New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-21
CANADA'S LAND SHUT OFF
Continued from nrst pnse.

lisiere was to be measured (a) from the line
of the general direction of the mainland coast.
OBJ from the line separating the waters OIL
the ocean from the territorial waters OF hussi'-
or Cc) from the heads of the aforesaid inlets:
Required answer after the fifth question:
had been. answered in the affirmative
Question What, If any exist are, the noun
tains referred 10 situated parallel 10 the Co.'s
which mountains, when within ten naIIale
leagues from the coast, are declared 10 ioi"
the eastern boundary?
Answer-The majority of the tribunal nave Sc
lected the line OF peaks starting at the hean y,
Portland Canal and running along the nsn
mountains. on the outer edge of the mountains
shown on the maps of survey made in 1870, eA
tending to Mount Whipple and thence alons
what is known as the Hunter line OF toi crosS
ing the Stikine River about twenty-four hi.ies
from its mouth. thence no rtherIy aiois ~, III
high peaks TO Hates Needle: from Hates NeeoIe
to the DEVILS Thumb. The tribunal stated INA
there not sufficient evidence, OWING 10 tie
absence Of a complete survey. to identify the
mountains which correspond TO those intenueu
by the treaty. This contemplates a further sur
vey of that portion by the two governments.
From the vicinity of Devils Thumb the llne
to the continental watershed. thence
through White and Taiya, or Chilkoot, passes
westerly TO a mountain indicated on the map
attached to the treaty $3.50 feet, thence 10
another mountain $500 feet, and from Una.
point in a somewhat curved line across the head
of the glaciers to Mount Fairweather This
places the Canadian outpost on the upper water
of Chlkat River in British territory, and the
mining camps of Porcupine and Glacier Creek
in American territory From Mount Fairweather
the line passes north on high peaks along the
mountains indicated on the map by Mounts
Pinta Ruhama and Vancouver TO Mount st.
Elias.
In consequence Of the attitude maintained by
the Canadian commissioners. Lord Chief Justice
Alverstone decided this morning not TO hold the
proposed public meeting of the Alaskan Boun-
dairy Commission, but to hand its decision TO
Messrs. Foster and Sifton. respectively agents of
the United States and Canadian governments
This change of procedure caused much astonish-
yVh o crowded
doris adjoining the waiting rooms. Ambassador
Choate as well as the Canadians and others
Immediately connected with the case, were adj
mitted TO the room where the tribunal had been
holding the open sessions but the commissioners
remained in the Cabinet room. The secretary
of the commission. Reginald T. Tower, finally
informed the waiting crowd that no public ses-
sion would be held and that the award would be
made public through the agents. No explana-
ton was offered, and few persons knew that the
attitude of the Canadian commissioners was
responsible for the awkward change.
The Canadians feel bitter over the outcome.
They almost openly accuse Lord Alverstone of
craftsmanship When the Lord Chief Justice pre-
scented them to King Edward at Buckingham
Palace yesterday his majesty endeavored vainly
to induce Sir Louis Jetta and Mr.. Ayiesworth
to say they satisfied, or that they accepted
the situation, but the two Canadians declined to
They simply shook hands formally and bowed
One of the Canadian commissioners said after
the award was made public:
This award affects much more the relations
between the Dominion and the mother country
than people here seem to realize, and almost
marks the parting Of the ways, at least so far as
leaving any such question for England 10 de-
eide for US.
Sir Louis A Jette and Mr.. Aylesworth. the
Canadian commissioners made the following
statement regarding the award:
The decision of the Alaska Boundary Tribunal
! has been given, and in view of its character ihe
! people of Canada are in our Judgment, entitled
to such explanation from US as viii enable them
to comprehend fully the manner in which tneir
! interests have been dealt with we take up the
POINTS of the decision in the order in which they
are presented by the treaty under which the
tribunal constituted;
channels parallel with each other with four
( islands between them. The CANADIAN contel-
/ ton was that the northern channel should he
adopted The United States contended for the
southern channel On the result OF the decision
depended the possession OF the four lslanus'
/ Kannaghunut, Sitklan, Wales and Pearse
( When the tribunal met after the argument
and considered this question the view Of the
three British commissioners was that the Ca i
dian contention absolutely unansweraD!e-
A memorandum prepared and read 10 the
commissioners, embodying our views anG snow
ing IL to be beyond dispute that the tanadlah
! contention in this branch of the should pre-
vail and that the boundary should run TO the
northward of the four islands named, thus CIV
ing them to Canada.
Notwithstanding these facts the members of
the tribunal other than ourselves have now
signed an award giving two of the ISLANDS. Kan
naghunut and Sitklan. TO the Umteo States'
These two islands are the outermost OF the four;
They command the entrance of the Portland
Channel and the ocean passage to Port Slmp-
son Their loss wholly destroys the strategic
value TO Canada Of the Wales ana fearse
islands. - o,.,,,
There is. in our opinion. no process of reason on
ing whereby the line thus decided upon by the
tribunal can be justified. II was never suS-
gested by counsel in the course of argument
that such line was possible. Either the tout 3he
islands belong to Canada or belong to the
United States. In the award Lord Alverstone
agrees with the United States commissioners
that the islands should be divided. giving the
two which possess strategic value to the Chi'eu
States. go ,,,,o,,a
f-,,annnI substantially the Canadian contention
~agarlirg this line was that there are mountains
paralIel with the coast within the meaning OF
the treaty of 1925. and that the tops OF SuCh
mountains should be declared the boundary, the
mountains nearest the sea being taken. Inc
United Statess contention was that there ar
no mountains parallel with the coast Witnih , ,lie
meaning of the treaty, and that the boundary
must therefore be fixed under the provision Oh
the original treaty relating to ten leagues anu
so be run a distance Of thirty-fVe miles iroin
the shore including in the term shore the heads
of all inlets bays etc. The tribunal ftnds that
the Canadian contention is correct as 10 the eA-
istence of the mountains within the terms 81 , tl
treaty but the fruits of victory have oeen TAKEN
from Canada by fixing as mountain Hhe d
row of mountains so far from the coast as ~
give the United states substantially nearly al
the territory in dispute.
Around the head Of the Lynn Canal the line
follows the watershed, somewhat in accordance
with the present provisional boundary.
we are of the opinion that the mountain line
traced by King the Dominion astronomer, along
the coast should have been adopted at least so
far as the shores OF the Lynn Canal. II effect
were given TO the contention that Great Britain