New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-08
BOUNDARY LINE DISPUTES.
ONE IMPORTANT MATTER TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

ONE IMPORTANT MATTER TO COME BEFORE
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES COMMISSION.
Washington. Aug. (SpeciaD.-Among the mat
tiers be considered by the joint commission APP
pointed by the United States and Great Britain.
which is to meet In Quebec August q, are ar
rangemeI,s for the compete definition and
marking Of any part of the boundary line between
the United States and Canada by land or water,
whore the same is insufcienty marked as
20 be subject of dispute.
= considerable part of the boundary from the
eastern end of Lake Ontario TO the western end OF
Rainy Lake on the northern frontier OF Minnesota.
has never been accurately defined marked and
frequent controversies have been the result. espe-
ca,ly In recent years. since the country adjacent
to the boundary has begun 10 be settled and de-
vclopei. For example. citizens OF the United States
holding patents therefrom for timber lands n
Northern Minnesota have teen warned against and
prevented from cutting the tirber by Canadian
authorities. who contended that said lands belonged
to the Dominion Government. American miners
and prospectors on the shores and Islands or the
Rainy Lake region have had their operations in
terruptel and prevented like grounds, and
American fishermen In Lake Erie have been ar
csted ana their vessels seized when as they sup
posed and contended. they in American
waters.
In the LIVth Congress the Committee on Foreign
Affairs OF the House OF Representatives investigated
these matters and reported with favorable rec
concentration a Joint resolution for the Appointment
OF commission on the part Of the United states
to act Jointly with a similar commission on the
part OF Great Britain define and mark the
boundary conventionally determined by the
treaty OF Gnent and the Webster-Ashburton treaty
OF 1872 no action was had on the joint resolution.
Among the papers submitted to the committee on
that occasion exceedingly interesting re-
port prepared by Assistant Secretary Adee, OF the
State Department.
In relation to that portion of the boundary which
crosses Lake Erie. Mr. Adee reported:
The Ghent map Of Lake Erie IL extraordinarily
imperfect in contour and Inaccurate in dimensions
TO all that part lying between the entrance to
from note thereon that the part west OF Point
Pele and Sandusky. including all the islands was
'he CommIssioners ard separate chart Of The
lake. westward Of Point Pele showing the trangn-
.atlons. and duly signed Is embraced in the Client
series. The sam" fOOtnote further states that the
other parts Of ;he lake cert IT, r into
maps supposed to be the most accurate"
,n,"fs ~ tho pr,i-r,,cv - Tho so"rrcs rom which
their map was compiled Is evident upon simple
measurement For example. in that part opposite
Long Point referred to in the committees letter OF
January u as probable Ned Tor dispute, me Dis
,nn.r from the northwestoriy pont OF Presque Isle
near Erie Penn. 20 the southern extremity If Long
isef 20 be- about thirty-scven ana 4 quarter geo
graphical niles. while upon NE accurate modern
maps. reduced from surveys made by the Arm
, roris Of Engineers and published by me Hydro
graphic once tho same distance is IA tact triHo
les than twcnty-thrce miles.
This circumstance makes Determination by mess
AIRY u the Ghcnt map impossirl" tor the distances
50 measured would 2verla7 .@l" our ii,'i.S ~
reproduction Of tho Client linz upon modern map
tho shores between which u must he drawn. This
circumstanr" alone makes the exact determination
of the chartel treaty boundary in Lake Erie NJ
either end impossible, only al approN!nit" !orttn1
Ere If ike that OF 0nar" Is @sent ~ ,Re tS-
~, hol - fh.a fuvn kos .har
rot ,xis, a chnr,ing OF The boundary having ths
force and value 81 treaty.
The Commissioners appointed under the Treaty
81 Chcnt did no, undertake to define or mark that
part OF the boundary between the ST. Mary's
River and the Lake OF the Woods. and part
OF II has never been charted at all. Respecting the
latter. Mr.. Adee wrote:
Westward OF Isle Royalc in Lake Superior no
reproduction OF the working maps OF thc Client
Commissioners has been made. but, as above saii,
they only drew the extreme westerly portion OF
the northern boundary from Chaudiere Falh 10
The northNes,cry shor" If the Lake Of the " DOCS.
A. to thut pert between Isle Royale aud Chau-
dierc Fans. where 70 ne mas as yet been char,-
ed ny Joint agreement OF ne TWO countries we
are dependent upon the description given IN Aru-
Gle II of the Treaty OF ihl2. ,,.., .,.,
mentioned Ia he commit ict,cr OF January 10,
- found Ih> part of TIE lire skiitins hunters
OF lSl,. bcr.As Al Lake sSIsaginaea. and runs
inroush ih"' ishe thefS, 10 ana '1tousT rcy ana
through the several smaller lakes Straits or
streams connecting me axes u re 't.N"iI'N' ~
is t. be Obs, r, 90 that Inc Du Bots Blanc. named
IN the treaty. IL indinerrntly called Dasswood
La q simple translation Of the treNch name.
the "Bois lane" being NJ The same species of
ire. as the bassn'0Od ~ the Unite | states 800
ON the maps which have been examined in this
department. in- small body OF water thus indLf-
ferentlv denoted As Password Lake OF Lac du
Rois blanc lies south Of large tract OF land
which on some maps j. marked Hunters Island
and bounded on the north by PimenaneSok. a sec
ond SasaginaRa cor Saiganagah). sturgeon and
Tanners Lakes, which are apparently joined ny
water courses forming the continuous communlca-
ton 20 which the committees letter OF January
I6 refers. The circumstances that continuous
water communication may exist in fact norm or
the tract known Hunters Island appears. now
ever be mmaterial in View OF the precise men
ton made Of the Lac du BOs Blanc as one or the
bodies OF water through which the boundary runs
according 10 the second article OF the treaty or
lSt2 The Cypress Lake mentioned In that treaty
has not been sat sfactory located any OF the