Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-09-12
The ALASKAN
BOUNDARY CASE
The American Abstract OF the
Case IL Completed and Given
to the Public.
DOCUMENT
Contend That Line Should Be Drawn
From Tidewater and Heads OF Bays
and InIets-ls and interest
ing Paper.

Washington, Sept. 1.-THE abstract
of the ease OF the United States oefore
the Alaskan boundary has
been completed. The COW
ering the American presentation OF
the case comprise three volumes, WITH
a total of LOO pages. In addi,ron
there are two volumes OF maps Inc
largest of the volumes Of the text CON
tains the original statement by the
American commissioners, while one OF
the smaller volumes presents the
American counter case in reJolnder 10
the British case and the other the
arguments of the American commas
sioners.
In the first volume the questions at
issue, namely, what Is INTENDED 10 oe
the point OF commencement or the ue-
markation line between the unlteo
States and Canada; what Is Portlann
channel; what course a line shouio
take to the entrance to mat chahneI,
TO what point the seth parallel line
should be drawn from the head or
Portland channel, n other famlllaf
questions are discussed. Also there Is
extensive discussion of the strip OF
territory along the coast on the mann
land that Russia conveyed TO the
United States in the treaty OF 1851.
The United States contends II was
the lntenllOn OF the po"Slo
signed the treaty of 1926 to confirm In
full the sovereignty to Russia over a
continuous strip along the ontinenta
shores of the northwest coast or Amer
lea, extending from Portland channei
to the 141st meridian Longitude west
Greenwich, and that such a strip was
20 be ten marine leagues, measured
from the heads of all the -ulfs ana
other arms of sea, unless there was
within that distance a range OF
mountains. The contention Is furtncr
made tina there is no such range or
mountaiL.s; 1t is also urged that the
United States has occupies this strip
Of territory ever since It's ACQUISITION
from Russia, and that Russia had con-
troled it since the treaty of 1925 until
It was coded to the United States In
1867.
In the counter statement the Amer
lean commission makes rejoinder to
the point covered IN The presentation
of the British side of the case, which
it apears contains twenty or more
documents hitherto not given to the
public. Additional evidence Is referred
10 which bears upon the negotiations
which took place betWeen Great
Britain and Russia during the years
1928 TO 1926, and It is Contended that TINS
new evidence in no way alters any ma
terial contention made in the original
bllCRdllOIlSy III III NbS
firms and strengthens the position OF
the United States.
In support of the American conten-
ton the the strip should measure from
tide water and from the heads OF pays
and inlets a number of dispositions are
produced in connection with the coun-
ter case going to how the
of this strip by settlers OF the Unlted
States since 1880.
Discussing the boundary as ropos
by Great Britain the commission makes
reference to the instability of the ca
madam contention on this point, and
concludes the United States has from
the time of the cession of Alaska 10 the
present day maintained but n inter-
probation Of the treaty OF 1928.
It's position has been open and known
TO the world. 1t is the same which is
presented by the tribunal in it's case,
and which It now reiterates In this
counter case
Commission Prepares for Work.
London, Sept. 5.-The Alaskan bound
airy commissioners held the first meet
ing today In the conference room or
the foreign office. Prior to the formal
assembling the commissioners met in
the private conference room and select
cd Reginald IT. Tower Of the British
diplomatic service, formerly attached
to the legation at Washington, recently
minister to Siam, to be secretary or the
commission. J. r.. Carter, second sec
rotary Of the United States embassy,
and Mr.. Pope, representative of the
Canadian government, were appointed
assistant secretaries. Lord Chief JUS
tice AlVerstone was subsequently
chosen chairman Of the commission.
I 1t was announced that oral argu-
ments would commence September 10
and Alverstone expressed the hope that
they would be finished by October 8.
The commission decided to sit five days
a week, commencing September Is, and
excluding Saturdays, and to be in SEES
sion from II a. m. to 4 p. m. daily. In
order that the presentation of the cases
may be exhausted it was arranged that
three of the counsel for each govern
ment shall make arguments, the Brit
ish opening and being followed alter
natively by Americans and British, the
former securing the advantage OF de-
livering the closing arguments. the
commission then removed the injunc-
ton Of secrecy on all documents NTH
erto exchanged and the sitting ad-
journed.