Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-07-10
ALASKA BOUNDARY
FAIR8ANKs-FOsTER PARTY BACK
FROM INVESTIGATING TRIP,
GREAT BRITAIN WANTS A PORT
SENATOR FOSTER TELLS HOW SHE
HOPES TO GET 1T.
Says That He Is Opposed to Yielding
an Inch of United States Ter
ritOry-ReEards Lynn Ca
nal as Part of the
Ocean.
GREAT BRITAIN WANTS A PORT

TACOMA, WASH, July 9.-The Fair
banks-Foster Alaskan boundary party re-
turned from the North to-day, and inter-
views with members of the party indicate
that the watershed on White pass, back
of Skaguay and Dyea, viii be accepted
as the International boundary line at that
point. The White and Chilcoot passes con-
stitute the storm center of the Alaska
boundary. At these points the Canadians
hope to secure concessions that will en-
able them to anchor down port of entry
into the Klondike gold fields All other
parts of the country thereabouts where
concessions are looked for are of little i'm
portance compared with the Lynn canal.
which is the key to the situation. Senator
Fairbanks, when interviewed, placed i'm
portance on the fact that he must sit with
the joint high commission in August, but
declined to state what lines of argument
he would take up He expressed great
satisfaction in having made the trip. Re
garding boundary matters that were dis
cussed during the four weeks spent in
Alaska, Senator Foster declined to speak.
Personally" he said, Il am opposed to
yielding an inch of United States territory.
a careful investigation, however, demon
strates that there may be different con-
structions placed upon the treaties involved
as regards channels. the situation of lesser
islands and the like. But, in the main, the
United States Is plainly given a strip of
territory north of Portland canal, or there
abouts ten marine leagues inland. except
where well defined mountain range places
the boundary nearer the coast. This strip
runs to Mount st. Elias. Many contend at
the passes that the watershed back of
Skaguay and Dyea is the dividing line. On
the one side are the headwaters of the
Yukon, and on the other the streams flow
ing into Lynn canal are formed. Between
these two districts there is chain of
mountains that, in the opinion of some.
bring the boundary line some eighteen
miles nearer the coast. This seems to he a
fair expression of the American view OF
the boundary question. BY this construc-
tion Of the treaty, II Is held England will
receive the benefit of every point that can
be fairly and honestly granted.
"On the other hand, however, the Canadi-
ans and many of the Englishmen held that
the boundary should be drawn thirty miles,
or ten marine leagues. inland from the
headlands. By such a construction, of
course, Lynn canal would be an outlet into
Canadian territory and ten marine leagues
inland from the headlands at the entrance
Dyea, and hence Canada and England
would have the coveted port of entry with
out a question of doubt: AS look upon II,
personally, Lynn canal Is a part OF the
ocean Therefore, IL would be unfair to
draw a line thirty miles inland from the
entrance TO bodies of water of that nature
and call it the boundary under the treaty"
Wednesday night reception will be CIV
en- here to Senator Foster, Congressman
Dalzeh and Payne. the National Editorial
Association and the officers of the Iowa
and McCulloch. Senator Fairbanks has
been invited to be present, but says his
duties in connection with the boundary dis
pute compel him to leave for the East to-
night via Portland.