The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-08

four miles above the river mouth. In
1899 similar questions growing out
of the extraordinary development of
mining interests in the region about
the head of Lynn Canal brought about
temporary modus vivendi, by which
q convenient separation was made at
the watershed divides of the White
and Chil<oot passes and to the north
of KlukWan, on the Klehini River
These partial and tentative ADJUST
ments could not, in the very nature
of things, be satisfactory or lasting. A
permanent disposition of the matter
became imperative.
After unavailing attempts to reach
an understanding through a joint high
commission, followed by prolonged ne
gotiations, conducted in an amicable
spirit, a convention between the United
States and Great Britain was signed,
Jan. "a, 1903, providing for an exam
ination of the subject by a mixed trib-
unal of six members, three on side,
with a view to it's final disposition.
Ratifcations We're exchanged on March
3 last, whereupon the two governments
appointed their respective members.
Those on behalf of the United States
were Elihu Root. Secretary of War;
Henry Cabot Lodge, a senator of the
United States, and George Turner, an
ex-senator of the United States, while
Great Britain named the Right Hon
orable Lord Alverstone, Lord Chief
Justice of England, Sir Louis Amable
Jette, K. c. NJ. c.. retired judge of
the Supreme Court of Quebec, and A.
B. Aylesworth, K. c., of Toronto.
This tribunal met in London on Sept.
g. under the presidency of Lord Alver-
stone. The proceedings were expedi-
tIous, and marked by a friendly and
conscientious spirit. The respective
cases, counter cases, and arguments
presented the issues clearly and fully.
On the goth of October a majority of
the tribunal reached and signed an
agreement on all the questions sub
mitted by the terms of the convention.
BY this award the right of the United
States to the control of a continuous
strip or border of the mainland shore,
sl1irting all the tide-water inlets ord
sinuosities of the coast, is confirmed
the entrance to Portland canal (con-
corning which legitimate doubt APP
peared) is defined as passing by Ton
gaSs Inlet and to the nOrthweSt ward
of Wales and Pearse Islands: a line is
drawn from the head of Portland ca
nal to the fifty-sixth degree of north
latitude; and the interior border line
of the strip is fixed by lines connect
ing certain mountain SUBMITS lying
between Portland canal and Mount st.
Elias, and running along the crest of
the divide separating the coast slope
from the inland watershed at the only
part of the frontier where the drain
age ridge approaches the coast within
the distance of ten marine leagues
stipulated by the treaty as the eX-
IRENE width of the strip around the
heads of Lynn canal and it's branches.
While the line so traced follows the
provisional demarcation of 1878 at the
crossing of the Stikine river, and that
of 1899 at the SUBMITS of the White
and Chilkoot passes, it runs much far
Their inland from the Klehini than the
temporary line of the later modus vi
Vendi and leaves the entire mining dis
trict of the Porcupine river and Gla-
cier creek within the jurisdiction of
the United States.
The result is satisfactory in every
way. 1t is of great material advan-
tage to our people in the Far North
west 1t has removed from the field
of discussion and possible danger a
question liable to become more acute
~ accentuated with each passing year
Finally, it has furnished a signal
proof of the fairness and good will with
which two friendly nations can APP
proach and determine issues involving
national sovereignty and by their ma
ture incapable of submission to a third
power for adjudication.
The award is Self-eXecuting on the
vital points. To make it effective as
regards the others it only remains for
the two governments to appoint, each
on its own behalf, one or more scien-
tillc experts, who shall, with all con-
venient speed, proceed together to lay
down the boundary line in accordance
with the decision of the majority of
the tribunal. l recommend that the
Congress make adequate provision for
the appointment, compensation, and
expenses of the members to serve on
this joint boundary commission on the
part of the United States.
The Venezuelan Matter.
II will be remembered that during
the second session of the last Congress
Great Britain. Germany and Italy
formed an alliance for the purpose of
blockading the ports of Venezuela and
using such other means of pressure as
would secure a settlement OF claims
due, as they alleged, to certain of their
subjects. Their employment of force
for the collection of these claims was
terminated by an agreement brought
about through the offices OF the diplo-