Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-03
MEMBERS OF THE BODY WILL
HOLD FIVE SESSIONS EACH
WEEK.
AMERICANS TALK LAST
Will Close the Arguments After the
British Have Had Their say-some
of the Claims Made by America Re-
sardins the Boundary.

London, Sept. 3.-The Alaskan boun-
Diary commission held their first meet
ing today in the conference room at the
foreign Office. Prior to the assembling
the commissioners met in the private
conference room and elected Reginald
T. Tower, of the British diplomatic
service, formerly attached to the lega-
ton at Washington and recently min
lister to Siam, to be secretary of the
commission; J. R. Carter, second sec
retary of the United States embassy,
and Mr.. Pope, representative of the
Canadian government, were appointed
assistant secretaries Lord Chief JUS
tice Alverstone subsequently was chos-
en- chairman OF the commission.
Manner of Arguing.
1t is announced that oral arguments
will commence Sept. Is and Alverstone
expressed hope that they will be fin
1shed by Oct. 9. The commission de-
cided to sit five days week commenc-
ing Sept. 10 and excluding Saturdays
and be in session from IL a. m. to
p. m. daily in order that the presenta-
tion OF the cases may be exhausted 1t
is arranged that three of the counsel
Tor each government shall make ar
guments, the British Opening, and be-
ing followed alternately by Americans
and British, the former securing the
advantage of delivering the closing ar
guments. The commission then re-
newed the injunction of secrecy on all
documents hitherto exchanged and
the sitting adjourned.
Washington, Sept. 3.-The abstract
of the case of the United States before
the Alaskan boundary tribunal and the
document covering the American pres.
entation of the case comprise three
volumes, with a total of 1 100 pages.
In addition there are also two volumes
of maps. The largest of the volumes
of the text contains original statements
by the American commissioners, whileI
one of the smaller volumes presents
the American counter-case in rejoind-
er to the British case and the other
the arguments of the American COM
missioners.
Some Questions.
In the first volume the questions att
issue; namely, what is intended to bel
the point of the commencement of the
line of demarkation between the Unit
ed States and Canada, what is the Port.
land canal, what course the line should
take to the entrance of that channel;
to what point the ffty-sixth parallel
line should be drawn from the head of
the Portland canal, and other familiar
questions are discussed.
Problem of Treaties.
This volume also contains an extern
Bive discussion regarding the extent of
the strip of territory along the coast |
on the mainland that Russia convey
ed to the United States by treaty in
1867. The United States contends it |
was the intention of the powers which
signed the treaty of 1925 to confirm in
full the sovereignty to Russia of the
continuous strip along the continental
shores OF the northwest coast of
America, extending from the Portland
canal to the one hundred and forty
first meridian longitude west of Green
w1ch and that such strip was to be |
ten marine leagues, measured from
the heads OF all the CULTS and other
arms OF the sea, unless there was
within that distance a range of noun
tains. The contention is further made |
that there is no such mountain range. |
II Is also urged that the United |
States has occupied this strip of ter
ritory ever since the acquisition from
Russia and that Russia controlled it |
since the treaty of 1925 until ceded to
the United States in 1867.
Meets Arguments.
In counter statement the Ameri-
can commission makes rejoinder to |
the point covered in the presentation |
of the British side of the case, which
1t appears contains twenty or more
documents hitherto not given to the |
public. The additional evidence re-
ferred to bears upon the negotiations
which took place between Great Brit
ain and Russia during the years 1923
to 1926 and it is contended this new
evidence in no way alters any mater
ial contention made in the original al
legation, but on the contrary Confirms
and strengthens the position of the
United States
Dispositions Produced.
In support of the American conten-
1ion that the strip should measure
from tide water and from the heads |
G bays and inlets number of depo-
s1tlons are produced in connection
with the counter case going to show
occupation Of this strip by settlers
from the United States since 1880.
American Contention Remains.
Discussing the boundaries proposed
by Great Britain the commissianl
makes reference to the instability of
the Canadian contention on this point
and concludes that the Omitted States
has from the time OF the concession by
Alaska to the present day maintained
but one Interpretation of the treaty
OF 1925. It's position has been open