The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-08-11
MR.PiTNEY AND THE ALASKA BOUND
AIRY CONTENTION,

The discovery of gold in the Yukon
Basin, Alaska, has revived the discussion
that has been going on Tor n numOu' vi
years regarding the boundary line be
tween the tnited States and the British
possessions 10 that locality. In 1895
President Cleveland sent letter to Con
gress In regard to the matter, stating that
the commissioners appointed TO mark the
international boundary in Passamaquodly
Bay, according to the Treaty OF Client.
have not yet fully agreed, and joint
commission 10 determine the line was de.
clared to be necessity for which imme
diate provision should be made.
AT that time joint resolution appro.
priating $40, 600 10 defray the expenses
OF the commission was passed, in the dis
cussion Of which Mr., Pitney gave some
interesting facts in regard to the matter,
which were published In the NY. Tf4bune
ON Monday.
Among other things he said
Ath Aht Nhuhulhh slht VI hht IhNS'
ton two claims are made. In tho first
pace, they claim that, while there is nc
range Of mountains distant ten marine
leagues from the coast or thereabouts,
there is II range of mountains very near
to the coast OF the maitland, aud that the
line should be run there near The coast,
which would leave in British territory Il
large part of raku Inlet and large part
OF Lynn Canal, two great estuaties which
extend into the interior. This would
bring the British possessions down very
close to the ocean, aud at the same time
the American territory OF Alaska would
be dismemheIcd, and it would be impos-
sibe for MS to proceed 10y land from one
part Of that territory to the other without
the consent Of the British authorities.
The second claim on the part OF the Ca
nadlaus is that the ten marine leagues, or
thirty nautical miles, equivalent To about
thirty five statute miles, which are to be
the limit of the width of this portion Of
our possessions, should be measured, not
from the coast of the main continent, but
from the outermost edge OF the archpel
ago which fringcs the continent The
result Of allowing that claim would be TO
tulhW tit NNHNlbl VI an NtitsN why's
into British hands.
"The second great question between
the British authorities on the one side and
the Government and people Of the United
States on the other relates TO the true
location upon the surface Of the earth OF
the l4lst meridian Of west longitude, and
1t is to this branch Of the subject that this
present resolution mainly relates. In re
gard 10 that meridian no doubt arises
from the language of the treaty. The
doubt arises only in attempting TO mark
upon the esrth's surface the location Of
the meridian. The location is to be as
certained by astronomical survey, not by
the ordinary Typographical survey, but
by observation OF the stars, aud il is a
very expensive operation and requires a
great deal OF time.
Now, money has already been spent
under the authority Of the United States
Government, and some, also, by the Ca
madam, or British, authorities, for the
purpose OF ascertaining with such degree
Of certainty as human observation per
miis where the lilst meridian runs. Al
some points along the line both the Cana
dian surveyors and our own have made
observations. At one point - at the
crossing of Forty Mile Creek-the two
surveyors are only about six feet apart
In another place-at the Yukon River
they are 6lS feet apart. The meridian
has been located with this approximate
degree of accuracy upon the principal
waler-courses which form the highways
by means OF which miners and other
immigrants enter the country"