Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-29
BLOCKED BY CANADA
Deadlock Caused in the Alaskan
Boundary Negotiations.
ARBITRATION PREVENTED
The Dominion Government Pre-
sented an Impossible CONDITION.
CERTAIN LAND

Considerable Misrepresentation seems to
exist in London, and to some degree in
this country, as to the exact status of the
negotiations between the United States and
Great Britain respecting Canadian-Amer
lean issues. According to the official rec
ord, the high joint commission adjourned
some months ago because it had reached an
apparently insurmountable obstacle in the
Alaskan boundary question. After the ad-
journment the two governments took up
that particular question with a view of
settling 1t, and thus removing 1t from the
path of the many other important issues
involved. There were numerous delays,
owing to the need of exchanging views be-
tween London, Washington and Ottawa,
and the authorities here became convinced
that an adjustment was practically impos-
sible But the feeling in London was more
hopeful and when Sir Julian Pauncefote
reached London on his way to The Hague,
he held conferences with Lord Salisbury,
which resulted in a definite proposal for
settling the boundary issue.
The New Proposal.
The main point of this proposal was that
separate tribunal of arbitration should
pass on the boundary question. 1t was
communicated to Ambassador Choate, and
by him to the State Department.
When the plan was received the President
was absent at Hot Springs, Va, and it was
felt desirable to await his return before
giving a final answer. There was little or
no doubt that the answer would have been
favorable, and that arbitration would thus
have been agreed upon as means or ad-
justing this troublous Alaskan issue. But
just as the acceptance was about 70 be
given, the officials here were surprised to
have presented an extraordinary condition
which Canada imposed in connection with
the submission of the question to arbitra-
ton. This condition was that Canada
should have Pyramid HarbOr and a strip
of territory on the Lynn canal, without
reference to the general conclusions reach
ed by the tribunal of arbitration Pyramid
Harbor was particularly mentioned as the
port on the Lynn canal that Canada was
to have. This port and the strip of territory
on the coast would have carried also the
back country leading to the interior.
Canada's Condition Rejected.
This condition, coming after the arbitra-
ton plan had been formally proposed and
was about to be accepted, caused not only
surprise, but some degree of indignation
among the officials here. After canvassing
the situation, the view prevailed that Cam
ada wanted arbitration which would insure
a favorable decision her side, or else, If
the decision was unIdNOfbDIe, Foulu give
her rights In Pyramid Harbor and on the
Lynn canal regardless Of the general de-
ciSOn of the arbitration. d. , -
1t was decided not to accept this condi-
ton. and peremptory refusal was given
to the proposition
Thus the matter stands, with Canada
asking that arbitration be conditioned on
her having Pyramid Harbor and a strip OF
the Lynn canal in any event, while the
United States peremptorily declines to ac-
cept an arbitration which prejudges that
Canada is to have part of the territory at
issue. -. ~,
While the boundary question has long
been at issue, it is said that not until the
joint commission met had Canada ever
made a claim to any part Of the Lynn
canal The American position is that Can
ada and Great Britain have repeatedly rec
ognzed boundary line far inside the Lynn
canal, notably In the crown survey in con-
nection with the arrest of Peter Martin on
the Stickeen river and later In the nego-
tiations of Secretary of State Fish to have
q boundary crossing the rivers is}ecat and
Chilcat, which empty into the Lynn canal.
The terms of the treaty of 1925 have been
another source of difference.
The American contention has been that
under this treaty the boundary line should
be thirty miles from the ocean, which
would carry it inside the Lynn canal But
the maps recently presented by Canada
have made the boundary run along noun
tain peaks the existence of which is said
to be in doubt, and this boundary line has
run only two three miles from the coast
line, instead of thirty miles back. Much
of the difference has arisen over the mean
ing of the word ocean, whether it was
to begin at the outer fringe of islands or
at the main shore line. The Canadians held
that the Lynn canal was an '-indentation"
and not part of the ocean"
A Deadlock.
1t was these conflicting claims which
which were to be submitted to an arbitra-
ton tribunal leaving it to decide where
the ocean began and what marked the
course of the boundary, and, as stated,
this arbitration would have been accepted
had not Canada put in the subsequent con-
dition that Pyramid Harbor and a strip of
the Lynn canal should be granted to her
In any event. The peremptOry declination
OF the United States to accept this condi-
ton apparently raises a deadlock, which
can be broken only by one party or the
other yielding There Is every reason to
believe that there will be no yielding of the
officials here to Canada's contention. IL
the obnoxious condition is withdrawn the
arbitration may yet be arranged a means
OF setting the boundary dispute. The opin-
ION In the highest quarters seems to be posi-
tive that without some such adjustment Of
the boundary matter the resumption of the
work OF the joint commission on the many
other topics considered is extremely remote.