The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1903-09-03
ALASKA BOUNDARY
BODY IN SESSION
COMMISSIONERS HOLD THEIR FIRST
MEETING IN A NOTABLE
ROOM IN LONDON.
LORD ALvERSTONE AT HEAD
Oral Arguments Are to Begin September
is and May Be Finished
by October 9.
ny ASSOCIATED PRESS.

London, Sept. 3.--The Alaskan bound
ary commissioners held their first meet
ing today i'll the conference room of the
foreign Office.
Prior to the formal assembling the
commissioners met in their private cor
ference room and selected Reginald
Tower Of the British diplomatic service.
formerly attached to the legation at
Washington and recently minister -
Siam. to be secretary OF the commission.
J. X. Carter, second secretary of the
United States embassy. and Mr.. Pope, a
representative of the Canadian govern
nent, were appointed assistant secretarys.
Averstone Is Chairman.
Lord Chief Justice Alversione was sub
sequently chosen chairman OF the COM
mission.
1t was announced that oral arguments
would commence September IS and Lord
Alverstone expressed the hope that they
would be finished by October o.
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 saloon with gothic
ceiling and paneled walls and has been
the scene of many notable gatherings.
II was generally used by the late Lady
Salisbury to receive the guests after the
late Lord Salisbury's dinners to the dip
lomatic corps.
Platform Is Constructed.
AT the end Of the room platform had
been constructed and OH it was long
desk with blue covering. Behind this
desk were six comfortable chairs. which
were occupied by the commissioners,
whose international regulations empha-
sized the Importance Of the occasion.
Elihu Root and Lord Alverstone sat
in the center. Separate tables were pro-
yided for counsel. Canadian counsel were
the first TO arrive in the chamber.
They were followed by John w. Fos-
ter, former secretary OF state. and his as
sistants, who were accompanied by AM
bassador Choate.
The commissioners came in few
minutes later and Immediately began a
private conference which resulted in the
selection of the officers and at which they
exchanged credentials and took the oath
required by the treaty.
Take Their Seats.
A few minutes after II o'clock the COM
mission took their seats, Senator Turner
on the extreme right, then Prof. Sir Louis
Jette, formerly OF the superior court of
Quebec, lieutenant governor Of the prov
ince of Quebec and professor of civil law;
Mr.. Root, Lord Alverstone, Senator Lodge,
A. b. Aylesworth. who succeeded the late
Justice Armour OF Canada on the commits
sion; Mr.. Foster and Clifford Sfton,
Canadian minister OF the interior.
The agents of the respective govern
ments sat at desks on the extreme right and
left of the commission, while counsel and
the stenographers occupied desks facing
the commissioners.
Lord Alvestone. after formally announc-
ing that the commission was in session,
stating that he had been selected as pres
ident. an honor which he highly apprc-
ciated, asked counsel when they desired
to begin oral arguments.
Suggests Two Weeks.
Sir Robert. B. Finlay, the attorney gen
eral, in behalf OF the British counsel, sug-
gestcd that at least two weeks would be
required for preparation to which Judge
John NJ. Dickinson, reprcsentating 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 finished. and Attorney
General Finlay suggested October IS, but
his lordship remarked that he thought a
shorter period was advisable, and October
was fixed upon.
The commission decided to sit five days
a week, commencing September IS and ex-
Guiding Saturdays, and to be in session
from II a. III. to 4 p. m. daily, and granted
permission for limited number Of rep
resentatives OF the press to attend the sit
tings.
In order that the presentation of the
cases may be exhaustive it has been ar
ranged that three of the counsel for each
government shall make arguments, the
British opening and being followed alter
natcly by American and British, the for
mer securing the advantage Of delivering
the closing arguments.
No More Secrecy.
The commission then removed the in
junction of secrecy on all documents
hitherto exchanged, and the sitting was
adjourned, the commissioners, agents and
counsel proceeding to the quadrangle, 4
where they were photographed
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