The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-10-23
BRIEF OUTLINE OF
ALASKAN BOUNDARY
DECISION EmINEHTly JUST


Indianapolis. Ind, Oct e0.--United
States senator Charles w Fairbanks
who was chairman Of the American
members 81 the joiat high commission
that met AZ Quebec in 1sss 10 con
side. the Alaskan boundary question,
and who has given long and careful
study 20 the points involved. gave
Monday ni<ht al explanation OF the
dispute over the boundary and a brief
outline 81 the subject lie said.
An Explanation nj the Di-.sfe.
The decision * the boundary con-
mission j. merely reco@ntiOrl ~ the
rishts ~ The United State which they
purcLasei from Russia IN 1861 In n
treaty between Russia and Great Brit
an. in lS15. the boundary between the
4 twr connfries "a Alaska was fixed. ard
when tire Clired States purchased
Alaska she acquired the territory whica
beiorges 90 Eus "A and y hich 81 as de-
tined in the trslfr al lS-5 between Rus
sil AMI Great Britain
Discovers .f csf,i started "A cuhi~.
Until the gold siiscOv rries a Tex
years s=D there. vas no dispute b.
tween the United states and Great
Britain a 40 the boundary The II.
pu.ed boundary line vas submitted 10
the United States am British Joint
high COTE emission. which met in Quebec
in 1855 Under the treaty the boundary
line speaking generally. was 10 begin
al the Soutaernmnst point OF Prince a.
W1ies ISLAND and run thence up Port
land canal AMI Mainland 10 fifty-sixth
parSieI al llriTudcS and thence follow
inS the summit II the mountains sir-
rarell parallel 10 the coast bur IL there
was NJ mountains then th.-iine should
not IL more than ten marine league
from The coa-t. until reaching point
near Mount s.. Elias. there * was e
run north To the frozen ocean.
The ssaerS~ra sons~nsi...
The dispute ~irh whi~h the com
mission Ia been concerned j. the
boundary south Of Mount 81 Elias
The American contention vas that I'M
der the treaty between Russia and
Great Britain the latter was 10 be ex-
cludcd from an outlet IN the ocean.
and that the coaStiine should follow
around the heads 81 all Of the fnlets
while the British contenfed that the
line SHOULD -un from headland 10 head
land
IF their contention had prevailed
Skaglay. Dvea and other settlements
many miles from the mouths of the in
lets would have fallen into British ter
ritory Under the DECISION these belong
10 tha United States. as Re have al
VAS cuEtenGed
Canals sr- Natural W atrr~a,--
There was some brief dispute a. 20 4
IL lire entering Portland canal Th- 4
canals mentioned in connection wlth 4
the boundary. Il sk0uid ~ understood 4
are natural and nor artificial water
way They are very deep and IL some
place vrry vile The entrance a.
-is". being the northern boundary q
cal2da on the Pacific coast Lying
az the mouth VI the canal are twc
Islands hnown a. Wales and Pearse
fsl2nds Tn American contenfion was
thar tie line catered the canal on the
southeast side Of these islands. while
the British eOutended that IL lay along
The northwest side Of them There Il
an ample waterway on either side
I.issd~ nj BEssS~ import in~~-
While 7 vas in Alaska. fn lsers. ex-
aiming the boundary. uent up the
northwest side 81 the Island an came
down the southeaS, side The Islands
are covered 9ith timber They are
small and are OF little
commercial importance. The decision
Of the boundary commission is sub
stenfizly in accordance with the uni
T0rm claim Of the United States which
vas maintained by the joint high con-
mission ar both Qeufec and Washing-
o1- The decision is By M means a
.upriSe 10 those who have critically
examined the subject
Decision last m Both s.watrS~~-
The correspondence between Rus
- ard Great Britain at the time the
reaty 81 ISL was negotiated and the
maps which have been issued by the
Of the United States.
Great Britain and Canada and other
Ountries recognized the boundary a.
laimed by the United States The
lcrfsion - ~minently just TO both The
,nited States ard Great Britain.
Iuestlon 81 dispute has been settled
n an honorable way. and one serious
zcse ~ friction between twc ueighbor-
y powers has been removed In short
he rights Of the two countries have
cen officially recognized and neither
as lost any substantial interest "a