The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-17
ALASKAN BOUNDARY CONTENTION,
A bait TO Enticc the United states TO Abandon
the Ten Marine Leagues Claim.

A Halt TO Entice the United states to Abandon
the Ten Marine Leagues Claim.
WASHINGTON, April l5.-President Cleveland
sent to the Senate on Jan. 80 last an Alaskan
boundary convention arranged between Sir
Julian Pauncefotc. the British Minister, and
Secretary Olncy, which still remains on the ex.
ccutive calendar undisposed OF. At the opening
of the present session Senator Davis, tho Chair.
man of the Committee on Foreign Relations,
explained the treaty at length, and urged the
Senate to ratify 1t at once. Saying that by its
terms the country would gain a large addition
Of valuable territory. Senator Stewart of
Nevada, however, objected to the consideration
OF the treaty at that time, and Senator Davis
announced that he would call 1t up later, but he
has not done SO. and apparently for a good
reason.
1t is now discovered that the particular clause
in the agreement by which the United States was
said to gain about fourteen square miles OF tor
ritory through tho liberality Of the British Gov
eminent was misunderstood both by Secretary
Olney and the Committee on Foreign Relations,
and it is not likely that the boundary treaty in
its present shape will again be considered by tho
Senate. II II had not been for Senator Stewart 8
objection. which. however. was not based upon
any knowledge of the flaw in the treaty, it would
have been ratified at once. During the interval
the terms Of the convention have been exam
ined. with the result that certain Senators feel
assured that the wording OF the third clause of the
first article, providing that notwithstanding the
summit of Mount ST. Elias Is within the Canadian
boundary line, that Government is willing to
divide it with the United States because Of its
convenience in marking a new initial point, Is
really Il bait to entice the United States into a
complete abandonment OF our ten, marine
leagues" claim throughout the "thirty-mile
strip" between the l4lst meridian. west longi-
tude. and the head OF the Portland Canal. In
other words, the Canadians proposed TO put the
United States on record as dividing with them
the summit OF a mountain that lies wholly within
the 14lst meridian. Using this point of falsede-
parturc rs a precedent OF our own making, the
Canadians would insist upon applying the rule
all the way down the coast of islands and main
land to the mouth OF the Portland Canal. The
application Of the rule would cost the United
States practically oil Of the territory in that re-
gion worth having and which this Government
claims.
Official acknowledgment OF the fact that the
summit OF Mount St. Elias lies wholly within
the intersection of our ten marine Leagues y"
line with the l4lst meridian may DO found in
the Canadian seasonal Papers; Is, $50, Vol.
20. No. IL, 1896"
Gi) Joint report OF commissioners appointed un.
der Article l. OF the convention between the United
States OF America and the United Kingdom Of Great
Britain and ireland for the delimitation OF the boun-
dairy line between the United States and the Dominion
OF Canada. dividing Alaska from British Columbia, To.
gether with the approved minute OF council thereon
on Goth OF February. 1890; also the summit Of Mount
Sc. Elias is by the best determination In latitude 40
IL 1910" and longitude lt0' 80 47.S2". being
2s.S30 nautical miles from the line OF coast west OF
Yakutat Bay, and 2.4l statute miles east OF the l<lst
meridian.
W. W. DuVvIgIp, United States Commissioner.
W. F. KING. Her Majesty's Commissioner.