Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04

Britain is understood to be that the line
from the extremity of Prince of Wales ISL
and should enter the tortuous and narrow
channel now known on the British admi-
rally and American charts as Pearse canal,
and thence up Portland canal to the fifty
sixth degree of latitude. thus placing Wales.
Pearse and few small islands in British
territory.
The second portion of the line in dispute
Is described in the treaty follows:
From this aforementioned point (the seth
degree above the head of Portland canaD
the line of demarcation shall follow the
summit of the mountains situated parallel
to the coast as far as the point of inter-
section of the list degree of west longi-
tude. Whenever the summit of
the mountains which extend in direction
parallel to the coast shall prove
to be at the distance Of more than ten
marine leagues from the ocean. the limit
between the British possessions and the
strip of coast which is to belong to Russia,
as above mentioned, shall be formed by
line parallel to the sinuosities of the coast,
and which shall never exceed the distance
OF ten marine leagues therefrom
The Ten Years Privilege.
This language of the treaty presupposes
that there existed defined mountain chain,
to repeat its terms, situate parallel to the
coast or which extend in direction paral-
lei to the coast; but the surveys of the re-
giun made since the territory of Alaska
was coded to the United States have estab-
lshed the fact that there is no sucn de-
fined chain or watershed within ten marine
leagues of the sinuosities of the coast
cept at two points, namely, White and Chill
koOt passes; hence the United States claims
that the boundary of the strip is placed ten
marine leagues from the coast al all points
except at White and Chilkoot passes, and
that the strip is an unbroken belt of terri
tory on the mainland, following the Sinu-
CSitieS Of the coast around the inletS of the
sea. On the other hand, the British claim
is that the line from the 56th degree runs
directly to the coast and follows the noun
tains nearest to the outer shore line and
crosses not less than ten twelve arms of
the sea or inlets, thus breaking the strip
of mainland into many different sections,
and transferring all the water of the bays
and inets to the British possessions.
The remaining article to be noted is the
seventh which provides that for the space
of ten years the vessels of the
two powers or those belonging to their re-
SIectiVe subjects, shall mutually be at lib
erty to frequent, without any hindrance
whatever, all the inland seas, the CULTS,
Ravens and creeks on the coast mentioned
in article ) for the purposes of fishing and
of trading with the natives. This ten
years privilege is inconsistent with any
other Interpretation of the treaty than the
complete sovereignty of Russia over, not
only a strip of territory on the mainland
which follows around the sinuosities of the
sea, but also of the waters of all bays or
inlets extending from the ocean into the
mainland AT the expiration of the term
of ten years the Russian minister in Wash
ingtOn gave notice to the government of
the United States that the privilege had eX-
PRED, and notification to that effect was
made in the public press of the United
States. Persistent efforts were made by
the United States to have the privilege eX-
tended for another period of ten years, but
ii was firmly refused by Russia. The Brit
iSh privilege was likewise terminated upon
the expiration of the ten years mentioned.
and this article of the treaty was never
again revived.
Having reviewed the negotiations pre-
ceiling the treaty of 1928, and examined
the provisions of that instrument now in
dispute, | pass to a statement of facts
since the celebration of the treaty, showing
the views of the high contracting parties
and those claiming under them to the
stipulaticns of that convention. AS soon
after the treaty as the data could be com
piled, to wit, in 1927, map was published
in st. Petersburg. by order of his imperial
majesty on which the boundary line of the
Russian possessions on the continent of
North America was drawn from the head
of Portland channel. at a distance of ten
marine leagues from tideWater, around the
h ad of all the inlets to the Hist degree of
longitude and thence following that lOngi-
tude to the Arctic ocean. SO far from this
map exciting any protest criticism, its
deliHeatiOn was adopted and followed by
the photographers Of his Britannia majesty,
of the government of Canada, and by all
the map-makerS of the world.
No Map With United states Treaty.
% lar us L nave DttH dtclt TO examine
the map-makers of all foreign countries
followed the boundary line drawn by Rus
STA in 1921. This was notably the case with
the French photographers, who have held
high place in the profession for accuracy
and authenticity. From the great number
Of publications. l have selected one which
appeared in 1914, first. because it was based
upon the actual observations of a voyage
OF exploration made by a French official,
and. second, because it was published by
order of the king, Under the auspices of
the president of the council of min
listers and of the minister of foreign affairs
No map accompanied the treaty of 1861
between Russia and the United States for
the ceSSion of Alaska, but Immediately
after it was signed the Secretary of State
caused map to be compiled and published
to indicate the territory acquired by that
convention, and it delineates the strip of
territory on the mainland Just as it had
been claimed by Russia forty years before
a multitude of maps might be reproduced
| to show that, with the exception of certain
maps published in British Columbia in and
| after 1881 all such publications. whether
| emanating from British and Canadian or
| from disinterested foreign sources, from
| the time the treaty of 1875 became known
| up to the meeting of the Joint high com
| mission in 1898, We're of the same char
| acter as those already described and re-
Produced"
| Mr.. Foster spoke of the power and infu-
| ence of the Hudson's Bay Company and
| the Russian American Company whose in
| forests were consulted in framing the
| treaty of 1870 and related an event which
| occurred soon after the expiration of the
| ten years privilege enjoyed by British YES
| sells and traders to visit the finland seas
| the CULTS, Ravens and creeks inclosed by
| the russian strip on the mainland and
! which is decisive of the Interpretation of
| the treaty given to it by the two nations
| who were the contracting parties.
A British vessel in the service of the
| Hudson's Bay Company, the Dryad reached
| the Russian post of Fort Wrangel des-
| tined, as it was alleged, for the British
! territory in the interior, at the headwaters
| of the Stikine river The vessel was de-
tanned and not allowed to proceed on its
| voyage. The British government protested
TO the RUSSIAN government and presented
| to 1t a large claim for damages The Rus
| sian government, being hard pressed by
| the British minister, urged the Russian
| American Company to come to some settle
| ment with the Hudson's Bay Company. and
| thereupon the governor Of the latter and
one of the directors of the former company
| with the expressed authorization of the two
| governments, met at Hamburg in 1899 As
| a result of their conferences the Russian
| American Company agreed to lease to the
| Hudson's Bay Company the strip of terri
| tory on the mainland and "all the BAYS