The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-21
ALASKAN VICTORY Is OURS.
CANADIAN COMMISSIONERS RE-
FUSE TO SIGN THE AWARD.

ALOTu AlNefs'Ouc usS DeciuiHA sVto AZ
Our Favor on Main Question Of Coast
Line-Ills Statement OF His Reasons
Canada Gets Part of Portland Canal.
but Is bitterly Dlsappoiited-Fesr in
England That the Decision May Cost
Her Preferential Treatment by Canada
Special Cable Despatch TO THE SUM-
LONDON, Oct 2O.-The official report Of
the Alaskan Boundary Tribunal was
signed at 21O o'clock this afternoon and
then issued. 1t is signed by Lord Alver-
stone. the British commissioner, and by
the three American commissioners, who
constitute a majority Of the tribunal. Tho
Canadian commissioners would not sign It.
Expressed in ordinary language, 1t awards
the United States all the territory included
within the modus vivepdi Of the past few
years. It establishes the boundary on
what is known as the old Hunter line.
giving the United States the heads Of all
the inlets.
The decision in regard to Portland Canal
gives Canada Pearse and Wales islands.
The United States gets Sitklan and Kun
nughunnut Islands and the broad southern
portion Of the channel.
The decision as whole Is, Of course, an
overwhelming vindioation Of the claims a
the United States. The award Ii teoh-
meal announcement without argument
Three opinions were also delivered to J.
W. Foster and Clifford Sifton. the agents
respectively Of the United States and
Canada. One is by the Americans, dis
GUESSING the Portland Canal claims; another
by Lord Alverstone, oh the general Issue.
and third by the Canadians, protesting
in the most emphatic language against all
the American claims.
The decision Of the tribunal Is embraced
in answers to the seven questions contained
in the treaty o.. 1908, which constituted the
Alaskan Commission.
In answer to the first question, tho tribunal
says that Cape Muzon is the point Of COM
mencement Of the line
In answer to the second question, as to
exactly what channel the Portland Canal
is, it is decided that Portland Canal passes
north of Pearse and Wales islands and enters
the ocean through the Tongas Passage.
between Wales and Sitklan islands.
The third question was what course
should the line take from the point Of COM
mencement to the entrance to Portland
Canal. The answer il that the course
should be straight line to the middle Of
the entrance Of the Tongas Passage
In answer to question four the tribunal
decides that the line should be drawn from
the head of the Portland Canal In a
straight liaa1to the flfty-sixth parallel, run
ming between the Salmon and Bear rivers.
The important fifth question was o.
| follows:
In extending the line Of demaroatiol
northward from said point on the parallel o
| the 56th degree of north latitude following
! the crest of the mountains situated parable
to the coast until its intersection with the
! l41st degree Of longitude west of Greenwich,
subject to the condition that If such lin,
| should anywhere exceed the distance Of
| ten marine leagues from the ocean, ther
| the boundary between the British and the
Russian territory should be formed by a
| line parallel to the snuosities Of the coast
| and distant therefrom not more than ter
marine Leagues. was it the intention and
| meaning Of said convention OF 1925 that
there should remain in the exclusive pos
session OF Russia a continuous fringe OF
strip of coast on the mainland, not exceed
ing ten marine leagues IN width, separating
the British possessions from tho bays.
ports, inlets, Ravens. and waters Of the
ocean, and extending from the said point OF
the seth degree Of latitude north to point
where such line Of demarcation sh ould
intersect the l41st degree Of longitude
~ tka lin ~ Graopuytph9n
The commission answers this afflrma-
lively, Acquisition six presupposed the an
swer of the previous question in the mega
tive an answer to this was not required.
The seventh question was: What, II
any exist are the mountains referred
to as situated parallel to the coast, which
mountains, when within ten marine leagues
from the coast, are declared to form the
eastern boundary?"
The answer is as follows:
"A ma iority OF the tribunal have selected
a line Of peaks starting at the head Of the
Portland Canal and running along the high
mountains on the outer edge Of the noun
tains shown on the maps OF survey made
In 1893, extending to Mount Whipple, thence
along what Is known as the Hunter Line Of
1878, crossing the Stikine River about
twenty-four miles from its mouth, thence
northerly along the high peaks to Hates
Needle and from Hates Needle to DEVILS
Thumb
The tribunal states that there is not
sufficient evidence, owing to the absence
Of complete survey, to identify mountains
which correspond with those intended by
the treaty. This would seem to contemplate
a further survey OF that portion Of the line
by the two Governments.
From the vicinity Of DEVILS Thumb the
line runs to the continental watershed,
thence through White and Taiya. or Chill
koot, passes, thence westerly to the mountain
indicated on the map attached to the treaty
as being $3.50 feet high. thence to another
mountain Of $500 feet and from that point
in a somewhat curved line across the head
of glaciers to Mount Fairweather.
This line places the Canadian outpost on
the upper waters Of the Chlkat River in
British territory. and the mining camps
of Porcupine and Glacier creeks in Arneri-
can territory
From Mount Fairweather the line passes
north on high peaks along the mountains
indicated on the map by Mounts Pinta and
Ruhamal and Vancouver to Mount st.
Elias.
WHY ALVERSTONE HELDWITH Us
His Decision on the Important question