The record-union., 1899-10-21
The BOUNDARY
OF ALASKA.
Controversy Over the Line for a
Time at an End.
Great Britlan Accepts the Proposition for
an Adjustment of the Dispute.
Under the Modus Vivendi Signed at
Washington Yesterday the Ca
nadians Will Not be Allowed to
Reach ANY Point on the Lynn
Canal.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.-Mr Tower,
the British charge here, called at the
State Department to-day and handed
to Secretary Hay note formally ac-
cepting for his Government the propo-
sition for the temporary adjustment of
the Alaskan boundary line proposed by
Secretary Hay in his note Of yesterday
With that note the long-expected
modus vivendi relative to the vexed
boundary question went into effect
This result has been brought about
through the direct negotiation of Sec
retary Hay and Mr.. Tower, after sew
eral failures in the past. The State
Department is confident that it has COW
cred the American interests in the mat
ter without unjustly treating Canada
The divisional line on the west by
the Dalton trail is placed twenty two
miles and a quarter above Pyramid
Harbor, which is regarded under the
treaty as tidewater mark, so the Ca
nadians are not allowed to reach any
point on the Lynn canal. Moreover
there is no permission given for a free
port or even for the free transfer across
except of miners belongings.
These matters may figure later on
when it comes to a permanent boun-
dary line, but they are not touched up
on this modus.
The modus vivendi follows the ore
cedent established by Secretary Evarts
in 1873 in agreeing upon a temporary
boundary on the Stickene River in
Alaska by an exchange of notes
The line on the Chilkat River is
twenty-five and a quarter statue miles
from the head of navigation on Chilkat
Inlet Of the Lynn Canal, and on the
klehini River, twelve miles further
inland and the whole valley of Porcu-
pine is included within the American
lines. AS to the White and Chilkoot
passes, the line is fixed at the summit
Of watershed, at the point which for
some time past has been observed by
the customs authorities of the two
countries.
The text of the modus vivendi, as
finally agreed to is as follows:
1T is hereby agreed between - CN-
ernments Of the United States and of
Great Britain that the boundary line
between Canada and the territory of
Alaska in the region about the head
of Lynn Canal shall be Professionally
fixed without prejudice to the claims Of
either party in the permanent adjust
ment of the international boundary as
follows:
In the region of the Dalton trail. q
line beginning at the peak west of Por-
cuplne Creek, marked on the map rJc
of the United States Commission. De-
cember IL, 1895, and on sheet No. IS
of the British Commission December
81, 1895, with number $500. thence
running to the Klehini (or Klaheeta)
River in the direction of the peak north
of that river. marked 5000 on the afore-
said United States map, and 5,025 on the
aforesaid British map; thence following
the high or right bank of the said
Klehini River to the junction thereof
with the Chilkat River, a mile and a
half, more or less, north of Klukwan,
provided that persons proceeding to or
from Porcupine Creek shall be freely
permitted to follow the trail between
the said creek and the said junction of
the rivers into and across the territory
on the Canadian side of the temporary
line wherever the trail crosses to such
side, and subject to such reasonable
regulations for the protection of the
revenue as the Canadian Government
may prescribe, to carry with them over
such parts or part of the trail between
the said points as may lie on the Ca
madam side of the temporary line. such
goods and articles as they desire with
out being requested to pay any customs
duty on such articles; and from said
junction to the summit of the peak east
of the Chilkat River marked on the
aforesaid map No. 10 of the United
States Commission, with the number
$40. and on the map of No. II of the
aforesaid British Commission with the
number 5.490.
"On the Dyea and Skaguay trails the
SUBMITS of the Chilkoot and White
passes.
'It is understood, as formerly set
forth in communications Of the Depart-
ment of State of the United States. that
the citizens or subjects of each Power
found by this arrangement within the
temporary jurisdiction of the other
shall suffer no dimunition Of the rights
and privileges which they now enjoy.
"The Government of the United
States will at once appoint an officer,
or officers, in conjunction with an of
ficer or officers to be named by her
majesty's Government, to mark the
temporary line agreed upon by the erec-
ton of posts. stakes or other appro-
pirate temporary marks
Some Of the more important advan-
tages that accrue to the American side
through to-day's settlement would es-
cape observation save through a study
of the map which is attached to the
notes. Thus it appears that instead Of
placing the line directly at the town
of Klukwan, which marks the head of
canoe navigation, as the British sought
to do, it has been located several miles
above that town, directly at the iunc-
ton with the Chilcat River of the i'm
portant tributary to the Klehini. This
maintains the Indians at Klukwan un-
der American jurisdiction without
question, and also provides natural
and unmistakable boundary line such
as is always sought by topographers.
in the shape of considerable river
Then, when it comes to the point of de-
parture from this river, the KIehini,
the line has been prolonged toward it's
source so as to include in American ter
ritory the mining town of Porcupine