New-York tribune., 1897-07-31
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
CANADIAN CLAIMS REGARDED AS PRE-
POSTEROUs
RICH GOLD MINING REGIONS DECLARED BY SUR
vEYoRs TO BE IN UNITED STATES TERRI
ToRY-vIEws or SUPERINTENDENT
DUFFIELD OF THE COAST AND

TORY-vIEws OF SUPERINTENDENT
DUFrIELD. OF THE COAST AND
GEoDErfc SURVEY.
fBY TELEGRAPH To THE rRrsUNEl
Washington. July 30.-The claim OF Great
Britain to a big share Of Alaska promises to
occupy a large amount Of public attention for
some time to come. If, indeed. /. does not be-
come vital question ard give rise to diplomatic
complications between the United States and
England. The claim ia regarded by Government
officials here as prepJsterous. II is considered
unfortunate that the Senate. before which the
boundary question was brought as the outcome
OF a treaty negotiated by Secretary Olney and
Sir Julian Pauncefo,e. did not place itself on
record IN the matter Before a cote was taken
Congress adjourned, 80 that the location OF the
divisional line which has been In dispute since
1884. is nearer settlement than IT has been
at any period in the last thirteen years.
General Dufeld. superintendent OF the Coast
and Geodetc Survey. member Of the
Boundary Commission. The survey authorized
by it has until recently been deemed official and
correct by both countries General Dufiield sai1
to-day: up to 1854 both countries were prscti-
cally united az to the boundary line from Mount
ST. Elias 20 the southeast. According to the
terms OF the treaty between Russia and Great
Britain, the United States In purchasing Alaska
in 1861 acquired all Of Russia's rights In de-
scribing the southeastern boundary the Anglo
Russian treaty read:
The line OF demarcation between the possessions
of the high contracting parties upon the coast OF
northwest shall be drawn in the following manner
GsS Prnc hs Of Ta san PShc %heh d point
lies in the parallel of 81 degrees 20 minutes north
OF q
ascend to the north along the channel called Port.
Where It Strikes the 18Th degree % of north latitude
From this last mentioned point the line OF demarca'
uated parallel to the coast as far the point Of
intersection of the list degree OF longitude OF
Of fe h sad and e n0 line of the
degree. IN ,Its proiongation az far as the frozen
and British possessions OH the Continent Of Amer
lea to the northwest. Wherever the summit Of the
the from the 18th degree Of north latitude
the point Of intersection of the ilst degree OF west
ten marine leagues from the ocean the limit
coast which is to belong TO Russia. as above men
TONED snail m be formed by line parallel 10 The
the distance Of ten marine leagues therefrom.
"On all maps from 1926 down to 1854 the
boundary line had been shown as in general
terms parallel to the winding Of the coast and
thirty-fve miles from 1t In 1884, however an
fection in this line at its south end. Instead Of
passing up Portland ChaEnel. this Canadian
map showing the boundary as passing up Benin
Canal arm Of the sea some sixty or
seventy miles west of Portland Channel, this
change having been made on the bare assertion
that the words Portland Canal as inserted were
erroneous. BY this change the line and an
area of American territory about equal in size
TO the State OF Connecticut transferred TO
British territory. There are three facts which
go to show that this map was incorrect. N the
first place. the British Admiralty. when survey
ing the northern limit Of the British Columbian
possessions in 1865, one year after the cession
Of Alaska, surveyed Portland Canal and not
Benin Canal. and thuI, by implication. admitted
this canal to be the boundary line Second. the
region now claimed by British Columbia was at
that time occupied as a military post or the
United States without objection or protest on
the part OF British Columbia Third. Annette
Island in this region was by act Of Congress
four years ago set apart as reservation for the
use Of the Metlaktaa Indians, who sought asy-
lum under the American flag to escape annoy
ances experienced und,r the British flag.
Another change made at Lynn Canal,
the norhernmOst extension OF the Alexander
Archipelago which runs north of Juneau. and
Is the land outlet for the Yukon trade. The
official Canadian map OF 1881 carried the
boundary line around the nedl or tnlS canal.
Another Canadian map, three years later. car
ried the line across the head or the canal In
such manner as 10 throw Its headwaters into
British territory Still later Canadian maps
carry the line, not across the head of the canal,
but across near its mouth. some sixty or sew
enty miles south OF the former line. in such a
way practically to take in Juneau. or. at
least. all overland Immediately back or H. And
the very latest Canadian map. published at OF
tawa within a few days. while 1t no line
at all southeast Of Alaska, prints the legend
British Columbia portions Of the Lynn
Canal. which are now administered by the
United States
recent report Of the United States surveyors
as to the boundary line in this region said
I'm substance, these determinations throw the
diggings at the mouth Of Forty Mile Creek with
in the territory Of the United States. The whole
valley Of Birch Creek another most valuable
gold producing part of the country, Is also In the
United States. Most OF the gold is to the west
OF the crossing OF the Hist meridian at Forty
Mile Creek II We produce the 14lst meridian on
a chart the mouth OF Miller's Creek, tributary
Of Sxty-Mile Creek and valuable gold region.
is five miles west In an air line. or seven miles
according TO the winding OF the stream-al with
in the territory OF the United states. In SUBJ
stance. the only places in the Yukon region
where gold in quantity has been found are
therefore all to the west OF the boundary line
between Canada and the United States"
II can readily be seen that the claim OF the
United States Is directly opposed to that OF the
Canadians. IL is true that the arbitration OF the
141st meridian was favored by the United States
surveyors, Dut some OF tnSin were ansered AT
the claims OF the English with regard to Lynn
Creek and the whole southeastern boundary. and
EXPRESSED the belief that the United States
would refuse TO arbitrate the claims OF this por-
ton OF the boundary.
THINKS GOLD WILL f DEMONETIZED.
REPRESENTATIVES, HII.BoRN BECOMES ENTHUsI-
,srI, OVER THE CIONDYKE DISCOVERIES
Washington July 30 (SpeciaD. Representative
Ulborn of California. Is a Republican who is 4
ceedingly friendly 70 silver. but whose party ae-
glance has never wavered on that account. He be-
came n resident OF the Golden Safe thir,y-sx
years ago. and has been careful and deeply In
,erested observer OF the ups and downs OF gold
mining ever since. well as of the wonderful sill
vcr deyelopments OF the last twenty-five or thirty
vaars Mr. Hlborn is naturally enthusiastic over
- discayerIcs q Nd d.yal