Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-10-22
DECISION IN
BOUNDARY CASE
UNITED STATES WINS ALI. HER
CONVENTIONS
With the Exception That the Port
land Canal Goes to Canada
American Members of the Com.
mission Small Islands Conceded

London, Oct. 19.-The Alaska boun.
Diary commission reached dec sion
Saturday whereby all the American
contentious are sustained, with the eX-
oeption of those in relation to the Port
land canal, which Canada wins. All
| that now remains to be done is for the
commissioners to allix their signatures
to the decision and complete the map
which will accompany it.
On the map will be marked the boun-
Diary line definitely fixing the division
Of the American and British territory
on such basis that no American citi-
zen will lose a foot of land he already
believed he he'll, while the United
States will get all tue waterways to the
rich Alaskan territory, with the excep-
ton OF the Portland canal, which gives
Canada the one outlet she so much
needed.
The long standing dispute was only
settled after a week of keen, trying &C.
cret deliberation between the arbitra-
tors. Even up to noon Saturday there
was an acute possibility that disa-
greement might result, and the whole
proceedings fall to the ground.
Reach Decision.
Lord Alverstone, though openly in
clined to beiieve IN the justice of the
American argument that the United
States was entitled to the heads of in.
lets as contained In question five, held
out that Canada had established her
case in questions two and three, deal
ing with the Portland canal.
After lunch Senator Lodge, Secretary
Root and Senator Turner agreed to con-
cede these points and to start the Amer
lean boundary line from the head of
the Portland canal, thus giving the
Canadians that channel and some small
islands on which there are only few
dsused storehouses. This accomplish
ed, the ma jorty of the tribunal agreed
to fix, with this exception, the entire
boundary as outlined in the American
case.
Whether Messrs. Aylesworth and
Jette, the Canadian commissioners,
will refuse to Sign the decision and
make it unanimous. is not known, but
it will not affect the validity of the
agreement if minority report is cub
mitted. BY this afternoon ii is hoped
that everything will be in readiness for
signature, though the actual marking Of
the line on the map which shall iorev-
er determine the respective territories
is considerable task.
The maority of the commissioners
left the foreign office hurriedly during
the latter part of the afternoon in order
to catch trains for week END visits to
the country.
Taken BY Surprise.
The successful termination of the
Alaska boundary arbitration came as
a complete surprise to all interested in
the case, except perhaps the commits
sioners themselves. When the tribunal
adjourned at 1920 p. m. if was under
stood that no decision had been reach
ed. Indeed, so general was the i'm
preston that no decision would be
J reached until this week that several OF
the counsel and others employed in the
case left London soon after the ad journ-
ment.
However, the Associated Press learn
ed that vote had been taken and that
the dec sion to grant all the American
contentious except .hat of the Portland
canal, which goes to Canada, had been
arrived at.
No hitch occurred during the entire
deliberations and as these progressed
the confidence of the American com
missoners that a decision substantially
upholding the American claim would
be given increased, but it was admitted
tina it would be necessary to agree TO a
compromise on the POI tland canal.
The only disqnieting feature for the
Americans during the last few days had
been a vague idea that Chief Justice
Alvcrstone, even il he concluded to take
the American view, might be unwilling
to 60 on record with decision to that
effect, and that a disagreement was not
unlikely.