The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-08
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY
Negotiations Regarded as In the Best Pos
sibIe Condition.
WASHINGTON NOT AT ALL OPTIMISTIC
The Matter Is Not Near settlement
Though Negotiations Are Pro-
ceedinE.


the colonial office has informed a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press that me-
gotiations with reference to the Alaskan
questions are In the best possible condi-
| ton.
After the interview which the United
States ambassador, MIR. Joseph H. Choate.
/ had Yesterday with the Marquis of Sails
hurry at the foreign office the lines OF a
prospective settlement and suggestions for
carving on the discussion in the high COM
mission were formally. submitted by the
secretary of state for the colonies, Mr..
Joseph Chamberlain, who has most potent
influence with the Canadian side. Every
Advancement in the conference mere Pc
tween Mr. Choate, Lord Salisbury ana Slr
Julian Pauncefote has gone through nlm,
and the prospective settlements, in great
degree, may be considered triumph LOT
Mr. Chamberlains tact and perseverance,.
Washington, June Late in the day
the officials learned the details OF the
latest negotiations in London referred to
in cable dispatches, and Secretary hay anu
the British charge d alfaires, Mr.. rover,
conferred on the subject. The details OIL
the proposltion were not made public.
THE naels for the temporary delimtatiol
of the boundary in the neignborhood OF the
uasses leading into the Kiondike from the
Lynn canal will, If the present efforts
succeed, be on White Pass on the east ana
on Chikoot Pass in the middle, at points
where the Canadian custom houses were
established about eight months ago.
On the Dalton trail the point mas not
yet been selected and as the pressure to-
ward the sea on this westernmost trail by
the Canadians has been more severe than
AT any other point, very naturally, great
difficulty Is experienced in considering
even temporarily the conflicting claims TO
jurisdiction While Pyramid harbor is not
Insisted upon at his juncture by the Can
adams as Fart of the temporary arrange
ments they are DESTROYS OF getting cs near
to tide water as possible and their claim
In this quarter includes the important In
dian village of Klukwan, town that has
long been under the protection Of the
United States and which our government
Is indisposed to surrender, even temper"
trily, into Canadian control. If this diff
cllty can be solved and a divisional point
located OH the Dalton trail, there is no
doubt that a modus vvendi VIII be the
outcome.
It Is said however, that too much assur-
accord is certain. The officials agree with
the London view that the outlook is rather
brighter, because negotiations are on
again, but they qualify this by saying that
the agreement is not yet concluded and
that when concluded it Will still leave
much to be Sc tied by future negotiations.
In view of the fact that the protocol re-
Cording the proceedings of the joint high
commission in Washington on February IS
lo- ,,,,hl n In he a "A tato
legislature while an abstract of it's con-
tents has also been published in London,
Is well as in this country, the state de-
paltment has deemed it proper to give
OuJ for publication the entire protocol.
This particular protocol is regarded by
the department as Of great Importance, for
tt marked the failure of the commission
under peculiar conditions, The record
shows that the Joint commission met at 10
o'clock that morning; that the BStish
side proposed arbitration and that the
Americans accepted the proposition in
general using 1t as a basis for a treaty
as offered by the British However, it is
shown that what the Americans offered as
an Auerican proposition the British side
prom pity refused to accept without afford
ing further opportunity for the discussion
o. an arbitration treaty, stopped the nego-
iiaticns, and referred the matter to their
own government, notwithstanding the pro-
pcsal by the American side that the COM
mission at least conclude their negotia-
tons on the remaining subjects.
These facts were the basis OF the Arneri-
cal contention that the Canadians had not
afforded real opportunity for arbitra-
lion and were responsible for the disrup-
ton OF the joint high commission. The
points of the British arbitration proposal
and also OF the proposition put forward
by the Americans as an amendment have
already been sent out in the cable dis
patches and the following points are given
as those upon which Importance is laid
by the American side:
In putting forward their proposal the
British side said that they therefore made
the following as a basis to be proceeded
upon IN framing a treaty"
The attitude of the Americans-upon
this IS set down as follows
The commissioners of the United States
announced that they accepted the pro-
po5als made as the basis of adjustment,
but desired an amendment in relation 10
the arbitral tribune and a modification of
rule TO make il conform to present To-
cal conditions in Alaska"
Inc British objections to the American
counter proposal have also been published
ard the rtt1d on that point reads:
HOLDING these views the British COM
IN ssiorers arc OF the opinion that no use
tul end viii be served by further pressing
a; -he present time the negotiations" and
taat taey must refer the matter to their
government.