The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-23
A BOUNDARY QUESTION
OF COURSE JOHN BULLS LINES
BEGIN TO STRETCH OUT.
MAY TRY TO EXCLUDE AMERICANS
It Takes the Discovery of Valuable Mine to
Move Brtton's Elastic Boundary
Any Distance.

London, July 22-Sir Donald Alexan-
der Smith, the Canadian high commits
sioner in London, has been besieged for
several days past by inquirers who desire
to go to the Yukon mining districts. Most
of the applicants for information are
young men without money who are en-
ployed on farms and in the factories.
Would-be emigrants of this class are
urged to remain at home, but hardy men
with a capital of f10O or more are en-
couraged to leave for the gold fields.
Several solid London capitalists are in
teresting themselves in the mining terri
tory and are making investigations with
a view to organizing mining companies
Experts have been despatched to inspect
the region.
Regarding the suggested expulsion of
Americans from the Yukon region Off
cials here say there is nothing in the
| treaties between Great Britain and
the United States to prevent such action
on the part of the British government
that the step will be taken.
Various steamship companies report
that few persons have left England for
the new gold fields thus far. This is
probably due to monetary considerations.
Ottawa, Ont, July z2.-The attention
of the government has been called to the
claims advanced in the United States
press that the Yukon gold fields are in
American territory. The ministers are
reticent 1t is learned, however, that the
government regards the convention un-
der which the boundary commission was
appointed as being of the nature of a
treaty and that any act in contravention
of that convention would be regarded as
equivalent to the denunciation of the
treaty.
The government regards the delination
of boundary on the basis of the Mount
st. Elias line as a scientific proposition,
but admits that the ownership of some of
the islands on the coast may be subject
for argument. The ownership depends
upon the question whether the coast line
is to follow all indentations of the coast,
or whether the distance from headland to
Ihealand is six miles, or the coast line is
to be taken as the line drawn from head
land to headland. As regards future pro-
ceilings, the statement is made that for
twenty-five years Canada has been an
xious to have the boundary line clearly
and finally settled and any feasible and
amicable proposition to effect this will be
seriously considered.
Victoria, B. c., July pa special to
the Times from Nanaino says:
Many coal miners left here today for
Victoria on their way to the Yukon.
Some thirty of the best miners in the
pits of the Vancouver Coal Company
have thrown down their picks to prepare
to leave for the promised land. On every
corner, up street and down street, COM
mon conversation is the Yukon. Many
are trying to raise money on property
which cost them over $1,000 and have
been unsuccessful, even to the amount
of one-third Of the original cost. Among
those who will go are Thomas Keith, ex-
member of Parliament; Alderman Ar
thur Wilson and about fifty others, who
will bid adieu to Nanamio within the
next three weeks. Every effort is being
made in Victoria and other provincial
cities to have Canadian customs officers
sent up to collect duties ON American
goods. 1t is expected that officers will go
up on the next steamer.