The herald., 1896-06-14
ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
Canada Lays Claim to All of the Most

Canada Lays Claim to All of the Most
Picturesque Features.
The change in the boundary indicated
by the Cameron Line would not only tll.c
from Alaska several rich mineral sectiols
but our most unique scenic possessions.
Portland Channel itself is ford of sur
passing beauty; Benin Canal is justly eX-
tolled as the finest landscape reach Oh the
coast; Revillagigedo is the scenic island,
and John Muir is author of the saying
that the Stikine river is "a Yosemite one
hundred miles long" The Cameron Line
would annex all these 10 Canada, cross
ing the Stikine at its muddy mouth, and
taking away over sixty miles of that na-
vgable Yosemite, on whose banks four
places have been accepted as the tem-
porary boundary in the past. Three
times the Hudson Bay Company post and
the British custom house were removed
and rebuilt, until at last, during the Cas-
star mining boom, the British custom
house was allowed to remain on acknoWl.
edged Alaskan SOIL at the foot of the
Great glacier, for the temporary con-
venience of the British authorities and
the United States military officers OF
Fort Wrangell, near the mouth of the
Stillne river. Later town site was sur
veyed around this very custom house and
entered at Victoria. Il. G.
The most beautiful tidewatcr glacier
on the coast would be lost to us by Cen
eral Camcron's penciled annexation OF
Taku Inlet. The boundary line, which
had always been drawn at the crest Of
the mountain range ot the head Of Lynn
Canal was moved down to tidewater on
the Canadian map of 1854, and in 1887,
General Cameron moved the line sixty
miles farther south. to the very entrance
of that magnificent ford, gathering in
all the Berners Bay mines, the canneries
at the head of Lynn Canal the great Da-
wilson glacier and the scores of lesser
ice streams that constitute the glory OF
that greater Lyngeford of the New
World.
Least pleasant to contemplate in this
proposed partition or gerrymandering OF
scenic Alaska is the taking away OF
Glacier Bay, which, discovered by John
Muir in 1879, visited and named by Adj
miral Beardslee in 1850. has been the
goal of regular excursion steamers for
thirteen seasons past. Alaska tourists
learn with dismay that the Cameron
Line. cutting across Glacier Bay at it's
very entrance, would transfer the great
glaciers to the British flag and prevent
United States steamers from landing
passengers at Muir glacier, just as the
Canadian excursion steamer has been de-
barred from landing visitors in Muir In
let for want of a United States custom
house.
SO far the so-cailcd Canadian "aggress-
ions" are all on paper. The Cameron
Line has been drawn. but has only ini-
aginary existence. For a quarter of
century there has been complete indif-
ference. Public opinion is being missed
and preiudiced to degree that renders
peaceable consideration of the question
difficult. Wild editorials have given
such hints. points and suggestions for
Canadian "aggressions," were such ill.,
tended. that one might believe the jingo
journalists hypnotized from across the
border, SO much better do they serve the
Dominion's ends than those of our me
elected estate" of Alaslia.-Century.