New-York tribune., 1903-03-30
THE ALASKAN TRIBUNAL.
MEETING POSTPONED.
No Change an the Date for Render
ing Decision.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

WASHINGTON March 29-The first meeting Of
the Alaskan Boundary Tribunal has been de-
ferred until next autumn, through an agree
ment reached between the State Department
and the Foreign Office. the two governments
having concluded that no practical advantage
was to be gained by the members assembling
at London next month was generally un-
derstood to be contemplated under the treaty
negotiated in January. The delay in organiz-
ton will not affect the time limit, December g.
within which the decision is to be rendered. un-
less an extension Of existence is to be granted
to the tribunal by common accord Of President
Roosevelt and King Edward.
The postponement Of the first meeting is the
result of such liberal and rational Interpretation
of the treaty's provisions regarding meetings as
that which excited the Canadians when the
American commissioners were announced and
were proved to fit the designation Of impartial
jurists Of repute"
Article V of the boundary settlement conven-
ton prescribes that the tribunal shall assemble
for their first meeting at London soon as
practicable after receiving their commissions
The American members were commissioned
promptly on March 3. the date upon which rat
ifcations were exchanged, and it was at first
thought that they would have reached London
in time TO join the British commissioners and
perfect the organization Of the tribunal before
.,
submission of the case. This procedure would
have been exceedingly awkward for Secretary
Root who could not be spared from the War
Department at this juncture engrossed as he Is
in putting into effect the great projects in mill
tary reorganization authorized by Congress, in
cluding the establishment Of the general staff
and !: ar College and the creation Of the ma
tional militia as we'll as in directing crucial
developments in the Philippines. Secretary Hay
f0FF Qrit tiG1
ernment to a construction of the words "as soon
as practicable which was tantamount to the
phrase las soon of any practical benefit.
which postpones any real necessity for formal
meeting until all the evidence is in and the
arguments are submitted. The date Of ex-
change of ratifcations. which was March 5,
fixes under the terms Of the convention. all its
subsequent dates, according to Article II. which
reads:
Within two months thereafter. on May 3,
the written or printed case Of each Of the two
parties accompanied by the documents, the
official correspondence and all other evidence in
writing or print upon which each party relies
shall be delivered in duplicate to each member
of the tribunal and to the agent of each other
party.
The American case is being rapidly arranged
and printed by ex-Secretary John W. Foster,
and will reach all the commissioners on the
stipulated date. Copies for two Of the British
members who live in Canada will be delivered
by special messengers, and that for the Lord
Chief Justice Of England will be placed in his
hands on May 8, through the cooperation Of
the embassy at London. The counter cases are
similarly to be presented within the expiration
of the succeeding two months or on July ).
At the end Of two months more, on Sep
ternber g. each party has to deliver "a written
or printed argument. showing the points and
referring to the evidence upon which his gov
ernnlent relies" and after that the tribunal
may hear oral arguments II it desires eluci0ation
with regard to any essential point, provided
that in the absence of extension Of time it's
decision shall be dated and signed within three
months or not later than December 8.
It has already been agreed that all the time
permitted between now and September 3 will be
indispensable the agents in presenting the
cases counter cases and arguments, and that the
tribunal can accomplish nothing practically ad-
as Senator Lodge must be in Washington on
November 8 to be present at the opening Of the
extra ordinary session of Congress to be called
to carry out the Cuban reciprocity agreement.
the tribunal will assemble in London very soon
after September 3, and II Its decision Is not
reached before the latter part of October. it will
reasserable in Washington the middle Of NoVem-
Der and there conclude its deliberations.