The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18
ALL But ONE POINT
AMERICANS WIN IN THE ALASKAN
BOUNDARY DISPUTE.
All Their Contentious Upheld by the
Commission. Except that Relating
to the Portland Canal.
CANADA GETS A WATERWAY
Is AWARDED THE WESTERN CHAN
MEL OF PORTLAND CANAL.
Will Now Control Both Channels of
the Long, Narrow Inlet That Here
tOfOre Was Divided.
CANADIANS NOT SATISFIED
HAVE SO FAR DECLINED TO SIGN
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Comment on the Observation-Disclosures
Much the Same as 1t Was Before
the Commission Acted.
VIII Now Control Both Channels of
the Long. Narrow Inlet That Here
tOfore Was Divided.
CANADIANS NOT SATISFIED
HAVE so FAR DECLINED TO SIGN
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Comment on the Observation-Disclosures
Much the Same as 1t was Before
the Commission Acted.

LONDON, Oct. 1.-THE Alaska boundary
commission to-day reached an agreement
whereby all the American contentious are
sustained with the exception OF those in
relation to the Portland canal, which Can
ada wins. All that now remains to be done
is for the commission to affix their sig
natures TO the decision and complete the
map which will accompany IL. On the map
will be marked the boundary line definitely
fixing the division of American and Brit
ish territory on such basis that nc Amer
lean citizen will lose a foot of land he al
ready believed he held, while the United
States will get all the waterways to the
rich Alaskan territory with the exception
of the Portland canal, which gives Canada
the one outlet she so much needed.
The long-standing dispute was only set
tied after week of keen, trying. secret
elaboration between the arbitrator. Even
up to noon to-day there was an acute pos
sbility that a disagreement might result
and the whole proceedings fall to the
ground. Lord Alverstone, though openly
inclined to believe in the Justice of the
American argument that the United States
was entitled to the heads of inlets. as con-
tanned I'm Question s, held out that Canada
had established her case in Questions and
3, dealing with the Portland canal.
After luncheon Senator Lodge, Secretary
Root and Senator Turner agreed to cede
those points and to start the American
boundary line from the head of the Port
land canal, thus giving the Canadians that
channel and some small islands on which
there are only a few disused storehouses.
This accomplished. the majority of the tri-
bunal 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 IL unanimous
is not yet known, but ii will not affect the
validity of the agreement If a minority re-
port is submitted By Monday afternoon it
is hoped that everything will be ready for
signature, though the actual marking OF
the line on the map which shall forever
determine the respective territories will oc-
cupy some time.
The majority of the commissioners left
the Foreign Office hurriedly this afternoon
in order to catch trains for weekend visits
to the country. Nothing had occurred
which led the few onlookers even to sus-
pect that the dispute had reached it's prac-
teal end. The commissioners themselves
are still bound to secrecy until the decision
is actually rendered. and very few others
were really aware how great a degree Of
success had attended the efforts of the
American members of the tribunal.