The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-05
THE BOUNDARY OF alaska
Treaty Signed for the Set
Ting Of the Dispute.
NORTHERN PORTION o

NORTHERN PORTION ONLY
Its Report Will Be Followed by
Negotiations for the Settlement
of the Southern Section of Line.
Washington, Feb. a Secretary
Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote, at / !
O'Clock today, signed convention fol
the definition by commission of sc
much of the boundary line between
Alaska and the British possessions as is
marked by the 141st meridian.
The treaty provides for commission
of four members, whoase names will
be agreed on hereafter. The commits
sion will meet in London or Washing
ton.
l. The formal name of the treaty is:
"a convention between the United
States and Great Britain for the de-
markation of the 141st meridian west
longitude, as may be necessary for the
determination of the boundary between
their respective possessions in North
America
Its purpose is to settle beyond doubt
the exact location of the meridian, and
thus prevent the clashing between the
miners who have been attracted in
large numbers to the vicinity of the
boundary, and the location of these two
countries. The 141st west meridian is
to be selected as the boundary line by
Secretary Olney and Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, but was laid down as the line of
division in the treaty of cession by
which Alaska was passed by Russia to
the United States. The difficulty has
been to tell just where the meridian
actually runs, by no means an easy task
in such country as Central Alaska.
In even more hospitable climes, the
task of defining physically such an alb
stract line as a meridian is beset with
difficulties. It was a matter of no
surprise that in the present case the
two countries should clash often, now
that the territory is known to include
extensive and valuable gold deposits.
As laid down on the charts, the mouth
of Forty-mile creek, the Mecca of the
goldhunters, debouches into the great
Yukon river just near enough the mer-
idian to cause each side, American and
British, to set up the claim that it is
in their territory.
AS at present marked, the northern
limit of the meridian which forms the
boundary is 800 miles west of Macken-
zie bay, and the southern extremity
close to Mount st. Elisa
It is said at the state department
that there is no reasonable chance for
friction or radical difference among
the scientists who are to undertake the
work of laying down the meridian, as
this is mainly an astronomical calcula-
tion. The work of the commission will
be final, for no appeal will lie from
their decision.
The convention just signed does not,
however, settle the whole Alaskan
boundary question, which has been
pending for many years. 1t does pro-
vide for the settlement of that portion
relating to the northern boundary,
about half of the actual boundary line
between Alaska and the British possess
sions, and fortunately the portions
which demand instant treatment to re-
move the possibility of dangerous fric-
tion. The south portion of the line,
however, remains to be fixed, for it was
not only very insuffciently described
in the Russian treaty of cession as
line running laong the tops of a noun
tain range skirting the coast from the
southern edge of Alaska to point
where it connected with the 141st mer-
idian, but investigation by the coast
and geodetic survey is said to have de-
veloded the fact that there is no such
mountain range. Superintendent Duff
field, of our coast survey and Mr.. King,
one Of the British crown surveyors,
under special treaty, made careful
survey of the territory in the vicinity
Of the supposed boundary, with view
to the gathering of information on
which to base negotiations for the
drawing of new boundary line, for it
had become apparent that the Russian
definition was worthless, and that the
subject must be treated do novo. The
reports of the surveys are expected to
be made very soon, and then negotia-
tions will be set on foot for the crea-
tion of commission to locate the
southern section of the boundary line.