New-York tribune., 1897-08-31
D1NGCROTS UiPUiKING.

As n matter Of course the frantic rush OF gold
seekers toward the Yukon Valley has created an
enormous demand for information Of every sort
and descripiion in regard 10 that region, and II
must he allowed that the efforts to supply the
demand have been as prompt and vigorous anl
successful as circumstances would permit II Is
pretty safe 10 say that more has been published
about the Yukon gold diggings in the last three
months than appeared about the California dig
cings during the first three years after the tales
of their richness began 10 reach the States
AT the present rate it will not be long before
every public library of any pretensions will have
It's "KlOndikc Department crammed with books
and pamphlets and maps and so on.
A few words about the maps. or some OF them,
are pertinent AT this time All of them possess
some value and will he Of some service to the
explorer and prospectcr. In the nature OF
things all Of them must be exceedingly imper-
feet and more or less inaccurate. based as they
necessarily are on insufficient data. But they
are the best that can be had now or until the
regions they purport TO represent have been
more thoroughly explored and their geographical
and other features carefully studied and de-
scrihed In view of this fact, it seems IN I'M
fortunate undertaking. to say the least. for any
department or bureau of the United States Gov
ernmcnt TO publish and issue an "officar map
Of Alaska and the adjacent British territory. pur-
porting To define the boundary line which seI'a-
rates Them At least three such maps have been
issued within the last few weeks-two by the
Coast and Gcodctc Survey Bureau of the Treas
ury Department and one by the Bureau of
American Republics in The State Department
and another one, on an elaborate scale. has been
projected and is in course of preparation by the
Bureau Of Public Lands in the Department of
the Interior
Now. il is we'll known that the boundary line
between Alaska and the british possessions has
not yet been determined and agreed on by the
United States and Great Britain. That portion
Of I, extending from Prince Of Wales Island. in
Southeastern Alaska, to Mount 81. Elias has
long been and still is the subject of n controversy
arising from conflicting interpretations of the
treaty between Russia and Great Britain: anl
that portion Of it between Mount 81. Elias and
the Arctic Ocean has not yet been determined
and marked by the joint action of the United
States and Great Britain, although Independent
surveys of a considerable part of ii have been
made which. we understand. closely coincide
with each other. II is the latter portion Of the
boundary which crosses The gold fields of the
upper Yukon basin On each Of the three official
mans thus far issued line j. drawn which
purports TO define the boundary between Alaska
and British America. These lines. Of course
must be regarded rs purely conventional. They
NAV turn ont In the end 10 be- fairly accurate
and on the other hand. and quite as probably
be found leagues out Of the way, and prove
cause of more or less serious embarrassment in
the future There does not seem 10 he any good
reason why the Government should. by the acts
of its own agents, run the risk OF thus hand
Gaping Itself.
Experience has shown that every boundary
dispute between the United States and Great
Britain has been tedious. and that the latter has
uniformly gained IN advantage over the former.
The Northwestern boundary question remains
unsettled 10 this day. although ii has been dealt
with In four treaties and by several international
commissions. That portion Of the boundary be-
tween Lake Superior and the Lake Of the Woods
has never yet been properly surveyed or chartcd
by the Joint action Of tie United States and
Great Britain. but maps purportlng 10 show the
boundary line have been repeatedly issued hy
authority Of both governments Only two years
ago the Acting Secretary of State in an official
communication to the diplomatic representatives
Of Great Britain called attention 10 the fact that
the demarcailon Of that portion Of the boundary
was found To be "ln vague and unsatisfactory
condition." which appeared 10 require the atlen
ion Of the two governments. or course. the
question is one which cannot he settled without
joint action. and steps leading 10 such action
cannot be much longer postponed. Already
American citizens holding patents from the