The herald., 1897-02-27
For the Determination of Alas.
ka's Boundary
THE SUMMIT OF ST. ELIAS
May Be Accepted as q TolerabIy Per,
manent Monument
When the Commissioners Shall Have Pound
the I4Isr Meridian Of Longitude That
IL the Boundary
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON. Feb. 26.-The follow.
ing Is the full text Of the treaty for the
determination Of the Alaskan boundary
signed on January so, 1897, by Secretary
Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote:
Article Each government shall ap-
point one commissioner with whom may
be associated such surveyors, astrono-
mers and other assistants as each gov-
eminent may elect. The commissioners
shall at as early period as practicable
proceed to trace and mark under their
joint direction and by joint operations
in the field, so much Of the z41st meridian
of west longitude as is necessary to be
defined for the purpose Of determining
the exact limits Of the territory cedsd to
the United States by the treaty between
the United States and Russia OF March
30, 1867.
Inasmuch as the summit OF Mt. st.
Elias, although not ascertained toAie I'M
fact upon said 141st meridian, Is so Year-
ly coincident Herewith that3t maySocn-
veniently be taken as visible land&AarR
whereby the initial part Of said meridian
shall be established. It Is agreed that the
commissioners. should they conclude
that 1t is advisable so to do. may de-
fleet the most southerly portion Of said:
line so as to make the same range with
the summit Of Mt. st. ELIAS, such de-
Election not to extend more than twenty
geographical miles northwardly from
the initial point.
Article 2-The data relating to the
determinations already made at this
time by either Of the two governments
Of points on OF near the 141se
meridian, for the purpose OF fixing dts
position, shall be submitted by each
to the commissioners, who
shall decide which OF the results Of the
determinations shah be adopted by
them.
In case Of disagreement. between the
commissioners as to the correct geo.
graphical co-ordinates Of one and the
same point determined by the other two
governments separately, position mid
way between the two locations in ques-
tion of the 141st meridian shall be adopt
ed, provided the discrepancy between
them shall not exceed 1000 feet.
In case of greater discrepancy a new.
Joint determination shall be made by
the commissioners.
Article 3-The location Of the 141st
meredian as determined hereunder shall
be marked by visible objects, natural
or artificial, at such distances apart as
the commissioners shall agree upon and
by such additional marks as they shall
deem necessary and the line when and
where thus marked In whole or In part
shall be deemed permanently to define
for all international purposes the last
meridian mentioned in the treaty Of
March 30, 1867, between the United
States and Russia, and In the treaty OF
February 2S, 1925, between Great Brit
ain and Russia. The marks shall be de-
soribed by such views, maps and other
means as the commissioners shall de-
eide upon and duplicate records of these
descriptions shall be attested by the
commissioners jointly and be deposited
by them with their respective govern
ments, together with their final report
hereinafter mentioned.
Article 4-Each government shall
bear the expenses incident to the en-
ployment Of its own appointees and OF
the operations conducted by them, but
the cost of material used in permanently
marking the meridian and of its trans
portation shall be borne jointly and
equally by the two governments.
Article 5-The commissioners shall
diligently prosecute the work to its COM
pletion and they shall submit to their
respective governments from time to
time and at least once in every calendar
year, a joint report of progress, and q
final comprehensive report upon the
completion of the whole work.
The present convention shall be duly
ratified by the president Of the United
States of America, by and with the
advice and consent of the senate there
of, and her Britannia majesty, and the
ratifioations shall be exchanged at
Washington or in London as soon as
possible within twelve months from the
date thereof In faith whereof, we. tho
respective plenipotentiaries,h have signed
this convention and have hereunto af-
fixed our seals.
Done in duplicate in Washington. tia
30th day of January 1897. (Signed) !,
RICHARD OLNEY,
"a