The herald., 1897-01-31
alaska BOUNDARY
TREATY IS SIGNED
To Be Sent to the Senate
on Monday
THE MERIDIAN IS SURELY There
But the Miners Are Not Able to
Find II
THE MATTER NOT SETTLED
Until the Southern Boundary Shall Be
Determined
The Russian Definition Of the Line Is Entirely
Worthless
THE MATTER NOT SETTLED
Until the Southern Boundary Shall Be
Determined
The Russian Deiinltlon Of the Line Is Entirely
Worthless
The Surveyors Reports Will Be 1mme-
diately Followed by the Arbi-
tration Of the Whole Ques-
tion in Dispute.
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30-Secretary
Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote at IL
o'clock today signed the convention for
definition by the commission of so much
of the boundary line between Alaska and
British possessions, as is marked by the
141st meridian. The treaty will be sent
to the senate Monday. The treaty pro-
vides a commission Of four members
The names will be agreed on hereafter
The commission will meet in London or
Washington.
The formal name of the treaty is "A
convention between the United States
and Great Britain for the demarkation
of the 141st meridian west longitude, as
may be necessary for the determination
of the boundary line between their re-
spective possessions in North America"
Its purpose Is to settle beyond doubt
the exact location Of the meridian and
thus prevent the clashing between the
miners, who have been attracted to the
vicinity of the boundary and the loca-
ton of these two countries. The merid
ian named, the 141st west longitude,
was not selected as the boundary line by
0oCICtdly OlASy' c1ll0 oli uiidh I 0ANC-
fote but was laid down as the line Of d.
vision in the treaty of cession by which
Alaska was passed by Russia to the
United States. The difficulty has been
to tell Just where the meridian actually
runs, by no means an easy task In such
q country as Central Alaska. In even
more hoSpitable climes the task of de-
filming physically such an abstract line
q O1,aridiQ G hac io11J-
ties that 1t was a after of no surprise
that In the present case the two coun-
tries should clash often, now that the ter
ritory is known to include extensive
and valuable gold deposits. AS laid down
on the charts, the mouth of Forty Mile
creek, the Mecca Of the gold hunters,
debouchee into the great Yukon river
just near enough the meridian to cause
both sides. American and British, to set
up the claim that the line Is in their ter
ritory.
AS at present marked, at the northern
limit of the meridian which forms the
boundary Is a demarkation point at 300
miles west of Mackenzie bay, and the
southern extremity close to Mount St.
Elias
1t is said at the state department that
there Is no reasonable chance for fric-
ton or a radical difference among the
scientists who are to undertake the work
of laying down the meridian, as this is
mainly an astronomical calculation. The
work of the commission will be final,
for no appeal will lie from its decision.
The convention just signed does not,
however, settle the whole Alaskan boun-
dary question, which has been pending
Tor many years. 1t does provide for the
settlement of that portion relating 10
the northern boundary, about half Of the
actual boundary line between Alaska
and the British possessions, and for
tunately the portions which demand in
stant treatment to remove the possibil-
tty OF dangerous friction. The south
portion of the line, however, remains to
be fixed, for it was not only very in
sumciently described in the Russian
treaty OF cession as a line running
along the tops of mountain range
skirting the coast from the southern
edge OF Alaska to point where it con-
nected with the 141st meridian, but in
vestigation BY the coast and gepdetic
survey ls said to have developed the fact
that there is no such mountain range.
superintendent DuffieldI of our coast sur
vey and Mr.. King, one of the British
crown surveyors under a special treaty.
made careful survey of the territory
IN the vicinity of the supposed boun-
oAfy with view to the gathering of in
formation on which to base negotiations
Tor the drawing of new boundary line.
lot IL nad become apparent that the Rus
SIAN oennltion was worthless and that
the subject must be treated de novo
The reports Of the surveyors ara er.
pected to be made very soon. and then
negotiations will be set on foot for the
creation or commission to locate the
eouthern section OF the boundary line.