The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-24
NOT CONCESSIONS BUT PERMITS.
Root Tells of the Applications Granted For
Dredging in Alaskan Waters.
(By the Assoeiated Press.(


Washington, March 23.-Secretary Root
today transmitted to the Senate his re-
ply to the resolutions of March 2lst re-
questing information on the War Depart
ments practice of granting permits for
gold dredging off the Alaskan coast. lie
says:
mo concessions or grants to eXcavate
the gold bearing bed of the sea at or in
the vicinity of Cape Nome, in Alaska, or
in other Alaskan waters, have been made
by the Secretary of War or any other
official of the War Department. Numer-
Gus applications have been received by
the War Department for permits to ex-
cayate in the bed of the ocean in the vi
cinity of Cape Nome Alaska, in the exer-
else of the authority conferred by section
10 of the act of Congress approved March
Bird, 1899.
Section II, of the same statute, makes
it a criminal offence to excavate without
the required authority, however lawful
the work may otherwise be, and provides
that the offender on conviction thereof
shall be punished by fine not exceeding
so. 500 nor less than $500 or by imprson-
ment not exceeding one year or by both,
such punishments in the discretion of the
I
elusive; they do not preclude any number
CT similar permits applicable to the same
territory; they are not grants or conces-
sions, and they confer no rights whatever
except immunity from prosecution under
the statute above quoted secured in ac-
cordance with the terms of the statute.
and by reason of compliance with the
provisions thereof
| L. .SoI
why all citizens of the United States
should not have the same opportunity to
prospect for gold and acquire rights under
the mining laws upon land under water as
they have upon lands not under water
the Department determined as a general
policy in the exercise of the discretion
vested in the chief of engineers and
| the Secretary of War by this statute to
relieve all citizens applying from the OBJ
stacle interposed by this statute as long
as their proposed operations do not in
fact interfere with navigation. All ap-
plications made under this statute have
accordingly so far as 1t has been possible
TO dispose of them, received favorable
action. No application of this description
has been denied. Upon two, permits save
been granted. Upon a third, papers have
been prepared and were awaiting the
! Secretary of Wars signature ut the time
of the passage of your resolution. THEE
others were approved by the Chief cf En-
! gineers and were in the hands OF the
| Judge Advocate General for the prepare
ton of the necessary papers. Eleven
others are still in the office Of the Cmet
of Engineers in process of execution uron
the question whether they interfere with
navigation. Four more just received are
| in the office of the Secretary of War. and
| will today be sent to the Chief of En-
| gineers. Unless otherwise directed by
Congress, the Secretary OF War will deem
| it his duty in the exercise of the discre-
| tion vested in him by law to grant per-
! mits in all of these cases, and upon all
| other similar applications by citizens of
| the United States provided that the work
proposed does not injuriously affect nayi-
CATION"