The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-07
In Magnificent Quarters.

boundary commissioners held their first
meeting today in the conference room of
the foreign office.
Prior to the formal assembling the
commissioners met in their private con-
ference room and selected Reginald
T. Tower, of the British diplomatic SER
vice formerly attached to the legation
at Washington and recently minister to
Siam, to be secretary of the commits
sion J. r. Carter, second secretary of
of the United States embassy, and Mr.
Pope. a representative of the Canadian
government. appointed assistant
secretaries Lord Chief Justice Alver-
stone was subsequently, chosen chairman
of the commission.
1t was announced that oral arguments
would commence September 10 and Lord
Alverstone expressed the hope that they
would be finished by October g.
The conference room Of the foreign
office, where the commissioners met, is
the choicest apartment in the British pub
lie buildings. 1t Is a magnificent salon,
with gothic ceiling and panelled walls.
and has been the scene of many notable
gatherings. 1t was generally used by the
late Lady Salisbury to receive the guests
after the late Lord SaliSbury's dinner to
the diplomatic corps At the end OF the
room a platform has been constructed
and on ii was q long desk with Dlue
covering. Behind tins desk were six
chairs, which were occupied by the com
missioners whose international reputa-
tons empha sized the Importance OF the
occasion. Eiihu Root and Lord Aver
stone sat In the center. Separate tables
were provided for counsel Canadian
counsel We're the first to arrive In the
chamber They were followed by john
w. Foster. former secretary of state,
and his assistants who were accompanied
by Amba ssador Choate. The commits
sioners came in few minutes later and
Immediately began private conference,
which resulted in the selection of the
officers and Mt which they exchanged ere
dentials and took the oath required by ,
the treaty.
Lord Alverstone in Chair
Lord Alverstone. after formally an !
nouncng that the committee was in SEES |
sion and stating that he had been select |
ed as president an honor which he high |
" appreciated. asked counsel when they |
desired to begin oral arguments. Sir |
Robert B. Finlay. the attorney general !
in behalf of the British counsel, suggest
ed that at least two weeks would be re-
uuired for preparation, to which Judge
John NJ. Dickinson. representing the
American counsel. assented. though he
said the American counsel would be
ready in a week. Lord Alverstone asked
when the oral arguments would be I'M
ished and Attorney General Finlay sug-
gested October 10, but his lOrdship re-
ma rked that he thought a shorter period
was advisable and October 9 was fixed
upon.
The committee decided to sit five days
a week. commencing September Is, ana
TO be in session from II a. m. to 4 y. m,
daily, and granted permission for
limited number OF press representatives
TO attend the sitting
The American Case.
The documents covering the American
of the case are comprised |
in three volumes. making total OF
about eleven hundred pages. In addition
there also are two volumes OF maps
The largest Of the volumes of text con-
tains the original statement by the Amer
lean commissioners, while one Oh the
smaller volumes presents the American
counter case in rejoinder to the hrltlsh
ease and the other the arguments OF
The American commissioners.
In the first volume the questions at
ssue. namely what is intended to be the
,oint of commencement of the line of
between the United States
md Canada? What is the Portland ,
What course the line shall take
n the entrance of that chan {
TEL? TO what point of the fifty
ixth parallel the line should be .
Irawn from the head of Portland d
hannel? and other familiar preparations
re discussed There also IS extensive
scussion of the extent of the strip {
+ territory along the coast on the main
and that Russia conveyed to the United u
tates by the treaty of 1867. 1t appears
rom the document that Great Britain | i
oncedes that the line begins at Cape
IuZon.
The United States contends that it is
10 intention of the powers which signed
10 treaty of 1925 to confirm in full SOW L
'eignty to Russia a continuous strip of
sire along the continental shores of the
orthwest coast of America extending
ON Portland channel to the one eS
lndred and forty-first meridian W
longitude west of Greenwich. AMI CT
lat such strip to be 10 marine s,
agues. measured from the heads of ~
/ CULTS and other arms Cf the I'M .'
SO there was within that distance a az
nee Of mountains. The contention Is br