The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-09
ALASKA ARGUMENTS ALL IN.
TRIBUNAL ALNOURNS WITH A
WEALTH OF COMPLIMENT.

Lord AlyeratOne Ranks Judge Dickinson's
Argument With tho Efforts OF Great
Lawyers-secret Sessions Next Week
-Decision Expected by Oct. 10.
Special Cable Despatch to THs SUN.
LONDON, Oct. s.--The open sessions Of
the Alaskan Boundary Tribunal ended
this afternoon under the most pleasant
conditions. Judge Dickinson and j. w.
Foster OF the American commission, Sir
Robert Finlay. the British Attorney-Gen-
eral, and Lord Alverstone exchanged COM
pliments.
There was large after dance, including
Mr.. Mccormick. American Ambassador
to Russia. and friends Of the Commits
sioners and their wives. Mrs. Foster, Mrs.
Dickinson, Mrs. Watson, Henry White.
secretary of the American Embassy in Lon
don; Mrs. White and Miss Muriel White
occupied prominent seats.
In concluding his argument Judge Dick
inson referred to the unique composition
OF the tribunal. whereby treaty will mis-
carry unless one decides against his own
country. But, he said, II a settlement is
reached it will be q triumphant epoch in
the history Of struggle for something
better than war as the sole court Of de-
termining international differences. Both
Governments would accept the decision as
a righteous judgment, no matter how dis
appointing the conclusion might be.
Lord Alverstone, on behalf Of himself
and his colleagues, expressed his thanks
to Judge Dickinson for his brilliant and
powerful argument, which, the Lord Chief
Justice said, would not suffer in comparison
with those OF many of the great leaders Of
the American bar whom he had been privi-
legged to hear.
Mr.. Foster, in the name Of the United
States, said he desired to make public
recognition of the frendliness and con-
sideration with which the members Of the
commission had been received by Great
Britain and the courtesy and kindness
with which they had been treated. He
incidentally recalled the absolute harmony
that had prevailed during the sessions
Of the tribunal.
Mr.. Foster afterward told the correspond
ent of The sun that he thought the proce-
dure Of the Behring Sea court would be
followed in this case and that the decision
would be announced at q special sitting
of the tribunal. The decision will, 1t is
expected, be announced on or about
Oct. 20
The tribunal adjourned to-day until
Monday. Lord Alverstone Is going on
fishing trip, Senator Lodge will pay a
visit to Henry White and the others con-
nected with the commission will spend
the week end out Of town. The secret
sittings will begin on Monday.
Judge Dickinson took up the British
contentious this morning He said that the
entire question of the boundary had been
in controversy since 1872, and the United
States had been notified that Canada
claimed the heads Of the inlets in 1893. He
asserted that even if the British contention
was tenable. the occupation by Russia
and the United States and Great Britain's
acquiescence therein from 1925 to 1872
sho wed that the treaty had been interpreted
in accordance with the United States con-
tention.
He referred to the correspondence of 1899
to show that Lord Herschell, the president
Of the Anglo-American Commission, who
died at Washington, said that the instruc-
tons to the British High Commissioners
we're given to the United States in 1893
and that the question of the inlets was then
raised The Judge then went on to say
that Great Britain and Canada had never
formally protested in any other way against
the occupation OF the inlets by the United
States.