The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-02
WHAT CANADA SEEKS
A Seattle Report on the Alaska
Boundary Contentious.
AN ABLE SUMMARY OF FACTS.
Read Before the United States Senate
and Ordered TO BE Printed for
Public Distribution.

Senator Squire has asked congress for
an appropriation OF 1880 for the expense
OF iocatlng the boundary line between the
territory Of Alaska and the British North
American territory. and naturally the peo-
pie Of this state, and particularly those Of
this city. take a deep interest ia the mat
ter for the reason that Seattle has be-
come the great entrepof Of supplies for the
vast mining regions OF Alaska. now beng
opened up and settled. This boundary line
has only become an important question
since the recent discoveries Of Alaska's
mineral wealth, and what has been done
before In regard 10 the boundary question
becomes OF general interest. Senator squire
gave this history when introducing MS
motion before the United states senate,
and from this IL appears that n htZ Zen
Grant. then president OF the United States.
anticipating that postPoHement OF the
definite marking Of the boundary might In
yolVe future disputes. recommended IN his
annual message the creation OF commits
son for settling the boundary line. But the
anatier was allowed 10 drop. and moth
ing was done until President Cleveland,
about fifteen years later, again brought
the subject forward by a reference TO IL
an his message In 1857 the department of
state inserted an item of $50 go In the es-
Inmates for a preliminary survey. OF the
boundary. but Oh this item no action was
taken.
In lsss however an appropriation OF So
90 was made for preliminary survey. 10
be conducted BY the coast and geodetic sur
vey In accordance with projects to be APP
proyed by the secretary OF state. Under
This act two parties we're organized Ia the
snring of 1859 to ascend the Yukon and
IT'S affiusnt. the Porcuplne, to determine
by astronomical observations the intersec-
ton of the 14ist meridian with these rivers.
The party on the Porcup!ne accomplished
hR
while the PARTY on the Yukon was COMPEL
ed by adverse circumstances 10 spend two
winters there.
small appropriations were annually made
under the same wording as the act OF oc-
tober 2 1855 referred TO above. until the
year 1892 when convention was concluded
al washington City. on July y. lHsZ, Tor
conducting a coincident or joint survey.
..yvtth a view TO the ascertainment OF the
facts and data necessary TO the permanent
deIifnitation Of said boundary line, that
Is. from latitude 54 degrees ~ minutes north
20 the point where Il encounters the l4lst
meridian west of Greenwich.
Under this convention commissioners
were appointed by the governments OF the
United States and Great Britain. respec-
lively. The total amount appropriated
under this convention was $4,000, and the
SURVEYS were conducted on behalf OF the
United States under the direction OF the SUI
perintendents of the coast ana geodetc
survey.
senator Squire introduced at the time
an able paper on the subject by James H.
Metcslfe chairman OF a committee OF the
Seattle Chamber OF Commerce. with these
words: This paper has been prepared
With much care and research deem IL
70 be OF great value and interest," AT the
nresent time when this subject Is so prom
inent In the public mind
aAf
throw so much new light on the subject
that the senate ordered that IL be printed.
Tn this report Mr.. Metcalfe says;
..-rhe boundary line of the United States
~ America and the Dominion OF CANADA
dividing the territory OF Alaska from the
province OF British Columbia ana the
Northwest territory Of Canada has, Dy
reason of it's extraordinary length, devel-
onad two subjects for Investigation. which
MAY he plrsued and determined separate
w while the permanent delimitation OF the
entire boundary involves the satisfactory
settlement OF each. The one comprenehis
the physical location OF the iilst meridian
as produced northwardly from Mount s''
Elias TO the frozen ocean.
'aThe controversy over the aboVe-msn-
toned part Of the boundary has. by the
separate efforts Of the governments or ne
limited States and Canada. been brought
moro nearly to a determination than that
over southeastern Alaska, and winch II
appears 10 the committee. VIII be attended
with more vexatious incidents. rms re-
mort. therefore Is submitted in support or
The eastern boundary of the strip which
begins south OF Mount ST. Elias and runs
southeasterlv as far as Portland channel.
and which boundary II Is emphaucally
contended has been conceded by CANADA
for more than sixty years. and certainly
as far az the investigation Of the commit =
a Haaa4F nm = u
nv that government until comparatively a
recent date"
Mr.. Metcalfe then gives description %
,ha boundary lire as defined IN the articles
Of convention between this country and
Russia. and then sets forth the Canadian
claims under Il. as follows:
.srhe alleged claims of the Dominion OF
canada 10 portions Of the Alaskan strip
arises nrst. from the strained construc-
,ion given to the description OF the ooun-
Diary line as hereinaboVc set forth; ana.
second. from a real or pretended orief IN
,he existence Of a fact which is emphat-
trally c6ntrovertea by the engineers OF the
United States
s..rho parliamentary papers and the lead
inc Journals Of the Dominion ef Canaca,
ara particularly OF the province 81 British
columbia. vigorously contend. IN support
Of the construction referred 20. that.
..F4rst- That Benin canal. and not Port
land canal Is the channel mtehac'
through which the boundary tne com
mencing ut the souihern'nost portion ~
prince az Wales island shall ascend 70 me
north as far as the point OF the
continent where Il strikes the nfty-siNth
degree Of north latitude
second That the eastern boundary h"e'
Ia ts extension from tn" point where II
strikes the afty-ssxth degree Of north TAX.
tpae. shah follow an alleged range 81
mountains. arbitrarily crossing anu su'-
ting or the heads Of bays and iniets ,h'
nN-nership az which oy the United States
has hitherto beea uuquesuoned-
Third That the said eastern pouhdolN
voa - not IA line following The SinuosltC
~ the coast and giving 80 the term 'Mlho
inrs 81 the coast an inietpft' TAX ON VIZ
,.otf.eSfs to British Columbia not only part
~ the inland waters. bui large area 81
;he most valuable portions q me Cp'7
In strip known as Southeastern Alaska.
tFourth- That neither Portland h0'
y2shra canal was natuc,i Whs0 che british
Russian convention - Ls-4 was hct"d oPoo
s.That these. among other points ininil'A
A. tht rr,sprie tptshlp ~ tine United states
- vigorously commended fer hV the pres
- s,spa.4a 4ud are supported hy ssfnt-ofh
80 .Ifteranecs may he safely iHftrrvd tFolf
tn followsrE facts
Twenty o. thv nloan.e4 police cf ~
x,esv,trf,s, n Canada passed through tt
-gtx ~ SEATTLE lass 5uly to enforce So~
toms regulations u that government 81
ALASKA.
...fr William OxuNie the wcli-kaoNi
.,-,.tIan SURVEYOR. ana whe haa charge
AZ Dart 81 the corps NJ egg .neerS eoEasr'
sn he .io.n, or coincs3cnt surves htreiH
sffsr srol,,a o. is quoted as 10 fhe oaaa
garv lire through Portland canal as Sol
tssss. .Thls hv tee way, iS 'affeic
a. hv she provtnce 80 httti@h ''-AT112'a
raF az.Farrs
- th,, WORDING II tbe article ~ thv g~ety
. .,.,.ther}x lne fnotu the soAtberaHa ss