Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-26
LETTER
More Talk About Alaskan
Boundary.
IS RUSSIA'S INTENTION
To Try and Prevent the Anglo-Ameri-
can Alliance Congressman Foss
Visits the Shipyards--Protection
of Famous Land Marks.


the Associated Press).-Upon authority
of unbounded reliability a representative
of the Associated Press has ascertained
that into the Alaskan dispute there has
crept the craftiness of Russian diplo-
macy. Russia, it can be stated, will do
everything, with every possible energy.
to prevent the practical cohesion of the
two great English-speakins nations. In
all her embassies instructions nave been
received to thWart the Anglo-American
understanding. A prominent diplomat
who is intimately acquainted with the
affairs for the last few years, said to a
representative of the Associated Press:
In any arrangement looking to a work.
ing agreemnt between England and the
United States Russia sees the defeat Of
her dearest projects. l believe her in
tense activity in China is to no small ex-
tent due to her fear that Anglo-Saxon
power, once realized, will sweep every
thing before it in the far east. Dreading
the rapid realization of this nightmare.
she is making hay while the sun shines.
in the meanwhile intriguing to the utmost
to tie the hands of those who are work
ing to materialize Anglo-American senti-
ment. The latest evidence is in the Alas
kan question. Though. strictly speaking,
il is a matter of internal policies and
would have been settled long ago if left
solely to Great Britain and the United
States, Russia has managed to suggest
motives never dreamed of by America by
distorting facts. 1t is impossible for me
to divulge exactly how or to what extent
Russia got her paws into the dispute. But
the attitude Of her press, official to the
core. is quite sufficient to show her mo-
tive
The report that sir Wilfred Laurier,
the premier Of Canada, and MI. L. H.
Davies. minister of marine and fisheries,
are to come here in regard to Alaska, is
thought by the Canadian high commits
sioners to be quite probable but nothing
is known definitely of the matter.
Both there and at the United States en-
bassy it was said the state of negotiations
have not changed and is spoken of rather
Warily. The caustic remark of Sir
Charles Topper, formerly Canadian high
commissioner, in an interview With a rep
resentative of the Associated Press had
with him August IS, when he said the
United States was purposely delaying the
settlement of the Alaskan dispute on ac-
count of the ~pecuniary benefit accruing
to miners and coast cities through the
delay and had refused to have the bound
airy delimited, as was being done in
Venezuela. created considerable dissatis-
faction at the United States embassy. 1t
was claimed there that Sir Charles Tup-
per quite misrepresented the facts and
that the dilatoriness was entirely due to
the Canadians. 1t was also said hat his
declarations that the commission pro-
| posed by the United States provided no
umpire, was a deliberate evasion as the
facts are the United States proposal in
Guided an umpire to be chosen by the
commissions from North America. The
hitch came through the absolute refusal
of the Canadians to accede, they insisting
upon an European umpire. 1t may be
said that the impression exists that the
Canadian politics are chiefly responsible
for the Alaskan impasse. This is not
really the American idea but it obtains
among some of the British officials
though most of the latter are inclined
to believe the United States should make
vast concessions in order to convince the
%neighbors of their friendship and in re-
turn for war services. In other words,
| the British are nov rather expecting a
uuid pro quo, an expression not cOmnon
in these days.
Congressman George Edmund Foss of
Chicago has completed an inspection or
the Armstrong works, ThOmpson's works.
the Fairfield, Liverpool and Belfast snip
yards and the Vickers-Maxim works
The United States naval attache, Lieut..
Colwell, accompanied Mr.. Foss. They
were afforded every courtesy by the
manufacturers and ship builders. Mr.
Foss said to a representative or the AS
sociated Press:
Il was much impressed, especially with
the Vickers-MaXim establishment. Their
facilities for manufacturing and placing
guns on board ships are not equalled.
From the results of my trip, l have come
to the conclusion that the Europeans are
far ahead of us in stations, yards
and docks. We are not the only people
on earth, though we are the best. One OF
the first measures l intend to introduce
is for a national reserve body upon which
the nation can call in the hour of need
without having to consider the feelings
Of Zach states organization"
Mr.. Foss is going to Portsmouth, Day.
export and Plymouth X week. He sails
for home on the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse Wednesday.
Mr.. Joseph H. Choate, United States
ambassador, is staying with Mr.. PhippS,
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie's partner, at Beau
fort castle, Scotland. Mr.. Henry White,
secretary of the United States en-
bassy, is still away and Mr.. James II.
Carter is in charge of the embassy.
A curious craze has cropped up for the
protection of land marks and places Of
historical interest against the assaults of
American m~illionaires. Stonehenge is the
Last which is alleged to be