Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
Body Appointed to Determine
Mooted Boundary Line.
MET IN LONDON TODAY
REPORT THAT CANADA WOULD
RESENT AN ADVERSE DECISION.
ArgumentPresent by Attorney Gen
eral Ffn1ay Of the Ottawa Govern
ment Heard With Interest.

LONDON, September 15.-The Alaskan
boundary commission reassembled at the
foreign Office today and the oral arguments
began.
Additional interest was lent to the pro-
ceedings by statements attributed to some
OF the Canadians that their country would
seriously resent an adverse decision. Never
theless only few spectators. including the
wives Of the commissioners and Of counsel,
were present when Attorney General Fin
lay rose and commenced the presentation
of the Canadian argument 1t was evident
that the commissioners at first were not
deeply interested in the attorney generals
statement.
Familiar With Facts.
Having considered the documents already
presented the commissioners felt that they
were as familiar with the facts as any of
counsel. The arguments were more for the
purpose Of removing any doubts which
counsel feel may exist In the minds OF the
members OF the tribunal.
The agents Of the governments. however.
sitting on either side of the blue-covered
table behind which the commissioners sat-
and counsel occupying the desk in the CEN
ter of the chamber. followed the attorney
generals address with the closest atten-
ton.
Point in Our Favor.
Lord Alverstone's ruling was regarded by
American counsel as being a point in favor
Of the United States
The Attorney General went on at such
length that Lord Alverstone reminded him
that the tribunal was familiar with the
documents in the case and suggested that
he simply cite the pages and volumes Oh
which his references were founded.
After luncheon Attorney General Finlay.
who had previously laid much stress on
the contention that the United States
boundary line was drawn in ostentatious
defiance of the treaty of 1926" resumed
his argument.
The meeting of the commission today
ended a few minutes after O'Clock. Attor-
ney General F1nlay tomorrow will resume
the presentation of the Canadian case.
Chief Justice Fuller Present.
While Attorney General Finlay was
speaking. Chief Justice Fuller, accompanied
by Ambassador Choate. entered the cham
Der. They were conducted to small table
directly facing the commissioners.
The Attorney General briefly described
the historical aspect of the question and
took up the treaty under which the COM
mission was appointed.
He then presented the Canadian conten-
ton, each point Of which has already been
stated in the argument OF clifford Sifton,
the Canadian minister of the interior. and
urged the commissioners to strictly conIine
themselves, in considering the questions, to
the terms of the treaty between Great
Britain and Russia of 1925, and not depart
therefrom. The interest Of the commits
sioners grew as Attorney General Finlay
proceeded with his analytical study Of the
treaty. ---'rs ..-t
Survey Of 1893.
Speaking of the location of the line along
the coast from the head of Portland chun-
mel. as fixed by the treaty, the Attorney
General pointed out that the report of the
United States coast survey in 1893 showed
that the Washington government had
adopted the view that the line should fol-
low the general trend Of the coast" which
supports the Canadian contention.
Senator Turner at this point interrupted
the speaker, saying that the report referred
to the trend of the general coast"
Attorney General Ffnlay remarked that
this was a subtle distinction" and Chief
Justice Alverstone ended the discussion
with saying that it made little difference
as it was merely the direction of the sur
nrcs