The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-12-11

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 1926 between Great
Britain and Russia, the provisions of which
were copied in the treaty of 1867 whereby
Russia conveyed Alaska to the United
! States, was positive as to the control, first
by Russia and later by the United States.
mainland from the western shore of Port
land canal to Mount ST. Elias, following
and surrounding the indentations of the
coast and including the islands tothe west
| ward. it's description of the landward mar
! gin of the strip was indefinite, resting on
the supposed existence of continuous
| ridge or range of mountains skirting the
! coast, as figured in the charts of the early
| navigators. 1t had at no time been possible
for, either party in interest to lay down.
! under the authority of the treaty, line
| SO obviously exact according to its provi-
sions as to command the assent of the
| other.
| understanding through a joint high COM
| mission, followed by prolonged enegotia-
tions, conducted in an amicable spirit, a
| convention between the United States and
Great Britain was signed, January "a 1903,
providing for an examination of the SUBJ
/ ject by mixed tribunal of six members,
three on a side, with view to it's final dis
position. Notifications were exchanged on
March last, whereupon the two govern
ments appointed their respective members
Those on behalf of the United States were
Cabot Lodge, senator of the United
States. and George Turner. an ex-senator
named the Right Honorable Lord Alver-
stone, lord chief justice of England; Sir
/ Louis Amable Jette, K. c. M. G., retired
judge of the supreme court of Quebec, and
tribunal met in London on September g.
under the presidency of Lord Alverstone;
marked by friendly and Conscientious Gus
spirit. The respective cases, counter cases
and arguments presented the issues clear
~ and fully. On the goth of October ma,
jority 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 continuous strip or bor-
der of the mainland shore, skirtfng all the
tide-water inlets and sinuosities of the
coast, is confirmed; the entrance to Port
land canal concerning which legitimate
doubt appeared) is defined as passing by
! TongaSS inlet and to the northwestward of
Wales and Pearse islands; a line is drawn
from the head of Portland canal to the
ffty-siXth degree of north latitude; and
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 where the drain
age ridge approaches the coast within the
distance of ten marine leagues stipulated
by the treaty as the extreme width of the
its branches.
The award is self-executing on the vital
points. To make it effective regards
the others 1t 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-
coed together to lay down the boundary
line in accordance with the decision of
the majority of the tribunal 1 recon-
mend that the congress make adequate
provision for the appointment compen-
sation and ., expenses an;ss Of the members to
sion on the part of the United States.
Claims Against Venezuela.
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
a 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 an agree
ment brought about through the offices
of the diplomatic representatives of the
United States at Caracas and the gov
a situation which was bound to cause
increasing friction, and which jeoparded
the peace of the continent. Under this
agreement Venezuela agreed to set apart
a certain percentage of the customs re-
ceipts of two of her ports to be applied
to the payment of whatever obligations
might be ascertained 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
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 be accord
ed payment in full before anything was
paid upon the claims Of any of the So
called peace powers. Venezuela, on the
other hand. insisted that all her creditors
should be paid upon basis of exact
equality. During the efforts to adjust
this dispute it was suggested by the pow
ers in interest that it should be referred
of the opinion that far wiser 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 prac-
tice of the peaceful settlement of dis
putes between nations and to secure for
The Hague tribunal memorable in
crease of it's practical Importance. The
nations interested in the controversy
were so numerous, and in many instances
so powerful as to make it evident that
their appearance at the same time before
the bar of that august tribunal of peace.
Our hopes in that regard have been real
lied. Russia and Austria are represented
in the persons of the learned and distin-
guished jurists 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 like submission of many
future controversies. The nations now ap-
pearing there will find it far easier to APP
pear there 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 interna-
tional arbitration is subject of warm con-
graduation and offers a 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, 1 dispatched a 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
outrage was symptomatic of a state of
excitement and disorder which demanded
immediate attention. The arrival of the
vessels had the happiest result. A feeling
of security at once took the place of the
former alarm and diSquiet; our officers
were cordially welcomed by the consular
body and the leading merchants, and or
binary business resumed its activity. The
government of the sultan gave consider