Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-04
THE ALASKAN TREATY
It's Text Not to Be Made
Public for a While.
ITS PURPORT KNOWN
COMPOSITION OF THE TRIBUNAL
TO DECIDE DISPUTE.
Three Members Each for United States
and Great Britain - Meeting
to Be in London.
ITS PURPORT KNOWN


the executive session of the Senate with
reference to making public the treaty re-
Gently negotiated by Secretary Hay and
Sir Michael Herbert for settlement of the
Alaskan boundary dispute. Owing to the
fact that number of articles are In
French it was decided to await transla-
ton before making the treaty public. The
secretary of the Senate was directed to pro-
cure a translation.
Article 1 Of the new treaty provides that
the boundary line tribunal shall be imme-
diately appointed, and shall consist OF six
impartial jurors, three to be named by the
President of the United States and three
by his Britannia majesty. All questions must
receive a majority vote Of the tribunal.
Provision is made for the appointment of
other jurists to fill vacancies and for off,
GERS of the tribunal, including scientific ex-
perts and agents.
Article II provides that written or
printed case of the two parties, and other
documents, correspondence and evidence
shall be submitted to the two parties with
hcat1ons OF this treaty. Two months after
ward the counter case may be submitted.
but the tribunal may extend the time II 1t
so desires. Provisions are also made for
the presentation of copies of evidence and
arguments.
Article III provides that the tribunal shall
consider in the settlement of the questions
submitted to its decision the treaty between
Great Britain and Russia in 1925, and the
treaty between the United States and Rus
STA OF March 80, 1867, land particularly the
articles g. and 5 OF the first mentioned
treaty. The original text of these articles
Is given in French.
The Line Of Demarcation.
In the treaty between the United States
and Russia articles and Of the Anglo
frao fxy
the line Of demarcation between Russia and
the British possessions. These articles read
as. follows:
LII. His majesty. the emperor of all the
Russias agrees to cede to the United States
by this convention Immediately upon ex-
change Of the notifications thereof, all the
territories and dominions now possessed by
lea and in the adjacent islands, the same
being contained within the geographical
limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern
limit Is the line of demarcation between the
Russian and the British possessions In
North America, as established by the con-
vention between Russia and Great Britain
Of February % Q6. 1925. and described in
Articles III and w Of said convention in
the following terms:
Commencing from the southernmost
point of the island called Prince of Wales
Island, which point lies in parallel Of 81
degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and be-
tween the 131st and 1880 degrees Of west
longiture (mertdian Of Greenwich), the said
line shall ascend to- the north along the
channel called Portland Channel, as far as
the point of the continent where it strikes
the ffty-sixth degree Of north latitude;
from this aforementioned point the line Of
demarcation shall follow the summit Of the
far as the point of intersection Of the Hist
degree Of west longitude (of the same me-
ridian) and finally from the said poirit Of
intersection, the said meridian line of the
OF do In ar q
the frozen ocean.
NV. With reference to the line of de-
marcation laid down in the preceding arti-
Gle it Is understood
First. That the island called Prince Of
Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia
(now, by this cession, to the United States).
Second. That whenever the summit Of
the mountains which extend in a direction
parallel to the coast from the ffty-sixth
degree Of north latitude to the point Of in
tersection to the 141st degree Of west longf-
tude shall prove to be at the distance Of
more than ten marine leagues from the
ocean. the limit between the British pos
sessions and the line of coast which is to
belong to Russia as above mentioned chat
Is to say, the limit to the possessions coded
by this convention). shall be formed by
line parallel to the winding Of the coast
and which shall never exceed the distance
of ten marine leagues therefrOm."
The above description is further explained
by article V of the old treaty, which is in
French in the latest treaty negotiated. and
another clause OF the new treaty says:
1.-The tribunal shall also take into consid-
Grafton any action Of the several govern
ments or Of their respective representatives
preliminary or subsequent to the conclusion
of said treaties so far as the same tends
to show the original and effective under
standing of the parties in respect to the
limits of their several territorial jurisdic-
tons under and by virtue Of the provisions
of said treaty"
Article VI provides follows: Refer
ing to articles III, Nv and V Of the said
treaty of 1925, the said tribunal shall an
swer and decide the following questions:
Questions to Be Decided.
81. What is intended as the point of
commencement of the line?
so. What channel is the Portland chan
mel?
IS. What course should the line take from
the point OF commencement to the entrance
to Portland channel?
~. To what point on the Seth parallel is
the line to.be drawn from the head of the
Portland channel. and What course should
1t follow between these points?
IS. In extending the line Of demarcation
northward from said point on the parallel
Of the 56th degree of north latitude. fol-