Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-25
For Permanent Settlement OF
Alaska Boundary Dispute.
WILL CONCEDE GOLD LANDS
In Return for RelInt,uisl,ment of All
Claims to skasuay aud DyeA' the
Cannuck+ Demand Pyramid Hur-
Dor. Terms OF Proposition,
!Py Tclecranh.l

:Hy Tclegranhl
LONDON. Oct. 24.-The Associated
Press is enabled u give authoritative
~ tanada's final proposition fol. Il J..r-
ihahent settlement Of the Alaska dis
putc- 1t is Very different from her for
mel demands and was delivered to
United States Ambassador Choate by
he Canadian minister Of marine ana
fisheries. Sir Louis Henry Davies, late
tonight. before the latter sailed, anu
dispatched today to Washington BY the
officials of the United States embassy.
1t is as follows:
That the boundary line be arbitrated
upon terms similar to those imposed by
over Venezuela. particularly provisions
making fifty years occupancy by eithe:.
side conclusive evidence Of title, occu-
pancy of less than that period to be
| taken as equity allows under interna-
| tionai law.
SkAG I7lAY AND DYEA
| mat. as a condition precedent to
and absolutely preliminary to arbitra-
tlon. Skaguay and Dyea would be con-
coded to the United states without f1~-
ther claim IL Canada received Pyram mid
| harbor.
In other words. Canada gives IN
much OF the disputed gold country in re-
turn FOR & seaport but STIMULATES that
she must get the latter before sh.
agrees to arbitrate the boundary line"
| me propositions OF Sir Louis Henry
! Davies were made privately and were
apparently. the result of an unexpected
| TOR Sir Louis. the day previous ex-
! pressed no inkling that he was empow-
cred to make such sweeping proposals.
The Canadian statesman. heretofore.
has mistakenly denied the United
states contention that Dyea and ska
quay must first be coded to the United
states before treating on the subject
and his sudden change Of front and the
concession of two such important points
are apparently intended as q COUP. and
Mr.. Choate was found. to a certain ex-
tent, unprepared, The only reply he
| could make was that he would inform
the authorities at Washington and
await their advices. as his Instructions
did not contemplate such a change OF
base by Canada.
IMPERIAL PRESSURE.
The Associated Press is reliably in
! formed that Canadas new position was
greatly influenced by imperial pressure
and It can be stated definitely that Mr..
| Chamberlain advised concession as
OF entry from United States control.
with the professed reason that COM
mcrcial advantages would accrue
thercfrom. But it is said that the III
terror motive is to increase British ma
| val strength by making Pyramid har-
| Dor IL strong naval base.
Regarding the probable action of the
| onlted states in these altered cond.-
| tons, British official opinion is that the
United States. having been granted
Dyea and Skaguay. cannot refuse to
accept the Identical form Of arbitration
they compelled England to take toward
| Venezuela. This course is contingent
upon the United states deciding that
the old RerinS country is more valuable
! than Pyramid harbOr
AS WASHINGTON VIEWS IT.
| W AS I'll NOTION. Oct. 24.-It is said
at the State Department that the prop
osition to a permanent Alaskan
boundary laid down by Sir Louis Da-
! Eies is nothing more or less than a
summary of claims heretofore prefer
red When the commission was in ses-
sion last spring and the Canadian
proposition was made to settle the
| boundary question by arbitration the
! American commissioners replied with
an offer to accept arbitration with the
| proviso that no point occupied by Amer
| leans tor specified term of years
should be submitted to the arbtra ton.
THAT by no possibility could the title to
| Skaguay, Dyea or any other place that
The Americans had occupied for period
represented by the discovery Of the
| i>londike field be called into question
| by the arbitration
| ONCE REJECTED.
! This was one Of the final propositions
rejected by the Canadian commissions
erS when caused the failure of the
I joint conference. Since that time there
! have been several suggestions in the
| nature of compromises and included
| among these was one like that embou-
led in Sir Louis Davies propositions.
namely: That the United States should
confirm the Canadian title to Pyramid
| harbor in return for Canadian conflr-
| nation of the American title to Ska
quay and Dyea
| 1t is not possible to accurately fore
cast the view that the State Depart
| ment Will take OF this last proposition
but it may be proper to recall the fact
! that in the opinion of the Department
/ Canada mas no more claim to Pyramid
harbor than it has to Skaguay and
pyea and the British government has
already been informed of that belief.
Therefore. it seems probable that Sir
Louis Davies proposition will not ma
| terlally advance permanent settle
| ment OF the boundary question, anu
| that the two countries will continue to
act for some time to come under the
terms of the modus vivendi recently a r.
ranged ny Secretary Hay and Mr..
| Tower.
| Vessels Arrived.
1