The herald., 1898-11-17
TIE KUSIvAAK SHORES
STICK AWAY OUT INTO THE
...,.-., BERING SEA -,
This Gives the United States Some New
Territory Which Will Not Need
Fortifying

WASHINGTON, Nov. l6-Assistant G..
II. Pratt has submitted to Superintendent
Prichett, of the coast and geodetlc survey,
report of the coast survey party opera
tions during the past summer in Alaska.
The report notes the discovery of $500 ad-
ditional miles of United States territory,
and deals with the work accomplished in
the interest of Alaska navigation.
Referring to the newly explored territory
of the United States, which hitherto has
not been included as part Of this country.
The report says:
'The Kusivaak channel extends very
nearly parallel with the shore until about
half way to the Krypniak, when it turns
seaward, and when beyond the sight OF
land spreads out into bar with from six to
eight feet of it in low tide. The flats are
irregular with blind pockets, etc. The
shores in the vicinity OF kusivlak mouth
are about 25 miles further out into Bering
Sea than indicated Gu published charts. In
round numbers this difference includes an
area of about $500 square miles. The high
lands of Cape Dyer were almost always OBJ
scured by clouds, but it would seem that
its present longitude will not be much
changed, whereas there is possibility OF
placing its latitude more to the southwark.
There is about two feet of water on the
Aphoon Channel entrance at mean low wa
ter and inside of it quite an intricate chan
mel. The proposed charter of this locality
should be sent to st. Michael by next sea-
sons coast survey party, whose very first
duties should be to re-examine for changes,
and thoroughly buoy out this channel, as
the ice will carry off buoys left there this
year, to determine and then plat the buoys
on these charts and then turn them over for
general distribution"
A chart is recommended covering the
stretch from Cape Dyer to Besboro Island
to assist vessels trying early in the season,
as they usually do, to get through to St.
Michael by going through the Bering Sea
ice, supposed to be swept off shore some-
what by the currents from the river mouths
and the Yukon bar or flats.
1t Is now a foiegone conclusion that the
passenger business of the Upper Yukon
country is and will remain via this pass.
while for long time the bulk of the freight
will go via the rivers mouth. There are now
between sixty and seventy regular river
steamers in the carrying business and still
freight was left behind at St. Michael when
the season closed in.' The ocean traffic has
been proportional, there being as many as
thirty deep water vessels at anchor in St.
Michael and Orange at time, the average
during the season being twenty. The great.
est stumbling block in the St. Michael freight
business is the transfer from ocean to river
craft in an unprotected roadstead, the water
depth being such that ocean vessels do not
anchor within about two miles Of the nearest
shoal water landings. Ocean vessels can be
run on comparatively close schedule as to
time, whereas as the uncertainty of the time
of arrival OF the river boats, due to getting
aground, varying strength OF currents, ETC.,
varies at times as much as two weeks and
consequent delays to ocean craft cause great
loss, sometimes an entire trip during the
season. If next years examinations should
develop the fact that somewhere in Scam
mon bay the shores were bold enough to en-
able seagoing vessels to discharge at docks
then by artificially marking the Kusilvak
entrance so that it could be readily found,
the cost of transportation could be sensibly
lessened."