The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-30
TWO NATIONS
WISH To END
CONTROVERSY
Pauncefote and Hay to
Adjust Remaining
Differences.
Will Afterward Submit Their
Agreement to a High
Commission.
Hope by This Means to End Long
Standing Quarrel Over the From
tiers of Canada and the
United States.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2e-It is expected
that efforts will be renewed before long
for the settlement Of the numerous con-
troversies which have long, existed be-
tween the United States and Great Brit
ain growing out of relations along the
Canadian border, the Atlantic fisheries,
warships on the great lakes, the Alaskan
boundary and other questions. Hereto
fore the negotiations designed to bring
about settlements have not proved eff
fective, largely because of the cumber-
some machinery of the proceedings, and
this has led to a belief that much more
tions between Secretary Hay and Lord
Pauncefote on the main points and the
subsequent assembling of a commission
representing the United States, Great
Britain and Canada to give form to the
basis of agreement rendered.
The British authorities have expected
for some time that when the isthmian
canal treaty was once disposed of there
just the Alaskan boundary and other
pending questions, the canal treaty being
regarded as one of many pending issues
Now that the British Government has
yielded the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and
other points in the isthmian negotiations
it desires to take up some of the other
questions in which it has important inter
ests involved Lord Pauncefote desires
to clear up all pending differences and
have "a clean slate" before his present
term as ambassador comes to a close
Only One Issue Remains Unsolved.
When Lord Pauncefote came to Wash
ington there were four great issues be-
tween the two Governments. The first Of
these was the Boring Sea controversy,
which had reached an acute stage. Diplo-
macy disposed of this issue. The second
was over Venezuela, which, like the seal
question, at one time threatened war. But
the efforts of diplomacy were again sue
cessful in averting trouble and bringing
about settlement. The third important
issue was the isthmian canal, which has
been satisfactorily disposed of by the re-
cent Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
This leaves only one issue standing out
against "a clean slate" namely, the
border controversies, both as to Canada
and Alaska The British officials link
these various boundary controversies to-
gether, as they are more or less connect
ed. At present a modus vivendi exists as
to the Alaskan boundary, chiefly for the
purpose of avoiding clash along the Dor
der and holding each side In check until
final boundary is determined upon. 1t
seems to be conceded on both sides that
the modus vivendi cannot be carried on
indefinitely and that sooner later the
main question of establishing permanent
boundary must be settled. Lord Lans-
downe's desire to take up the question
was expressed clearly in his note to Secre-
tary Hay last spring, when the British
Government declined to accept the Senate
amendment to the first Hay-Pauncefote
treaty.
Lord Lansdowne's Attitude.
Recently Lord Lansdowne again has ex-
pressed in speeches the need of taking up
the Alaskan boundary question. These
declardLlOnS Dy the uedQ Oh the BrlClSn
foreign service, together with the we'll
known wish Of Lord Pauncefote to clear
away all pending differences between the
two countries, doubtless will lead to the
formal exchanges necessary to an adjust
ment.
Just what steps will be adopted are not
disclosed, but it seems likely that direct
negotiations and the subsequent assem-
bling of a commission will commend itself
to the parties concerned as the most feas
ibIe procedure.
The border issues outside of that re-
lating to Alaska are those which have
long existed and have created more or
less friction. The Joint High Commission
which assembled some time ago practical
ly disposed of these lesser issues, but the
deadlock on Alaska prevented a treaty COW
ering these and other points of agreement.
With the disposal of the Alaskan bound
airy, therefore, it is felt that the way
would be clear to dispose of the other
controversies.
The reciprocity question. which is
among those formerly considered, is not
likely to be taken up in this connection,
as Canada desires to make it the subject
of separate negotiation. The Atlantic fish
cries question also may be the subject of
separate negotiations.