The record-union., 1897-08-01
THE ALASKAN
BOUNDARY Line.
England's Claim to a Large Share
of the Territory
May Give Rise to Interesting Diplomatic
Complications.
General Duffie1d, Superintendent of
the Coast and Geodetic Survey,
and Member of the Boundary
Commission, Says the Survey
Authorized by 1t Was Until Re-
Gently Recognized as Correct by
Both Countries.

Authorized by It Was Until Re-
Gently Recognized as Correct by
Both Countries.
NEW YORK, July 31-A special to
| the Tribune from Washington says:
The claim of Great Britain to a big
share of Alaska promises to occupy a
large amount of public attention for
some time to come. Indeed, it may be-
come vital question, and give rise to
diplomatic complica tions between the
United States and England The claim
| is regarded by Government officials
here as preposterous. The Senate
when the boundary question was
brought before it, as the result of
treaty negotiated by Secretary Olney
and Sir Julian Paunceforte. did not
place itself on record in the matter
however. Before vote was taken
Congress adjourned, SO that the loca-
ton of the divisional line, which has
been in dispute since 1884, is no nearer
settlement than it has been any period
in the last thirteen years.
General Duffield, Superintendent of
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, was a
member of the Boundary Commission.
The survey authorized by it has until
recently been deemed official and COR
rect by both countries. General Duff
field said to-day:
Up to 1884 both countries were
principally united as to the boundary
line from Mt. St. Elias to the south
| east. According to the terms of the
treaty between the United States and
Great Britain. the United States. in
purchasing Alaska in 1861, . acquired
the southeastern boundary of the Rus
sian treaty read: The line of demarka-
ton between the possessions of the high
contracting powers upon the coast of
the continent and the islands of Amer
lea to the northwest should be drawn
in the following manner: Commencing
from the southernmost of the land call
ed Prince of Wales Island, which
point lies in the parallel of "A degrees.
10 minutes north latitude and between
the 131st degree and the 1880 degree
of west longitude. the same line shall
| ascend to the north along the channel
called Portland Channel as far as the
point OF the continent where it strikes
the o6th degree of north latitude. From
this last mentioned point the line of
denrarkation shall follow the summit
from mountains situated parallel to the
coast as far as the point of intersec-
ton of the Hist degree of west longi-
tude of the same meridian, and finally
from the said point of intersection on
the said meridian line of the Hist de-
gree in it's prolongation, as far as the
frozen ocean shall form limit between
the Russian and British possession, on
the Continent of America to the North
west. Wherever the summit of the
mountains which extend in a direction
parallel to the coast from the 56th de-
degree of north latitude to the point
of intersection of the list degree of
west longitude shall prove to be a dis
tance of more than ten marine leagues
from the ocean, the limit between the
British possessions and the line of coast
which is to belong to Russia as above
mentioned, shall be formed by a line
parallel to the winding of the coast, and
which shall never exceed the distance of
ten marine leagues therefrom.
"On all maps from 1897 to 1913 the
boundary line has been shown as in
general terms parallel to the winding
of the coast and twenty-five miles from
it. In 1881, however, one of the Ca
madam maps showed a marked def1ec-
ton of this line at it's south end In
stead of passing up Portland channel
this Canadian map showed the bound
ary as passing up the Behm Canal. an
arm of the sea sixty or seventy miles
west of Portland channel this change
having been made on the bare assertion
that the words Portland Canal as in
serted, We're erroneous. By this change
an area of American territory about
equal in size to the State of Connecticut
was transferred to the British territory.
There are three facts which go to
show that this map was incorrect In
the first place, the British Admiralty.
when surveying the northern limit of
the British Columbian possession in
1868, surveyed Portland Canal, and not
Benin Canal and thus by implication
admitted this canal to be the boundary
line.
Second, the region now claimed by
British Columbia was at that time oc-
cupied as a military post of the United
States without objection or protest on
the part of British Columbia.
Third, Anette Island, in this region,
was by Act of Congress four years ago
set apart as a reservation for the use
of the Metlaktalla Indians, who sought
asylum under the American flag to es-
cape annoyances experienced under
the British flag.
Another change was made at Lynn
Canal the northermost extension of the
Alexandria Archipelago, which runs
north of Juneau, and is the land outlet
of the Yukon trade. If the official Ca
madam map of 1884 carried the bound
ary line around this canal, another Ca
madam map, three years later, carried
the line across the head of the canal in
such a manner as TO throw its head
waters into this rich territory Still
later, Canadian maps carried the line
not across the head of the canal but
across near its mouth some seventy
miles south of the former line in such
a way as practically to take in Juneau
or at least land Immediately back of
it, and even the last Canadian map.
while it runs no line at all southeast
of Alaska, prints the legend British
Columbia over portions of the Lynn
Canal which are now administered by
the United States.
A recent report of the United States