The herald., 1897-12-31
DUTIES WILL BE RENTED
ON ALL GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES
SENT In
Canada o6ers Every Assistance She
Can Give to Make the Expedi-
ton q Success
Associated Press Special wire

Canadian Minister Of the Interior. called
at the War Department by appoint
ment and had long conference with
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn, who
IL giving his attention to the Klondike
relief expedition during the illness OF
Secretary Alger. Having secured the
consent Of the British government to
the passage Of United States troops,
to be used as guards, over Canadian ter
ritory, what remains to be done is to
arrange for the admission Of the sup
plies to be taken to the miners without
paying duties, provided they are not
sold for more than their actual cost.
Mr.. Sifton says that the only practical
BILE route to Dawson City Is what Is
known as the White pass, or commonly
called the lake route, commencing at
okagiiay on Lynn canal.
He states that they have eighty-five
men in the territory and expect to have
fifty more at Skaguay on or before Jan.
9Th. They have twenty tons of supplies
now stored at Skaguay for transporta-
tion over the pass, to which will be
added ten tons more within the next
ten days for transportation over the
pass.
The Canadian authorities have post
at Lake Bennett, another at Lagish, at
which latter place twenty men are sta
toned; another post at White Horse
rapids and two posts intervening be-
tween the latter point and Fort Selkirk.
1t is the intention of the Canadian
government to have detachment of 25O
men in the territory within the next
thirty days.
Their detachment will be ready to
leave Skaguay on the 18th prox., but the
minister has kindly consented to hold
the expedition, that they may accom-
pany the expedition Of the war depart
ment, which will leave Skaguay on or
before Feb. LIST. The government has
kindly consented to grant escorts to our
expeditions. provided cooperation can
not be consummated.
The government duties upon all sup
plies sent In under military control will
be waived by the Canadian government.
The minister was over the pass in Oc-
tober last. He stated that the govern
ment would be very glad to grant our
expedition the use Of their posts on the
route and grant all other facilities to the
movement of our expedition over their
territory.
The arrangement effected by Mr..
Sifton, on behalf Of Canada, with the
War Department, contemplates that the
Klondike relief expedition shall be exc
cuted jointly by the United States army
and force Of the mounted police of
Canada, which constitutes the military
nvrv 49, k6o nov t~to M
United States force will proceed with
the relief stores to Skaguay, where it
will be Joined by the Canadian mounted
police, about forty in number, and the
two forces will then proceed together
to the points where the relief is to be
distributed. The determination as to
Ekaguay is, however, still open. The
Canadian officials concede much latitude
to the American authorities in the actual
distribution, recognizing that the expe-
dition is fitted out on this side. although
a considerable part of the work will be
done on the Canadian side of the bor-
der. No duties will be imposed on the
stores carried by the relief expedition.
Mr.. Sifton also held conference with
Secretary Gage and discussed the unsat-
isfactory condition of the customs reg
ulations along the border and at coast
ports where goods are received by one
country for transportation to the other
country. 1t was the mutual feeling
that an Improvement of the system could
be made, and negotiations are in prog
ress which are hoped to effect changes
advantageous to both sides.
Mr. Sifton left for Ottawa.at 4 o'clock
this afternoon.
RoBINsON's REPORT
WASHINGTON, Dec. SO.-Secretary
Alger has received two reports from
Capt. Robinson, the contract quarter
master at Seattle, touching the re-
spcctive merits of the different trails
leading from the seashore to the Klon-
dixie country. He made thorough in
Quiry at the direction Of the secretary
and in substance his conclusions reach
I'd, after conference with Jack Dalton
and other experts, Is that the Dalton
trail Is not We'll adapted to the uses OF
the government expedition during the
winter. but that the Skaguay route is
probably the best. The captain says
he has had an interview with one man
who claims to have 10000 pounds of
beef stored at Lake Bennett, which he Is
willing to sell at 81 per pound. The same
man says he has 10000 pounds of corn
and twenty Or thirty horses at the same
place. with which he proposes to or
ganize q sled train into Dawson. Cap
tain Robinson says himself that his
opinion Is that the difficulty of reaching
Dawson has been very much exaggera-
ted and that a good army officer could
make his way on with an expedition.
Montana horses should be used.
ALASKAN LAWS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The SEN
ate and House Committees on Public
Lands and on Territories are at work ON
legislation for Alaska preparing the
way for action by the two houses. The
matter has been talked over in commit
tee and there will be some decisive ac-
ton shortly after the holiday recess.
me chief problem is to provide for
petter government Secretary Bliss rec
commended in his annual report that
Ataska De made regular organized Ter
rltory. The sentiment Of the Commit
tee on Territories Is that the time il not
ripe, that the population practically de-
pepds upon the rich mining strikes ia a
roy'ng one and that towns may be aban-
uoned' II is probable that there Will
he ~4ofne enlargement Of IT. present gov
efnment as preferable to q general sys-