The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-04
The DISPUTED line
What the Alaskan Boundary Treaty
Proposes to Settle by Ar
bitration.
A Strong Opposition to the Treaty Is
Found Among Northwestern
Senators.

r IL
boundary line arbitration treaty is meet
ing considerable opposition from the
northwestern senator's. who claim that
there is .nothin to arbitrate.'
The treaty provides for six impartial
jurors, three on each side, majority
vote to carry.
Article 5 provides that the tribunal
shall consider the treaty between Great
Britain and Russia Of 1925 and the
treaty. between the United States and
Russia of March 80 1867.
In the treaty between the United States
and Russia articles and 4 Of the Anglo
Russian treaty are quoted as describing
the line of denarkation between Russia
and the British possessions These ar
ticles read as follows:
Ills majesty, the emperor of all the
RussiaS, agrees to cede to the United
States all the territories and dominions
now possessed by his said majesty on the
continent Of America, and in the ada
cent islands within the geographical linn
it's herein set forth. to-wit
The eastern limit is the line of de-
narration between the Russian and Brit
ish possessions as established by the con-
vention between Russia and Great Britain
of Feb, IS. 16), 1925. and described in
articles and 4 in the following terms:
Commencing from the southernmost
point of the Prince of Wales island, which
4
minutes north latitude, and between the
131st and 133d degree of west longitude
tmeridian of Greenwich), the said line
shall ascend to the north along the Port
land channel until it strikes the 56th
degree of north latitude: from this last
mentioned point the line of demarkation
shall follow the summit of the mountains
parable to the coast as far as the point
of intersection Of the 141st degree of west
longitude
finally from the said point of intersec-
ton the said meridian line Of the Hist
degree. in its proongation, as far as the
frozen ocean.
with reference to the line of de-
narration laid down in the preceding
article, it is understood ...
"First-That the island called Prince
Of Wales island shall belong wholly to
Russia; (now by this cession to the
United States). '-.. "
"Second-That whenever the summit
of the mountains which extend in a di-
rection parallel to the coast from the
56th degree Of north la titude to the point
of intersection to the 141st degree Of
west longitude shall prove to be at the
distance Of more than ten marine leagues
from the ocean, the limit between the
British possessions and the line of coast
which is to belong to Russia as above
mentioned that is to say. the limit to
shall be formed by line parallel to the
winding of the coast, and which shall
never exceed the distance of ten marine
leagues therefrom.
Another clause of the new treaty SAYS:
The tribunal shall also take into con-
Sldera ton any action of the several gov
ernments or of their respective represent
tatives preliminary or subsequent to the
conclusion Of said treaties so far as the
same tends to show the original and eff
fective understanding of the parties in
respect to the limits of their several ter
ritorial jurisdictions.
referring to articles Ill.,, w. and "
OF the said treaty of 1925. the said tribunal
shall answer and decide the following
questions:
| What is intended the point of commence
ment of the line?
What channel is the Portland channel:
What course should the line take from the
| point of commencement to the entrance to Port
| land channel?
| TO what point on the ffty-si1th parallel is the
| line to be drawn from the head of the Portland
channel. and what course it should follow be-
tween these points?
| In extending the line of demarkation north
ward from Sand Point, was it the intention of
SAID convention of 1925 that there should rema in
! In the exclusive possession of Russia contin
Gus fringe or strip of coast on the mainland
not exceeding ten marine leagues in width
separating the British possessions from the bays
points, inlets. Ravens and waters of the ocean
| and extending from said point on the fifty-sxtf
| degree Of latitude north to point where such
line of demarkation should intersect the one
hundred and fortyfrst degree of longitude west
of the meridian of Greenwich?
''If the foregoing question should be
answered in the negative and in the even
Of the summit of such mountains provins
to be places more than ten marine league:
from the coast should the width which
was to belong to Russia be measured
Cd from the mainland coast, along
line perpendicular thereto. or (2) was i
the intention and meaning Of the sait
convention where the mainland coast i
indicated by deep inlets, forming part o
the territorial waters Of Russia. thu
width was to be measured (a) from tn,
line Of the general direction Of the main
land coast, or CD from the line separat
ing the waters of the ocean from the ter
ritorial waters Of Russia, or (c) from
the heads of the aforesaid inlets?
What if any exist, are the noun
tains referred to as situated parallel t.
J the coast which mountains, when With,
ten marine leagues from the coast ar
declared to form the eastern boun
dary?'
It is provided that the first meetin.
of the boundary tribunal shall be in Lon
don.
AS soon as a decision has been sen
to the contracting parties each shall sen,
one or more scientific experts to lay dow
the boundary line in accordance with tn
decision.