The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-20
Showed Their Anger by Hurriedly
Walking Out of the British For
eign Ofiice Last Night.
FIVE SIGNATURES ATTACHED
PAINFUL IMPRESSION CREATED BY
ACTION OF CANADIANS.
Hope Expressed They Will Recon-
slider and Sign the EngrOssed Copy
of the Document To-day.

LONDON, Oct. IA draft of the de-
cision reached by the Alaska boundary COM
missoners was signed by a majority of the
commissioners this evening. Messrs. Ayles-
worth and Jette, the Canadian commission
ers. refused to sign. The decision grants all
the American contentious, with the ex-
ception of the one relating to the Portland
canal. The signatories were Lord Chief
Justice Alverstone and Senator Lodge, Sen
ator Turner and Secretary Root, the Ameri-
can commissioners. They constituted a ma
jorty and insured finality.
Messrs. Aylesworth and Jette carried their
outspoken disapproval of the decision to
the point of refusing to sign even that sec
ton of the decision giving the Portland
canal to Canada, and they emphasized their
attitude by walking out of the cabinet room
in the Foreign Office before the signatures
of the others had been affixed to the historic
document, which has already been printed
and is ready for the session TO be held to-
morrow. The only thing remaining to be
done at this session is that the majority of
the tribunal complete and sign the map
which accompanies the decision and which
minutely determines the course of the boun-
dairy in accordance with the American con-
tentions contained in question No. s. An
engrossed copy of the decision also will be
signed Tuesday.
The refusal of Messrs. AyIesworth and
Jette TO coincide with Lord Alverstone's S
view was only known to a few persons here
tonight, but at the Foreign Office and in
high government circles it has created a
painful impression. There is no hope ex-
pressed that the Canadian commissioners
will reconsider their attitude and sign the
engrossed copy of the decision which will
stand as the international record OF the
tribunals finding.
Question 3 Is as follows: "In extending
the line OF demarkation northward from
said point on the parallel of the 56th degree
of north latitude. following the crest of
the mountains situated parallel to the coast
until its intersection with the Hist degree
of longitude west of Greenwich. subject to
the condition that IL such line should any
where exceed the distance of ten marine
leagues from the ocean then the boundary
between the British and the Russian ter
ritory should be formed by a line parallel
to the sinuoSitieS OF the coast and distant
leagues was il the intention and meaning
OF said convention of 1925 that there should
remain in exclusive possession of Russia
a continuous fringe or strip of coast on
the mainland not exceeding ten marine
leagues in width, separating the British
possessions from bays, ports. inlets. havens
and waters of the ocean. and extending
from said point on the 56th degree of lati-
ttlde north to a point where such line of
demarkation should intersect the Hist de-
gree OF longitude western meridian of
Greenwich?"
The Goldsmiths Company entertained
the commissioners at banquet tonight in
the ancient Goidsmiths' Hall. The prime
warden proposed the healths of King Ed
ward and President Roosevelt, and these
toasts were followed by others TO the men,
bers of the commission Secretary Root
and Sir Louis Jette replied TO the prime
warden. The former in his remarks dealt
chiefly with the value OF such international
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6. COL. ID