The times., 1899-11-04

uVGTeignty, II temporarily transferred (
aese forts and posts to the British COM
any.
'Fourth-At the termination of the ex-
snded lease it re-entered and took posses (
"a and remained in possession till the
zsiou of Alaska 10 the United States,
"Fifth-It received the allegiance of the
alive Indians inhabitiug the strip, and
Tercised control and supervision over
cem.
"SiNth-Immediately after the cession in
SCI the Department of State of the United
tates likewise caused a map 10 be pub
Ished. setting forth the bounds Of Alaska
u accordance with the treaty of 1925. and
he same claim as to the strip was thereon
aade as by Russia in its map OF 1927.
"Seyenth-Upon the transfer of Alaska
portion of the United States Army was
despatched to occupy the territory, and
detachment was stationed for some time
this strip of the mainland.
"Eighth-Since the cession pos Offices
and post routes have been established and
maintained at various points on the strip.
-Customhouses have likewise
been established and duties collected there
"Tenth-Government and mission schools
have been maintained, and notably So for
nearly twenty years, at the head Of Lynn
Canal.
PntroIIed by Revenue Vessels.
"EIeventh-The revenue vessels OF the
United States have continuously since the
date Of the cession patrolled the interior
waters surrounded by the strip to enforce
the revenue and other laws Of the United
States
''Twelfth-The naval and revenue vessels
of the United States have for the same
period exercised acts of sovereignty over
E,g, wfr
especially about the head Of Lynn Canal,
and the latter have yielded unquestioned
allegiance TO the United States.
''Thirteenth-Tn the census of 1880 and
1890 all the Indian tribes inhabiting the
strip were included in the population of
the United States and SO published in the
official reports.
"FOurteenth-The territorial government
Ct Alaska has exercised various and Ie-
peated acts Of sovereignty over the strip
and interior waters enclosed by it. and
the wTits of the United States courts have
run throughout its whole extent.
'Fifteenth-Uuder the territorial claim
Of the United States and the protection
Of the Government, citizens of the United
States have entered and occupied the strip,
built cities and towns, and established in
dustrial enterprises thereon.
"All the foregoing acts have taken place
without a single protest or complaint on
the part OF the British or Canadian Gov
ernments. except that some friction has
occurred between the customs OutpOsts as
to the exact demarcatiOn of the eastern
line Of the striD, For the first time
! statement was presented by the British
| Government TO the Government of the
United States on the 1st of August 1898
developing the fact that a difference of
views existed respecting the provisions of
the treaty Of 1928 relating 10 the strip OF
territory and the waters embraced by it.
Two months previous an agreement had
been reached between the two Govern
ments for the appointment of a joint COM
mission for the adjustment OF pending
questions of difference between the United
States and Canada Soon after the COM
mission met at Quebec on August %, 1885,
it was made known for the first time that
the British Government would claim that
the boundary line should run from the eX-
tremity Of Prince Of Wales Island, along
the passage known on modern maps as
! PeaTse Canal. TO the head of Portland Ca
nal, thence directly TO the coast and fol-
low the nearest mountains TO the coast,
! crossing all the inlets OF the sea, up to
[ Mount ST. Elias Such line would give
/ the United States a strip Of an average
width of less than Eve miles, broken at
4 short intervals by the arms OF the sea,
and would transfer the greater portion of
/ Canadian Government, with the consent
/ OF the British Foreign Office has made
I public the protocol or official journal OF
/ the Joint High Commission, showing the
! result of its deliberations on the boundary
no diplomatic propriety is violated in re-
! ferring TO these facts.
What the Protocol shows.
The protocol shows that, after sessions
/ of several months, the Commissioners were
unable to agree. In a failure of concur
! renee as to the language Of the treaty OF
/ 1925, one of the two methods Of adjust
ment was proposed by the British Com
1 missioners. The first was a conventional
boundary, by which Canada should re-
/ ceive, by cessiOn or perpetual grant Pyra-
mid harboT on Lynn Canal and a strip
/ Of land connecting it with Canadian ter
ritoTy to the northwest, and the remain
ing boundary line TO be drawn in the main
I conformable to the contention Of the
United States The American Commits
/ sioners, not being prepared TO accept this
/ proposition, the alternative was submitted
/ by the British Commissioners of an arbi-
4 tratiOn Of the whole territory in dispute
! in conformity with the terms OF the Venez-
! uelan arbitration, and in response to an
/ enquiry from their American colleagues
/ whether the selection OF an umpire from
/ the American continent would be consid-
I cred, the British Commissioners replied
that they would regard such selection
( as most Objectionable
The American Commissioners declined
the British plan Of arbitration and stated
1 that there was no analogy between the
( present controversy and the Venezuelan
dispute; that in the latter case the occu-
patton of the territory in question had
from the beginning been followed by the
constant and repeated protests and objec-
/ tions Of Venezuela, and the controversy
1 was cne OF long standing but that in
/ the case Of the Alaskan territory there had
I been peaceful and undisputed occupation
J and exercise Of sovereignty for more than
/ seventy years, and that no question re-
4 specting this occupation and sovereignty