The Portland daily press., 1899-10-25
MAY NOT HELP MATTERS.
canada's Rights to Pyramid Harbor
Not Recognized.

csnada's Rights to Pyramid Harbor
Not Recognized.
Washington, October 24.-It is said at
the state department that the proposition
as to permanent Alaskan boundary laid
down by Sir LouisDayies is nothing more
nor lees than q summary of claims here
tofore preferred. When the commission
was in session last spr ing and the Cana
dian proposition was made to settle the
boundary question by arbitration, the
American commissioners replied with an
offer to accept arbitration with the provi-
so that no point occupied by Americans for
a specified term of years should be sub
mitted to arbitration. In other words
the term was SO fixed that by no possible
ity could the title to Sksgway, Dyea, or
any other place that the Americans had
occupied for period represented BY the
discovery of the Klondike field be called
into question by the arbitration. This
was one of the final propositions rejected
by the Canadian commissioners which
caused the failure of the joint conference.
Since that time there have besn several
suggestions In the nature Of compromises.
and included among these was one like
this embodied in Sir Louis Davies's
propositions. namely that the United
States should confirm the Canadian title
to Pyramid Harbor In return for Cana
dian confirmation OF the American title
to Skagway and Dyes.
1t is not posIibls to accurately forecast
the view that the state department will
take OF this last proposition but 1t may
be proper to recall the fact that In the
opinion of the department., Canada has
no more claim to Pyramid Harbor than 1t
has to Skagway and Dyea. and the Brit
ish government has already been In
formed of that belief. Therefore. it sssms
probable that Sir Louis Davies's proposi-
ton will not materially advance q perma-
nent settlement OF the boundary question
and that the two countries will continue
to act fer some time to come under the
terms Of the modus yivendi arranged by
Secretary Hay and MIR. Tower As to the
merits of the last mooted proposition, it
can bs stated that at no time since the
negotiations have been In progress for an
adjustment of the Alaskan boundary line
has the United States government given
serious consideration to the cession to
Canada of single inch of ground on
the shores of the Lynn canal. That posi-.
tion b not been changed In any essen
tial respect. and as Pyramid Harbor Is
certainly ON branch of the canal, IL fol-
lows that our gov ernment has never had
10 in contemplation to surrender its pos
session. There hare been some negotIa
lions respecting the allowance to the
Canadians of privileges of frsa transport
tation of goods over Anne rican territory
into British territory provided the land
ing was made at one specified point. An
alternative proposition to this has been
to lea ase port on the Lynn canal to the
Canadians, thus affording them the right
Of free entry of their goods, bus il NAV
be pointed out that the very fact of the
making of lease would be full recog-
milton of the right of the United State
to the territory afferted by the lease.
OF MIR. Lewis's mission to London, the
state department knows nothing official
". He old not appear at the department
before his departure to secure any credan-
iials and SO went entirely on his own re-
spontitiiisy.