The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-13
True Border Between Alaska and
British Columbia.
ABLE REVIEW or THE QUESTION
feu. j. D. McteaIfe, Who Drafted the
n~uevt of the Comnsistee APP
netpt~SI by the Seattle Chamber
ef Commerce., Presents . Resume
If Dstn ON which the Report
Mas BASED and the Cancellations

re boundary line between Alaska and
prstlsa Columbia bring 20 mind the splen-
xa work done BIZ the Seattle Chamber Of
commerce three years ago toward defin-
he se.tlernsn. OF the disputed line. Much
~ the valuable Information and data Sc
Sssred and published by the chamber at
xhat time was due 10 Gen. J. ID. Neteaifc.
xho wrote the chief report which finally
found its way before congress and the de-
sartnaent OF state. The ability and patient
research shown In this report were highly
eorapiinsatsd al the time by Secretary
Gresham. Senator Davis, chairman of the
e1uate committee on foreign Affairs. and
s ssasr prominent public men.
The good work done BIZ Gen Metcalfe
and the Chamber II Commerce was seuer-
ossty recognized both by the people CO
Alaska and BY the Eastern states. II did
much 10 give Seattle firm hold on north
srn trade. and at the same time showed 10
the elder states the progressive and intel
,szent spirit by which the business men Of
Seattle are adjusted.
Gen Metcalfe has carefully preserved all
TIE data on which his report was based.
and the portfolio In which he has them
fled away is in itself valuable collection
Of notable autographs and historical pa
pers. CHANGING through IL last night and
I discussing the points Involved 10 his re-
port be said:
Gen. Mctcnife's Statement.
"The boundary line OF the United States
Of America and the Dominion OF Canada.
/ dividing the territory OF Alaska from the
province of British Columbia and the
Northwest territory Of Canada has. hy
!. rasoa Of Its extraordinary length, devei-
4 opsd two subjects Tor investigation. which
mxs be pursued and determined separate
b. while the permanent dellrnitasion Of the
sDfIrs boundary involves the satisfactory
ssstIemen; Of each. The one comprehends
) the physies' location Of the one hundred
: and foriy-ilrsf meridian as produced north
xafsiy from Mount 81. Elias 10 the frozen
ocean.
The controversy over the above-men-
tened part OF the boundary has. by the
separate efforts OF the governments of the
: United States and Canada, been brought
more nearly 90 a determination than that
over southeastern Alaska. and which. IL
= appears. will be attended with more vexa-
submitted in support of the eastern bound
airy Of the strip which begins south OF
n Noun. s.. Elias and runs southeasterfy as
Tar as Portland canal. and which boundary
think We canciusively showed has been
= conceded by Canada for more thar sixty
years, and certainly. as far az the investi-
ssfoa OF the committee has extended. has
: nsser been questioned by that government
= uatll comparatively a recent date.
The Disputed Line.
: II Is necessary. for a clear nnders tanding
o. the points at issue. 10 carefully peruse
the description OF the boundary line. AS
3 expressly defined in Article /. Of the CON
yeaiioa concluded March %. 1861. between
ee IHted States OF America aud Russia.
TIE lne OF dsmarkatiun as set forth there
ID i az follows
\ ARTICLE
- Ills majesty The emperor of all the Rus
aS agrees 20 cede TO the United States,
" THIS convention, Immediately upon the
1eaaage OF the publications thereof al
2 ne territory aud dominion now possessed
ay ais said majesty on the continent or
america aad IN the adjacent islands. the
, s saa beng contained within the gepgraph-
\ ssa limits herein set forth. to-wit: The
sassern limit Is the line % demarkation be-
ssssh INC Russlan and the British posses
ION IN North America, as established by
shs convention between Russia and Great
nsaln of February sS-ie. is25. and de-
ser1hed in Articles III and ". OF said con
weston. in the following terms:
commencing from the ~0uthernm0st
lsMs OF the island called Prince OF Wales
Ssashc Nnich point lies IN the parallel of -
Nsssffes " minutes north latitude tmersdlan
- essehwical the SAID s!ne shall ascend to
aafsa along the channel called Portland
| SasaHef As far as the point Of the contin-
= ~, shsse L strikes me hsty-sixth degree
~ go asf.b latitude, FROM this last mentioned
sNNRss tae fNe az a8markasien shall follow
! 49, s summit ~ the9neUatains situated par
49, s.s .e the coast as far as tire point Of in
ss'seruon 81 The one hundred ans. ferty-nrst
eesFee % west longitude tof the same
\ = intersection 'he said meridian line OF
~ eas hundred and foyty-ffrst degree. in
~ hreioaeauoe as far as the frozen ocean
~ With TefeTenre IL the line Of de-
- 49, !. s iald dow.n in the presiding arii
wIirst. That the island called Prince al
Aes siand shan belong Wholly II Rus
meS' ~ this eessson, to the United
y !. sesend That whenever ;he summit of
~ saa,eahtsins which extend IN a direction
tssA q me coast fram the nfty-sixth
ssser y oet,h latitude 80 the point az in
sM1secsioi og tAu one hundred and forty
- = ssSfee et west longitude snail prove
leas,,~s s 0-stAnce 81 more than ten marine
So +ten thf as'esn. la limit between
= whs.e 49, f1sstss.ous and the Use OF coast
-. ze, = te beionE TO Russia as above men
se.s.'.rss - PSI IS 3 Say he linl, 10 the pos
49, NF are t.arAijei u the "A hiding 81
< ess,ast aHt NAieh SHAFT never excee, The
fsass - ten fnar-De leAsuvs thervfrorn
u xvsasd states Statutes at Large. Vol
A. 72ges sss-Ss8 N'
ae Wording ~ tha description o. me
aaaFy stnt JAS 4beee given. IL Identical
'@a9 coGtsi@ea "a Zee e~onvrnti,.1 he
- k4ss'a Sr6 Great Britain - Feb
80 -S-ia -. .a Articles III and ~
~ save tae following words nov
IS 2ess'on 81 re Calgea states Ahtst
49, 'Ae HIST PARAGRAPH &C Article "
II 49,. :" scar cfcrt @e quoted toe dfnl.-
4 80 'snsnsge assa n sEs Frenrh version
= hass'aa- t,rsifsA convention Of lSes
Y ;sas -, .'ai fae accuracy - ts4e trAnsla-
nlsht b. eo9epstes
ss"r tiesander's rka.~.
sae'e. - the controversy between
4 A ard t'ssat uE.isa a ,leh eliminated
seAssa'iaa ~ $50 aaass referred &c.
,. 'as 'f'esFatea 4ksss e. September =.
'&sssa bT che i,rRe-c- Alexander, ara
-. A sschiei e. sarsssn >sssoss. no, an,v
= As "a a ga sea- sts>as4 islands