Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-07
ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
History of sthe Trouble Over 1t
Is Given.

H blNGn.
For several years past the rapid de-
Nelopment of Alaska and the establish
ment Of growing American interests in
| regions heretofore unsuryeyed and inn
| perfectly known brought into promi-
| hence the urgent necessity Of practi.
| cal, demarcation Of the boundaries be-
| tween the jurisdictions Of the United
| States and Great Britain. Although the
| treaty of 1926 between Great Britain
| and Russia, the provisions of which
were copied in the treaty of 1867,
| whereby Russia conveyed Alaska 20 the
United States. was positive as TO the
control, first by Russia and later by
| the United States, Of a strip of terri
| tory along the continental mainland
| from the western shore Of Portland ca
| nal to Mount St. Elias, following and
| surrounding the indentations Of the
coast and including the islands to the
| westward, Is description of the land
ward margin Of the strip was indefinite.
| resting ON the supposed existence Of n
| continuous ridge or range of mountains
| skrting the coast, as figured in the
charts of the early nayigators, 1t had
| at no time been possible for either par
! ~ I'm interest TO lay down under the
authority Of the treaty, a line so obVi-
ously exact according to its provisions
: as to command the assent of the other,
QUESTION LONG DORMANT.
For nearly three-fourths Of a century
| the absence OF tangible local interests
| demanding the exercise of positive jur-
I isdiction on either side OF the border
/ left the question dormant In 1878
| questions Of revenue administration on
! the Stikine river led to the establish
| ment of provisional demarcaton,
| crossing the channel between two high
! peaks on either side about "A miles
| above the river mouth.
TEMPORARY MODUS VIVENDI.
In 1899 similar questions growing out
| of the extraordinary development Of
| mining interests I'm the region about the
| head of Lynn canal brought about a
temporary modus viyendi, by which a
convenient separation was made at the
watershed divides of the White and
Chilkoot passes and TO the north Of
/ KlukWan, on the Klehini river. These
partial and tentative adjustments could
not In the very nature Of things be
satisfactory or lasting. permanent
/ disposition of the matter became imper-
! alive.
CONVENTION OF JAN, "a, 1908.
After unavaiing attempts to reach
| an understanding through Joint high
| commission, followed by prolonged ne
| gotiatlons, conducted in an amcahla
| spirit, a convention between the United
States and Great Britain was signed,
Jan, "a, 1908. providing for an examlna-
| ton of the subject by a mixed tribunal
/ of six members three on n side, with
view to its final disposition. Ratifca-
tons were exchanged on March last,
| whereupon the two governments APP
| pointed their respective members. Those
| on behalf of the United States were Eli
| hu Root. secretary of war: Henry Cabot
Lodge senator of the United States.
and George Turner an ex-senator OF
the United States, while Great Britain
named the Right Honorapie Lord Al
| verstone, lord chief instice Of England;
| Sir Louis Amable Jette, X. G, NJ c..
| Quebec and A. Is, Aylesworth. Is. c.,
! of Toronto.
TRIBUNAL MEETS.
This tribunal met in London on Sept.
g. under the presidency of Lord Aver
stone The proceedings We're eXpedl-
tous, and marked by friendly and
conscientious spirit. The respective
cases counter cases, and arguments
| presented the issues clearly and fully,
on he Goth OF October q majority of
the tribunal reached and signed an
agreement on all the questions submit
ed by the terms of the convention.
WHAT AWARD GIVES.
by this award the right Of the United
States TO the control of continuous
strip or border OF the mainland shore,
skirting all the tide-water lnlets and
sinuosties Of the coast, is confirmed;
the entrance TO Portland canal (con-
corning which legitimate doubt ap-
peared) is defined as passing by Tom
gass inlet and to the northwestward Of
wales and Pearse islands. line is
drawn from the head of Portland canal
to the hfty-siXth degree of north latl-
tuda; and the interior border line Of
the strip is fixed by lines connecting
certain mountain SUBMITS lying be-
tween Portland canal and Mount ST.
elias and running along the crest OF
the divide separating the coast slope
from the inland watershed az the only
part of the frontier where the drainage
ridge approaches the coast within the
distance Of 10 marine leagues stipulat-
cd by the treaty as the extreme width
Of the strip around the heads OF Lynn
canal and It's branches.
WHERE LINE RUNS,
While the line 80 traced follows the
provisional demarcation OF 1873 at tho
crossing Of the Stikine river. and that
Of 1899 AZ the SUBMITS of the white and
Chilkoot passes, It runs much farther
lnland from the Klehini than the tenn
, porasy line OF the later modus vivendi,
and leaves the entire mining district
OF the Porcupnc river and Glacier
creek within the jurisdiction of the
United states,
RESULT SATISFACTORY.
The result Is satisfactory In every
way II is Of great material advan.
tage To our people in the far northwest.
Il has removed from the field of discuss
sion and possible danger n question H.
able 10 become more acutely acc ntuat
ed with each passing year Finally Il
has furnished q signal proof OF the fair
ness and good viii with which two
friendly nations can approach and de.
tcrmine issues involving national soy
ereignty and by their nature incapable
OF submission Ia a third power for adj
iudicatlon
AWARD SELF EXECUTING.
The award is self executing ON the VI.
Continued on page two)