The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-28
Cause of the Hitch In the Alaska
Boundary Question.
HOW THE MATTER STANDS
AUTHORITIES AT WASHINGTON
SURPRISED AND INDIGNANT.
Imposed Condition That United
States Give Up Pyramid Harbor
and Strip of Land on Lynn Can
al, Which Would Take In Country
Leading to Interior.

Washington, May 27-To clear up
misunderstanding which appear to ex-
list both in London and to some degree
this country, as to the exact status of
the negotiations between the United
States and Great Britain respecting
Canadian-American issues. the follow
ing statements of the events that led
up to the present conditions. were Sc
cured from the best authority:
When the commission adjourned
some months ago it was because it had
reached an apparently insurmountable
obstacle in the shape of the Alaskan
boundary question. After the ad-
journment the two governments took
up this particular question with view
to settling it and thus removing it
from the path of the many other i'm
portant issues involved. There were
numerous delays owing to the need OF
changing views between London, wash
ington and ottawa, and the authori-
ties here became convinced that an ad-
justment was hopeless.
But the feeling in London was mora
hopeful and when Sir Julian Paunce-
fote reached London on his way to The
Hague he held conferences with Lord
proposal for settling the boundary is
sues and removing it as an obstacle
of the commission. The main point of
this proposal was that a separate TIL
bunal of arbitration should pass on
the boundary question II was COM
municated to Ambassador Choate and
by him TO the state department.
Canada Springs Surprise.
When the plan was received, ths
president was absena at Hot springs,
Va, and it was felt desirable TO await
his return before giving final an
swer. There was little or no doubt that
the answer would have been favorable.
Just as the acceptance was about to
have been given, the officials here were
surprised to have presented what they
regarded as an extraordinary condi-
ton which Canada imposed in connec-
ton with the submission OF the queS-
ton OF arbitration. This condition was
that Canada should have Pyramid har-
Dor and a strip OF territory on the
Lynn canal without reference to the
general conclusions reached by ths tri-
bunal of arbitration. This port and
strip of territory ON the coast would
have carried also the back country
leading into the interior.
Peremptory Refusal Given
This condition, coming after the ar
bitration plan had been formally pro-
posed and was about to be accepted,
caused not only surprise. but some in
dignation among the officials here. 1t
was decided not to accept this condi-
ton and a peremptory refusal was
given to the proposition. Thus the
matter stands.
There is every reason to believe that
there will be no yielding of the Off
Gals here to Canada's condition. If it
is withdrawn the arbitration may yet
be arranged as means of settling the
boundary. The opinion in the highest
quarters seems to be positive that with
out some adjustment of the boundary
matter, the resumption of the work
of the joint commission on the many
other topics considered is entirely i'm
probable.