New-York tribune., 1903-02-04
THE ALASKAN TREATY.
OF ITS TERMS.
. Some Opposition to Ratification Sho7cn
an the Senate.


Michael Herbert for a settlement of the Alaskan
boundary dispute. Owing to the fact that n
number Of articles are in French it was De
-ided to await translation before making the
-reaty public. The secretary OF the Senate was
Erected to procure a translation.
Article / provides that the boundary line trib-
anal shall be Immediately appointed. end shall
consist Of six impartial jurists. three to be
named by the President of the United States
and three by his Britannia majesty. All ques-
tions must receive n majority vote of the trib-
unal Provision IS made for the appointment OF
other jurists TO I'LL vacancies and for officers of
the tribunal including scientific experts and
agents
Article II provides that written printed
case of the two parties and other documents.
correspondence and evidence shall be submitted
70 the two parties within two months of the ex-
-hange of the ratifications Of this treaty Two
months afterward the counter case may be sub
rnitted. but the tribunal may extend the time II
I so desires. Provisions also are made for the
presentation OF copies Of evidence and argu-
Tnents
QUESTIONS FOR DECISION.
Article III provides that the tribunal shall con-
slider in the settlement of the questions sub
nlitted TO its decision the treaty between Great
Britain and Russia of 1926 and the treaty be-
tween the United States and Russia of March
Of the first mentioned treaty. The original
text Of these articles is given in French. In the
treaty between the United States and Russia.
Articles III and " of the Anglo-Russan treaty
are quoted as describing the line of demarcation
between Russia and the British possessions
These articles read as follows:
III His Majesty the Emperor of ali the
Russias agrees to cede to the United States
by this convention. Immediately upon exchange
Ta7a al
and dominions now possessed by his said
majesty the continent Of America and in the
adjacent islands. the same being contained
within the geogra phicaI limits herein set forth,
wit: The eastern limit is the line of de-
narcation between the Russian and the British
possessions in North America as estaollshed by
the convention between Russia and Great
Britain Of February % 30, 1875, and described
in Articles III and " Of said convention in the
following terms
Commencing from the southernnost point of the
island called Prince OF Wales Island. which point
tude and between l3lst and i$si degrees of west
longitude Cneridian Of Greenwich, the said line
Portland Channel as far as the point OF the cont
1ude: from this last mentioned point the line of
deInarcaIlon shan follow the summit OF tne noun
point Of intersection of the 14lst degree OF west
the said point Of intersection the said meridian
Of the 14st degree in its proiongaton as far as the
Frozen Ocean
" With reference to the line of denarcation
laid down in the preceding article, it is under
stood
First-That the island called Prince of Wales
Island shall belong wholly 10 Russia (now, by
this cession, to the United States)
Second-That whenever the summit OF TLe
mountains which extend in direction parallel
the coast from the flfty-sixth degree Of north
latitude to the point Of intersection to the l4lst
degree Of west longitude shall prove to be al the
distance of more than ten marine leagues from
the ocean the limit between the British posses
sions and the line of coast which is to belong TO
Russia. as above mentioned Chat is to say. the
limit TO the possessions ceced by this conVen-
tonl, shall be formed by line parallel to the the
winding Of the coast, and which shall never
exceed the distance Of ten marine leagues there
from
The above description is further explained by
Article V Of the older treaty. which is in French
in the latest treaty negotiated. and another
clause Of the new treaty says:
The tribunal shall also take into consideration
any action of the several governments or Of their
respective representatives preliminary subSe-
quent TO the conclusion of said treaties so far
as the same tends to show the original and ef-
fective understanding of the parties in respect
10 the limits OF their several territorial jurisdic
tions under and by virtue of the provisions OF
said treaty
Article VI provides follows:
Referring TO Articles III " and V of the said
treaty Of 1875, the said tribunal shall answer
and decide the following questions:
First-What is intended the point Of COM
mencement Of the line?
second-What channel is the Portland Chan
mel?
Third-What course should the line take from
the point of commencement to the entrance of
Portland Channel?
Fourth-To what point on the ffty-sixth par
allei is the line TO be drawn from the head of
the Portland Channel and what course should
il follow between these points?
Fifrh-In extending the line Of demarcation
northward from said point the parallel OF
the ffty-sixth degree Of north latitude. following
The crest Of the mountains situated parallel 20
the coast until intersection with the 141st
degree Of longitude west of Greenwich subject
the condition that if such line should any
where exceed the distance Of ten marine leagues
from the ocean then the boundary between the
British and the Russian territory should be
formed by line parallel to the sinuosities OF
The coast and distant therefrom not more than
ten marine leagues, il the intention Of said
convention OF 1870 that there should remain IN
the exclusive possession of Russia continuous
fringe or strip of coast the mainland, not
exceeding ten marine leagues in width. separat-
inlets havens and waters of the ocean, and eX-
tending from the said point on the ffty-sixth de-
gree Of latitude north to a point where such line
Of de,narcatio should intersect the Hist degree
Of longitude west Of the meridian of Greenwich? :?
Sixth-If the foregoing question should be
answered in the negative and in the event Of
the summit Of such mountains proving to be in
places more than marine leagues from the
coast should the width Of the lisiere which was
10 belong 10 Russia measured Cd from the
mainland coast TO the ocean, strictly so called,
along 2 line perpendicular thereto or 90 was II
the intention and meaning of the said conven-
fion that where the mainland coast is indented
by deep inlets, forming part OF the territorial
waters OF Russia. the width Of the lisiere was
n he measured (a( from the line Of the general
direction Of the mainland coast or Col from the