The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-10-29
PENALTY OF OVER REACHING.

There IS Vaultlng ambition
which o'erleaps itself ana falls on the
other. " There is a grasping avarice
which o'erleaps itself and ends in hu-
initiating defeat and disaster In re-
specE Of the Alaskan boundary line,
when the question was before the
joint high commission in lS9S-99, the
United States proposed Il concession to
Canada that was liberal in the ex.
IRENE, but which the Canadians
spurned, Its acceptance would have
given Canada the practical benefits of
possession Of the regions around the
headwaters of Lynn canal; its reiec-
tion and the appeal to a new tribunal
has lost the Dominion everything of
practical value involved in the settle
ment of the dispute.
The United States succeeded in 1867 to
the rights of Russia under the treaty
with England, 1925, determining the
boundary line between the possessions
of Russia and Great Britain in the
northwestern part of the North Amer
lean continent The treaty declared
that the boundary should begin at the
southernmost point OF Prince of Wales
island, extend east to Portland chan
mel and ascend north along the chan
mel to the point where it strikes the
seth degree of north latitude; thence
the line should follow the SUBMITS of
the mountains situated parallel to the
coast to the intersection of the I4lst
meridian line, thence along that meri-
dian to the Arctic ocean. Wherever
the range at mountains parallel with
the coast was at distance of more
than ten marine leagues thirty miles
from the ocean, the limit between
the British possessions and the line
of coast which is to belong to Russia,
as above mentioned, shall be formed
by a line parallel to the windings of
the coast, and which shall never ex-
coed the distance Of ten marine leagues
therefrom.'
When attempts were made to re-
duce this description to an actual
boundary-line, disagreements arose
between Canada and the United
States, which became acute after the
Klondike gold discoveries had given
new importance t. tine region and to
its communications with the outside
world. The dispute gathered around
the Interpretation of the ten league
limitation. The American govern
measurement inland began on the coast
of the mainland. Along the coast is
fringe of islands, the outermost line
being some ten leagues from the main
land. In their straits to find an in
depreciation OF the treaty of 1895 that
would give them the mainland and its
| indentations, through whose ports the
Klondike must be approached, Canada
put up the absurd contention that
measurement of the ten leagues of the
treaty description must begin on the
coast of the islands, instead of the
mainland coast.
As the outcome of this dispute, and
many other differences which had
, been accommodating between Canada
! and tho United States Joint high
! commission" was chosen in 1898 to
, negotiate u treaty by which these ex-
listing subjects of controversy should
be settled finally. The commission
sat in Quebec and Washington. The
Alaskan boundary question took the
front rank in the deliberations of the
commission. Progress was made in
the adjustment of the seal, the fisher
les and other mooted matters, but an
irreeoncilable difference of views
arose respecting the Alaskan bound
airy The American commissioners
proposed to settle the other matters
and leave the boundary question in
allegiance. This the British commits
sion declined to do, and an adjourn
ment was made till the boundary
should be adjusted. Very properly,
the American representatives had held
firmly to their Interpretation of the