The Irish standard., 1899-10-28
cANADA's LATEST PLAN.
Rroposes That Alaskan Dispute BE
Arbitrated According to vene-
xuelan Idea.

London, Oct. 25.-The press is en-
abled to give authoritatively Canada's
final proposition for permanent set
Element of the Alaska dispute. 1t is
very different from her former de-
mands and was delivered to United
States Ambassador Choate by the
Canadian minister of marine and fish
cries, Sir Louis Henry Davies, late
the night before the latter sailed and
dispatched Tuesday to Washington by
the officials of the United States en-
bassy. 1t is as follows:
That the boundary line be arbitrated upon
terms similar to those imposed by the
United States and Great Britain over Ven
ezuela. particularly those provisions maxi
ing 80 years occupancy by either side con-
elusive evidence of title, occupancy of less
than that period to be taken as equity al
lows under international law
absolutely preliminary to arbitration.
skaguay and Dyea would be conceded to
the United States without further claim
II Canada received Pyramid harbor.
In other words, Canada gives up much
of the disputed gold country in return
for seaport, but stipulates that she
must get the latter before she agrees to
arbitrate the boundary line.
The press is reliably informed that
Canada's new position was greatly in
fuenced by imperial pressure, and it
can be stated definitely that Mr..
Chamberlain advised concession as
much as possible in order to gain port
Of entry free from United States con-
troll, with the professed reason that
commercial advantages would accrue
therefrom. But it is said that the
Interior motive is to increase the Brit
ish naval strength by making Pyramid
harbor strong naval station.
Regarding the probable action Of the
United States in these altered condi-
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 to-
wards Venezuela. This course is con-
tingent upon the United States decd-
ing that the old Rehring country is
more valuable than Pyramid harbor.
Washington, Oct. IS. 1t is said
at the state department that the
proposition as to permanent
Alaskan boundary laid down by Sir
Louis Davies is nothing more nor less
than a summary of claims heretofore
preferred. When the commission was
in session 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 for a specified term of years
should be submitted to the arbitration
In other words. he term was so fixed
that by no possibility could the title
to Skaguay, Taiya, or any other place
that the Americans had occupied for
a period represented by the discovery
of the INlondille fields 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 confer
ence.
Since that time there have been sew
eral suggestions in the nature of COM
promises. and included among these
was one like this embodied i'm Sir Louis
Davies propositions, namely: That the
United States should confirm the Cam
adian title to Pyramid harbor in return
for Canadian confirmation of the Amer
lean title to SlSaguay and Taiya. IT is
not possible to accurately forecast the
view that the state department will take
of this last proposition. but ii may be
proper to recall the fact that in the
opinion of the department, Canada has
no more claim TO Pyramid hnrbor than
it has to Skaguay and Taiya, and the
British government has already been
Informed of that belief. Therefore, it
seems probable that Sir Louis Davies
proposition will not materially advance
permanent settlement of the boun-
Diary question. and that the two coun-
tries will continue TO act for some time
to come under the terms of the modus
vivendi recently arranged by Secretary
Hay and Mr.. Tower.