The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-10-22
THE BOUNDARY VICTORY.

For third and final time Great
Britain has been baffled in an attempt
to get possession of the cosstwise strip
of Alaskan territory, the lawful title
for which has been vested for more
than century, first 10 Russia and
since 1867 to the United States. The
first attempt was made in 1895 when
Russia held the title to the great ter
ritory the second in 1898 when the
joint high comm ssion in Canada
failed utterly to agree; and the third
which ended on Monday evening in a
triumph for the American claims.
This was almost a foregone conclusion
because the guiding principle Of the
last commission was to determine just
the meaning of the treaty between
Russia and England in 1925 Upon
that everything depends, and upon
that the United States rested its case
with absolute confidence.
This treaty specified clearly just
where the boundary should be, and it
was not until gold was discovered in
the Klondike region and Canada de-
sired harbor that was natural out
let of the gold fields that any question
as to its correctness arose. In 1898
Great Britain first officially denied
this to be the true boundary and for
warded claim to boundary much
nearer the coast, which included in
British domains the greater part of
the Lynn Canal, one of the finest in
land waterways in the world, and the
natural harbor Of the rich gold re-
gions to the northward.
This canal was in reality the chief
point of contention, for with the con-
troll of it goes the strategical and COM
mercial supremacy Of Eastern Alaska
and of that portion Of British terri
tory containing Dawson City and the
gold fields of the Klondike.
The only point gained by Canada
and Great Britain is in question two
and Its answer in which is given the
digest of the decision as follows:
What channel is the Portland chan
mel? The Portland channel passes
north Of Pearse and Wales islands and
enters the ocean through Tongas pas
sage, between Wales and Sitklan
islands
This gives Canada the possession of
Wales and Pearse islands, which ara
of value in conjunction with the
IN, xpb al, hos 81
but this is small consolation in view
of the wholesale claim made by the
dominion, and it appears even smaller
when it is considered that the United
States gets the two islands. Kannag-
hunat and Sitklan, commanding the
entrance of the Portland channel and
the ocean passage to Port Simpson.
The decision is welcomed in this
country, but as this exact result was
anticipated it is being received as a
matter Of course. Canada on the
other hand is almost in the depths of
despair over the outcome, but its pro-
tests and frettings are as those of
child. If the United States is to be
at all criticised for its share in the
negotiation, it is for ever consenting
to refer the matter to arbitration at
all, because few believed that there
was anything to arbitrate While
the region affected by the waterways
was OF no value there was no objec
ytion to the United States holding the
territory along the coast as it was
coded by Russia; but once gold was
discovered, Great Britain began her
we'll established policy of trying to
include within her borders not only
the gold fields but all the natural
avenues of commerce leading to them.
IL was Great Britain's bluff and no
we'll informed Englishman could ever
see any chance of victory, but Can
ada, the child, saw earnestness in the
bluff of the mother and now is wrest-
ling with season of bitter disap-
pointment in consequence.
American diplomacy has won an
other victory but not a great one,
it simply presented a straightforward
well established claim and it was al
lowed. Indeed the only thing of real
Importance accomplished is that
line has at last been established
which leaves no doubt as to the
boundary between Alaska and Can
ada.