Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-12-17

growing American interests in regions
heretofore unsurveyed and imperfectly
known brought into prominence the urgent
necessity OF practical demarcatiOn OF the
boundaries between the Jurisdictions OF
the United States and Great Britain. AL
though the treaty of 1925 between Great
Britain and Russia. the provisions of which
were copied in the treaty of 1867 whereby
Russia conveyed Alaska to the UniJed
states. was positive as to the control. first
by Russia and later by the United States,
of a strip of territory along the continental
mainland from the western shore Of Port
land canal TO Mount st. Elias. following
and surrounding the indentations of the
coast and including the siands to tie west
ward. Its description of the landWard mar
gin OF the strip was indefinite, resting on
the supposed existence of "A continuous
ridge or range of mountains skirting the
coast, as Inquired in the charts Of the early
naVigators. 1t had at no time been possible
TOR either party in interest to lay down.
under the authority of the treaty line
so obviously exact according to it's provi-
sions as to command the assent of the
other.
After unavaiiIng attempts to reach an
understanding through joint high com
mission, followed by prolonged negotia-
tlons, conducted in an amicabe spirit, a
convention between the United States and
Great Britain was signed, January "a. 1903
providing for an examination of the sub
Ject by a mixed tribunal of six members,
three on side, with view TO its final dis
position. Ratitications were exchanged on
March last. whereupon the two govern
ments appointed their respective members
Those on behalf of the United States were
Eihu 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 Honorable Lord Alyer-
stone, lord chief justice OF England; Sir
Louis Amable Jette, X. c. NJ. c.. retired
Judge OF the supreme court Of Quebec, and
A. B. Aylesworth, *. c.. OF Toronto. This
tribunal met in London on September g.
under the presidency of Lord Aiverstone.
Ihe proceedings were expeditions. and
marked by a friendly and conscientious
spirit. The respective cases. counter cases
and arguments presented the issues clear
~ and fully. on the 10th OF October a ma
1ority of the tribunal reached and signed
an agreement on all the questions submit
ted by the terms of the convention. by
this award the right of the United States
to the control of a continuous strip or bor
der OF the mainland shore skirting all tn
tide-water inlets and sinuos!ties Of the
coast, is confirmed the entrance 10 Port
land canal Concerning which legitimate
doubt appeared is defined passing by
Tonsass inlet and to the northwest ward OF
Wales and Pearse islands: line is drawn
from the head of Portland canal to the
the interior border line OF the strip Is fixed
by lines connecting certain mountain sum
mits lying between Portland canal and
Mount st Elias, and running along the
crest of the divide separating the coast
slope from the inland watershed at the
only part OF the frontier whore the drain
age ridge approaches the coast within the
distance OF ten marine leagues stipulated
by the treaty as the extreme width OF the
strip around the heads Of Lynn canal and
its branches.
The award is self-executing on the vital
points. To make it effective as regards
the others II only remains for the two
governments to appoint each on its own
behalf, one or more scientific experts
who shall, with all convenient speed, pro-
Ceed together to lay down the boundary
line in accordance with the decision of
the 'OrifN al fhp tribunal /
mend that the congress make adequate
provision for the appointment. compen-
sation and expenses Of the members to
serve on this joint boundary commits
sion on the part of the United States.
Claims Against Venezuela.
1t will be remembered that during the
second session Of the last congress Great
Britain, Germany and Italy formed an
alliance for the purpose of blockading
the ports of Venezuela and using such
other means Of pressure as would secure
settlement of claims due, as they al
legged, to certain Of their subjects. Their
employment of force for the collection Of
these claims was terminated by agree
ment brought about through the Offices
of the diplomatic representatives of the
United States at Caracas and the gov
ernment at Washington, thereby ending
a situation which was bound to cause
increasing friction, and which ieoDarded
the peace of the continent. Under this
agreement Venezuela agreed to set apart
certain percentage OF the customs re-
ceiptS Of two of her ports to be applied
to the payment of whatever obligations
might be asce"tained by mixed commits
sions appointed for that purpose to be
due from her, not only to the three pow
ers already mentioned. whose proceed
ings against her had resulted in state Of
war, but also to the United States, France,
Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands Sweden
and Norway, and Mexico, who had not
employed force for the collection of the
claims alleged to be due to certain of
their citizens.
A demand was then made by the So
called blockading powers that the sums
aScertained to be due TO their citizens by
such mixed commission should >" record
ed payment in fun before ANYTHING was
paid upon the claims Of any of the So
called peace powers. Venezuela. on the
other haa1, insisted that all her cred tors
should be paid upon a basis of exact
equality. During the efforts 20 adjust
ers in interest that it should be referred
to me for decision. but | waq clearly
OF the opinion that a far visor course
would be to submit the question to the
permanent court of arbitration at The
Hague. 1t seemed to me to offer an ad-
mirable opportunity to advance the prdc-
tlce OF the peaceful settlement OF dis
putcS between nations and to secure for
The Hague tribunal a memorable in
crease of its practical Importance. The
nations interested in the controversy
Were so numerous and in many instances
SO powerful as to make ii evident that
beneticent results would follow from
their appearance at the same time before
the bar of that august tribunal Of peace
Our hopes in that regard have been real
iZeG. Russia and Austria are represented
in The persons of the learned and distin-
guished jursts who compose the tribunal
while Great Britain. Germany, France
Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands
Sweden and Norway, Mexico, the United
States and Venezuela are represented by
their respective agents and counsel. Such
an imposing concourse of nations present
ing their arguments to and invoking the
decision of that high court of International
justice and international peace can hardly
fail to secure ike submission Of many
future controversies The nations now ap-
pearing there will find it far easier to ap-
pear there a second time. while no nation
can imagine its just pride will be lessened
by following the example now presented
This triumph of the principle OF nterna-
ttonai arbitration is a subject of warm con-
graduation and offers Il happy augury for
the peace of the world.
Relations with Turkey.
Early in July having received intelli-
gence, which happily turned out TO be
erroneous, of the assassination of our vice
consul at Beirut, / dispatched n small
squadron to that port for such service as
might be found necessary on arrival. AL.
though the attempt on the life of our vice
consul had not been successful yet the
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