Evening star., 1897-02-26
ALASKA's BOUNDARY
Text of the Treaty Signed for Its Deter.
mination.
The Agreement Reached by Secretary
of state Olney and Sir
Julian Paunccfote.

The following is the text of the treaty
| Tor the determination oe the Alaskan
boundary signed on January 30, 1897. be-
| tween Secretary Olney and Sir Julian
| Pauncefote:
Article I.
Each government shall appoint one COM
| missioner. with whom may be associated
such surveyors. astronomers and other as
s.stants as each government may elect
The commissioners shall at as early a
period as practicable proceed to trace and
mark under their joint direction. and by
JOINT operations in the field. so much of the
14lst meridian of west longitude as is
NECESSARY to be defined for the purpose of
determining the exact limits of the terri
tory ceded to the United States by the
treaty between the United States and Rus
sia of March 30, 1867
Inasmuch as he summit of Mount ST.
Elias, although not ascertained to lie In
fact upon said 14lst meridian is so nearly
coincident Herewith that it may oonven-
iently be taken as a visible landmark where
by the initial part of said meridian shall
De established ii is agreed that the COM
missioners, should they conclude that II is
advisable so to do, may defect the most
make the same range with the summit of
MI s.. Elias. such DETECTION not to extend
more than twenty geographical miles nor; h.
Wardly from the initial point
Article III.
Inc data relating to determinations all
ready made al this time by either of the
two governments concerned of points ON
or near the Hist meridian for the pirpose
OF nXlng its position shall be submitted bv
each government to the commissioners who
snail decide which of the results of the de-
examinations shall be adopted by them
In case of disagreement betweep tba oor,
Hissloners as to the correct geographical
co-ordinates of one and the same point de-
termined by either of the two governments
separa'ely: position midway between The
TWO locations in question of the Hist
meridian shall be adopted provided the
discrepancy between them shall moi ,x
ceed 600 feet
Jclnt determination shall be made by the
commissioners
Article ILL.,
Inc location of the Hist meridian as
determined hereunder. shall be marked by
lnfervisible objects, natural or artificial. at
such distances apart the commissioners
shall agree upon, and by such additional
marks as they shall deem necessary, and
the line when and where thus marked i'm
whole or in part. shall be deemed TO per-
manently define for all international pur-
poses the Hist meridian mentioned i'm the
treaty of March 30. 1867 between the
United States and Russia and in the treaty
-S -. a n
and Russia.
The location of the marks shall be de-
scribed by such views maps and other
means as the commissioners shall decide
upon. and duplicate records of these de-
scripuons shall be attested by the commits
sioners Jointly, and be by them deposited
with their respective governments together
with their final report, hereinafter men
toned.
Article ".
Each government shall bear the expenses
pontees and of the operations conducted
by them, but the cost of material used i'm
permanently marking the meridian. and of
Its transportation. shall be borne Jointly
and equally by the two governments
Article v.
The commissioners shall diligently prose
cute the work 10 its completion and they
| shall submit to their respective govern
| ments, from time TO time, and at least once
| in every calendar year, a joint report of pro-
| gress. and a final comprehensive report
| upon the completion of the whole work
The present convention shall be duly
ratHed by the President of the United
States of America, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate thereof, and by
\ her Brittannic majesty. and the ratifica-
/ tions shall be exchanged at Washington or
| in London as soon as possible within twelve
months from the date hereof.
In faith whereof. We, the respective pleni-
potentiaries, have signed this convention,
and have hereunto affixed our seals.
Done in duplicate in Washington the
lhirtieth day of January. one thousand
eight hundred and ninety-seven.
RICHARD OLNEY tSeal)
JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. tSeal)