The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-08-18
WHERE IS THE BOUNDARY?
GOLD MAKES PEOPLE LOOK Up
THE ALASKA LINE.
The Klondyl>e Gold Fields Are Clearly
Within the British Boundary--A
Convention viii BE Called

OTTAWA, August IA correspond
ent has had an interview with Hon.
II. w. Scott, Secretary of State. on the
statement from Washington claiming
that Great Britain in official maps had
drawn the boundary line on the Pa
citic coast 50 as to deprive the United
States of hundreds OF miles of terri
tory adjoining the Kolndykc gold
fields. lie said he had gone into the
question when member of the Mac
kenzic Administration in 1878, and
the point now raised was discussed
then. The treaty of ST. Petersburg
1928, defines the line dividing Russian
territory, now Alaska, from British
by line drawn north from the foot
of Prince of Wales Island through
Portland channel, until it struck the
mountains, when the method of de-
limitation was set forth. The map
will show that a line running north
from the foot of Prince of Wales ISL
and must 90 through the Benin canal.
and that to reach Portland canal the
line would have to 90 due east through
the open sea a considerable distance
before it would reach Portland chan
mel or canal; and the British conten-
ton, as shown by the dispatches of
George Canning to Sir Charles Bagot,
is that it was then British territory.
and that the words "portland canal
in the convention was Il mistake for
Benin canal" or else that what is now
called Portland canal was not then
so called. This is supported by the
| physical impossibility of running
! line due north through Portland canal
from the foot of Prince of Wales ISL
and. SO the Canadian maps show the
boundary line as running north
! through the Benin canal. The differ
ence is great in view of the discovery
of gold, and Mr.. Scott SAYS it can only
be settled by an international arbitra-
ton. The disputed territory, with the
! ten marine leagues back from the
coast added, would not, however, en-
brace the present gold fields of Klon-
! dyke, which are clearly in British
| territory, because they are well east
of the 141st meridian, which is the
recognized boundary in the north.
The Minister of the Interior has ar
ranged for the despatch of seven
mounted police from Victoria next
Saturday for the Yukon. They will
go to Dyea and on to Lake Tagish,
where they will prepare timber for
building barracks. They will be fol-
lowed on the 18th instant by twenty
five more police, who will pack over
the summit such provisions as is pos
sible. and on the 22nd instant another
detachment of twenty men will he
sent after them, making in all, with
the men there, seventy-two mounted
police, who will be in that territory
by the end of August.
The Klondyke rush has taken q
firmer hold of the Ottawa district thar
most people are aware of. In so fan
as the qualification for river naviga,
ton counts. there is no better mate
rial than that of which the Ottawa
lumber crews are composed, and it sc
happens that this year the prospect
of winter employment in the lumber
shanties and next springs log driv,
is now almost nil. because of the eX
cessive shipments of lumber from OF
! tawa during the past few months ant
the certainty of discontinued de
mand for Canadian lumber in the Uni
ted States owing to the restrictions o
the new tariff. Under these circum
| stances the readiness of the "shanty
men," as they are locally called, tC
engage in anything that promises
permanent employment is being taker
advantage of by at least one Ottaw;
, lumber firm. f. Moore, of the Moor,
5 Lumber Company, is now engaging
men at $40 per month to go to the Yu
kon country, and he is having his picl
of the best river men in the Ottawi
. district. AS miners they may no
, count for much, but in portaging an,
and boating supplies they certainl.
have no equals, so that with the pres
emf congestion of freight at Dyea. tn
4 Moore outfit can at least be profitabl
I employed in transportation worl
when spring opens up.