The record-union., 1897-12-30
The Canadian Government Will Render Any
Assistance in Its Power.
Does Not Believe There is Likely
to be Suffering Among Miners
for Want Of Food, and is Not
Sanguine the Expedition This
Government Contemp1ates Can
Get Through - Great Britain
Will Allow United States
Troops to Pass Through British
Territory.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 29.-Assistant
Secretary Meiklejohn to-day presented
Clifford Sifton, the Canadian Minister
of the Interior, to the President. MI
Mckinley greeted Mr.. Sifton cordlally'
but did not discuss with hlm III any
manner the objects of his visit. Later
Mr. Sifton took lunch at the BRUSH
Embassy.
After the luncheon Mr.. Sifton, accom-
panied by Mr.. Meiklejohn, called upon
Attorney General Mckenna and Secre-
tary Gage The visits We're simply OUT
of courtesy, but in the course OF MT.
Siftons visit to both the Cabinet oftl-
GERS the question Of getting supplies
into the Klondike We're discussed. Mr.
Sifton, ir. a general way, expressed the
opinion that the Canadian Government
would be glad to render any assistance
in it's power to this Government IN get
ting a relief expedition into the klon-
dixie, but expressed the opinion to both
Attorney General McKenna and Secre-
tary Gage that there was not likely 10
be great suffering among the miners
in the vicinity of Dawson City for lack
of food. This opinion he expressed
upon the information in possession OF
the Canadian Government. He did
think, however, that there might be Sc
we're suffering on account of the exces-
sive cold, as a large proportion of those
who rushed into the mining region last
summer were unacclimated.
Moreover, Mr.. Sifton is not sanguine
that a relief expedition such as this
Government contemplateS could get
(sa apy,y,1 11.raf
with all the facilities in it's possession,
has not yet been able to get in twenty
five tons of provisions dispatched some
time ago. He pictured in a gloomy
way the immense difficulties in driving
reindeer through the narrow defiles
and passes over the snow and ice.
Mr.. Sifton in his talk with Secretary
Gage also referred briefly to the ques-
ton of duties on miners supplies, but
nothing significant was said on either
side, so far as could be learned.
Mr.. Sifton has been through the
passes in the Alaskan country, though
not in the winter season, and he says
he does not think the snowfalls would
level up the passes for transportation
purposes that have been suggested.
The mounted police of the Canadian
Government have been taking in re-
lief supplies via Skaguay, it has been
stated in the course of the conference
on the subject, and they are building
caches for the preservation of the goods
about - or 100 miles apart.
+. :. Rosenfeld, general manager of
the company controlling the newly de-
vised snow and ice engines, to-day SUBJ
mitted a proposition to the Secretary
of War for the transportation of 1oO
tons of Government supplies from the
head of Lynn Canal to Dawson City at
- cents per pound of weight. All ar
rangements, accoutrements and rations
of the army detachment, not exceeding
fifty tons, are to be carried free both
ways. The scheme contemplates send
ing the trains over one of these three
routes, the Dalton route from Haines'
Mission, the Chlcoot route from Dyea
or the White Pass from Skaguay.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British
ambassador, sent an official commune
cation to-day to the Secretary Of State
announcing that the British Govern
ment viii permit the detachment of
United States army accompanying the
relief expedition to cross the British
territory in making the trip. The de-
tachment will be accompanied by a
representative of the Government as an
escort while passing over British soil.