Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-09-16

support. at the mercy OF n Brit
ish establishments or the mainland.
Russia does not insist upon the reser-
walton of the strip along the coast for
any value 1t has, but in order not to
lost the surrounding isles We do not
seek an advantage. but rather to avoid
giving one"
Thus it will be seer that Russian
diplomacy was fully equal to the Gun
ming of John Bull in those old days
and it also clearly shows that the very
thing Canada is now ~contending for Is
just what Russia declared she should
not have.
ment to prove the American title 1000
will be the following:
First-After the treaty of 1925 the
Russian government Immediately pub
lished a map. claiming the strip Of ter
ritOry whose legal possession is now
disputed. as we'll as all the interior
waters of the sea inclosed by it.
Second-The Russian American
company established forts and tradir.
posts within the strip.
Thirdly virtue of a lease. which
was a recognized assertion Of its ssv-
ereignty. these forts and posts were
temporarily transferred to a British
company.
Fourth-At the termination of this
lease Russia re-entered and took
possession of the strip and remained
in undisputed control until Alaska was
transferred to the United States.
Fifth-Russia received the allegi-
onon nf tho rotix-a T~l;o-, :l,.--
the strip and exercised control and
supervision over them.
SUPPLEMENTARY after the cession
in 1867 the United States issued a map.
which was identical with the former
claim of Russia.
Seventh-Upon the transfer of Alas
ka a portion of the United States army
was dispatched to occupy the territory.
Eighth-Since the cession United
States postofices have been astab-
lished and maintained at various
points on the strip.
Ninth-Custom houses have likewise
been established and duties collected
therein.
Reinforcement and mission
schools have been maintained.
Eleventh-Since the date of the ces
sion United States revenue vessels
AVE patrolled the interior waters to
enforce American laws.
Twelfth-The United States has ex-
ercised acts of sovereignty over the
Indian tribes inhabiting the strip. and
these Indians have rendered unques-
tionable allegiance to the United
States.
Thirteenth-In the census of 1880. as
well as that Of 1890, all the Indian
tribes inhabiting the strip were includ-
ed in the population of the United
States.
Fourteenth-The territorial govern
ment of Alaska has exercised various
and repeated acts of sovereignty over
the strip and the interior waters en-
closed by it, and the writs of the Unit
ed States courts have run throughout
the whole extent.
Fifteenth-Under the territorial
claim of the United States and the
protection of its government Amerf-
cans have entered and occupied the
strip. built cities and towns and es-
tablished many industrial enterprises
therein.
Si~xteenth-All the foregoing acts
have taken place without a single pro-
test or complaint on the part of the
British or Canadian governments until
this time.
The British contention is:
First-That the pass called the Port
land channel did not mean what is
now called Portland channel, but what
is now known as BOhm canal, which
they claim was formerly called Port
land channel.
Second-That though the Russians
ran the line a uniform ten leagues
from the coast. as though there were
no distinct range of mountains parallel
to the coast. there is. as a fact, a range
of mountains parallel to the coast.
which should have been followed.
Third-That in case there were no
range of mountains, the ten marine
leagues should have been measured.
not from the line of salt water. but
from the outer coast line of islands or
the ocean,, that being meant as the
coast.
Fourth-That ever if there were no
distinct range of mountains and the
line was accepted as ten marine
leagues from the coast. it should be
ten leagues from a ~meandered coast
live and should cut across the mouths
OF the narrow channels and inlets with
which the coast is indented. leaving
in the possession of Great Britain.
This Interpretation Of what the old
treaty meant falls pretty flat in the
face Of the statement of Count Nessel-
rode. Russia insists on retaining the
coast opposite Prince of Wales island.
because she does not propose to put 1t
at the mercy of England" Russia in
tended to keep the English away from
the coast. There is no disputing that
fact. The m the streams were
called by was of no Importance as long
as John Bull kept his place. If Russia
still owned the territory there would
not be any arbitration or meetings to
decide whether the various streams
had changed their names or not Eng
land would be told to keep out, and she
would do it.
The annual report of the 500 road.