland if the mainland is adjacent.
So it is with the islands of the Alaskan
archipelago. They become the prop
erty of Russia because Russia owned
the mainland of the shore, and be-
came the property of the United States
when Alaska was sold to this country.
The desire of Great Britain for
portion of the Alaskan coast is plainly
apparent, declares Senator Davis,
when it is considered that there is
vast country in the Northwest Terri
tory which can reach the seaboard
l.
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
country of almost inestimable extent,
known as the Peace River country.
There may be 100, 600, 900 acres of till
able or pastoral land around there.
1t has the benefit of the warm air cur
rents from the Pacific, which makes it
a milder climate than in those por-
tions of the Northwest Territory still
farther east. 1t is desired by Great
Britain to open up this great wheat
and stock producing country and
secure a short route to tue sea- A
branch of the Canadian Pacific road
could be built through this Peace
river country and by a pass through
the mountains reach the sea coast
without much trouble and by much
shorter haul than by railroads further
south. Inns would give the canadian
Pacific another Western terminus.
would build up a British city right
upon the flank of the Alaskan posses
sions of the United States; there would
be another great naval station and
military post commanding our Alas
| kan territory, and the protection
which the Alaskan coast now gives
to this country would be largely multi
fed.
The object of Great Britain is quit e
plain. Upon the great fertile lands to
be opened by building a road to the
coast through the Peace river region
there would be vast fields of cereals
competing with the grams raised in
our states along our Northern border.
At present these fields cannot be
opened nor the lands developed be-
cause of the long rail haul to the term
| iuus of the Canadian Pacific road.
| Without another terminus in Alask a
these great fields cannot be opened
without the consent of the United
| States.
Senator Davis does not think this
country will ever seriously consider
the questian of arbitrating the Alas
| kan boundary.