The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-19
Validity Of a Russian Lease.

A British vessel In the service Of the
hudson Bay Company. the Dryad. reached
the Russian post of Fort Wrangei. 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 protest.
ed 10 the Russian government and pre-
scented 10 ii large claim for damages
The Russian government. being hard
pressed by the British minister, urged the
Russian-American company 10 come to
some settlement with the Hudson Bay
Company, and thereupon the governor Of
the latter, and one Of the directors of the
former company. with the expressed au-
thorization of the two governments, met
al Hamburg in 1889. AS a result of their
conferences the Russian-American Com
pany agreed to lease TO the Hudson Bay
Company the strip Of territory on the
mainland and "all the bays, inlets. estu-
aries. rivers and lakes In that line of
coast" secured to Russia under the treaty,
in consideration of the abandonment or
satisfaction of the claim for damages on
account Of the Dryad and also of an
annual payment by the Hudson Bay Com
pany. This lease was approved by both
the Russian and British governments, and
In accordance with It's terms the Hudson
the strip of territory. and at the expira-
ton Of the term of years stated in the
lease was, with the approval of the two
governments extended for another like
term, and afterward prolonged to about
1852
No question was raised by any member
of a select committee of the house OF COM
mons Of the British parliament appointed
in 1857 Ito consider the state of those
Iy,t.i oh, tn I'm "a
which are under the administration OF
the Hudson Bay Company, or over which
they possess license to trade as to the
validity of the lease or to the correctness
of the map, which was printed as part
Of the report submitted to parliament.
An examination OF this map will show
that the leased strip of territory Is con-
tinuous. and is carried around all the in
let's and interior waters. in conformity
with the present claim of the United
States.
Continuing Mr.. Foster said:
about the time of the cession of Alaska
TO the United States gold was discovered
In the Cassiar region of British Columbia.
reached through the Stikine river, and the
passage OF miners made Il desirable to
have the eastern boundary of the strip
where 1t crosses that river more accurately
marked. and this led 10 a movement in
United States governments. for joint sur
vey of the boundary In a conference at
Washington. February Is, 1873. between
Secretary Fish and the British minister.
Sir Edward Thornton. 1t was stated by Mr..
Fish that a survey of the entire boundary,
as estimated by the engineers. would cost.
for the United States alone about 1880.
600, and IL was suggested that IL would be
found sufficient 10 fix the boundary at Ger
tain determined points. and there were
named the head of Portland canal, the
point where the boundary line crosses the
river Skoot, Stakine, Taku, Iseicat and
Chlkaht. Mount ST. Elias. etc. The legis-
lative assembly of British Columbia, in pc
titioning the Canadian government for a
survey. refers to 1t as the boundary of the
thirty-mle belt of American territory
Sir Edward Thornton communicated to
the foreign office the result of his confer
ence with Secretary Fish, and Il was then
submitted through the colonial office 10 the
Canadian government by whom ii was re-
ferred TO the surveyor general, Dennis, who
reported favorably upon the plan. He re-
stated the points to be determined and
enumerates the rivers 'Skoot, Stakine,
Taku. Iselcat and Chilkaht,' and says that
I'm his opinion II IL unnecessary at present
land II may be for all time) to incur the
expense OF any other survey than that
named 1t was thereupon determined that
such a joint survey should be made, the
commissioner. Maj, Cameron. estimated
at that time carried into execution because