The times., 1899-10-21

to Meet Before Congress Convenes
The Interested Parties Pleased.
The formal ratification of the modus VI
vendi, establishing a temporary boundary
line between Alaska and Canada, took place
yesterday morning. At that time a note
was handed 10 Secretary Hay by Mr.. Tower,
The British Charge d'Anaires. formally ac-
cepting for his Government the temporary
Alaskan boundary line which was agreed
upon some time ago by Secretary Hay and
Nj Tower
The result Of this settlement is to leave
the whole question of the Alaskan boundary
open for permanent settlement through
diplomatic or other agencies. and at the
same time, relieve these further nego;ia-
ticns Of any prejudice on account of local
and irritating temporary disputes. State
/ Department officials feel highly gTatified at
The outcome of the diplomatic efforts which
have resulted in the ratification. The text
OF the modus yivsndi is as follows:
It Is hereby agreed between the Governments
OF the ui,ld States and OF Great Britain that
She boundary line between Canada and the Ter
fItou af Alaska in the region about the head OF
lh I.I4 ana. raaH4 bt Professionally UAeu without
prejudice 20 the claims Of either party in tha
permanent adjustment OF the International
boundary as iJ-Iows-
I'm the region Of the Dalton trail a line be-
ginning n the peak west Of Porcupine Greek,
marked on the Nap No 10 Of the United States
Commission December 81, 1895, and sheet
No. j. ef the British Commission. December 81,
le+'. with The number 6.3bA, thence running TO
ihe h 'etilni Cor hlaheea) River IN the direction
/ F tho peak north Of that river, marked 1920
! on tue aforesaid United States map and 025 on
L o. l.rH rrrar nr- fTEE TfIE
high nr right bank OF the said klehIni River 10
! the junction thereof with the Chilkat River, j
miac and haf. mere CT less, north OF hiuk-
/ Wan-proyiGCd. that persons proceeding 10 or
! from P0rcurue Greek shall be freely permitted
tD follow the trail between the said creek and
/ the said junction Of the rivers, into and across
the tc-ritarE on the Canadian side OF the tenn
( Vufarg line wherever the trail crosses to such
side and. subject 10 such reasonable reg1tia-
lions for the protection Of the revenue is the
/ Canadian Government may prescribe. 10 carry
with fhru over such part or parts of the trail
between JEg said points may lie the Cana
; diaH side oi the temporary line, such goods and
articles they desire without being required
1 90 pay any cuz-oms duties on such goods and
! articles; and fIom said junction TO the summit
! nj lhe peak east q the Chilkat River, marked
s or the Aforesaid map No 10 Of the United
States Commission with the number $40, and
on the map No. II Of the aforesaid British
Commission with the number $40.
On the Dyea and Skagway trails the SUBMITS
Of the ChilkOCt and White passes II is under
sto0d as formerly set forth in communications
OF the Department Of State OF the United States
that the citizens or subjects Of either power
found ty this arrangement within the temporary
jurisdiction Of the other, shall suffer no di'ni-
mutton of TIE rights and privileges which they
Z now ENJOY.
The Government Of the United States viii at
once appoint officer or ,ffCers in conjunction
with al officer or officers 20 he named by the
Government Of Her Britannia Majesty. to mark
The temporary line agreed upon By the erection
ri pests, stakes, or other appropriate temporary
mar-s.
As the boundary question has been re-
} moved from the field, a session of the Joint
High Commission viii doubtless be held
before Congress convenes, although no ar
rangements TO that effect have yet been
made
The arrangement Of the provisional
boundary is regarded IL Government and
/ diplomatic circles here as a triumph for
I Secretary Hay Mr. Tower is praised for
/ his part in bringing about an adjustment
I cf an embarrassing question. After the
! BriJish-Amsrican Joint High Commission
( decided to adjourn sine die because il did
/ not come TO conclusion about the Alaska
! boundary, Mr.. Hay took the matter up
/ diplCmatically, and the result has demon
! stFated that one determined tactfuI man
! can accomplish that which a dozen at
! tempted and failed. There were many en-
! baFTassments in the negotiations inaugu-
) rated Dy MI. hay. More tnan once pros
pect OF an agreement seemed hopeless.
I Despite discOuragements, however, Mr.
! Hay persisted and finally proposed a set
( tlement. maintaining all the rights claimed
/ By the United States. that the Canadian
authorities agreed 10 sanction.
There IS no surrender Of territory by
i this Government under the agreement. The
/ rights Of both parties are not pTeiudiced
/ by IL. As an example Of how the arrange
I ment viii be regarded by the American
/ citizens most concerned, il is stated that
/ the agent of the Dalton interests in the
KIOndike country has expressed great
qualification over the provisions of the
mCdus
The Daltons Own much valuable proper
Ly in the gold region. Their agent came
here a few days ago to protest against
the modus vivendi. having been informed
that lt provided for the surrender OF a
4 large amount Of territory to Great Britain
When informed Of the terms OF the argee-
/ menr and shown the provisional boundary.
/ which did not give Great Britain a port in
+ tidal water CT any navigable stream lead
/ ing 10 tidewater, he expressed himself
T as perfectly satisfied.