The Washington times., 1903-08-21
ROOT AND PARTY SAIL
TODAY FOR LONDON
Begin Work September 3
on Alaskan Boundary.
LODGE AND TURNER ABROAD
Secretary of Wars Arrival Only Needed
to Hold First Meeting
of Commission.

secretary Root, accompanied by Gen
John w. Foster and the attorneys who
will represent the United States before
the Alaskan boundary commission
sailed from New York OF the Celtic to-
day for England. Senator Lodge and
former Senator Turner. the other Amer
lean commissioners, will meet Secretary
Root in London.
Hannis Taylor, former United States
minister to Spain, who will appear
as an attorney for the United States
Government, left on the same boat
with the other attorneys for the United
States, J. NJ. Dickinson, of Chicago, and
David T. Wilson, OF Pittsburg. Gen.
John w. Foster will appear as agent for
the United States. o. T. Cartwright, of
the State Department, will also accom-
pany the party to London.
The first meeting OF the Alaskan
boundary commission will be held at the
foreign office in London on September g.
Lord Alverstone, Sir Louis Jette and Mr..
Aylesworth are the English members of
the commission chosen to settle the con-
troversy concerning the Alaskan bound
airy line.
Gold Revived Dispute
Gold discoveries in Alaska stirred up
the boundary line dispute which had
slumbered for many years. Great Britain
claimed much of the valuable mineral
land which the United States maintained
1t bought from Russia. Negotiations for
the settlement of the dispute ended in
the treaty of January "a, 1903, which
provided for the submission OF the diff
ferences to a commission of six mem
bers, three English and three American.
According TO the terms of former
treaties the domain OF the United States
in southern Alaska was TO extend a
distance OF ten marine leagues into the
interior from the shore line. England
that the shore line intended
Is that OF Islands along the coast. while
the United States contends its territory
extends back a distance OF ten marine
leagues from the shore OF the mainland.
The territory in dispute extends from
Portland Canal on the south to Mount
81. Elias on the north. Great Britain
claims most OF the Lynn Canal, Skag- |
way, White Pass, Dyea, and other points |
along the thoroughfare which afforded
entrance TO the KlOndiks at the time OF |
.he original rush into Alaska.
Cable on Lynn Canal.
Lynn Canal is the chief commercial /
waterway in southern Alaska, and its |
control by the British would be a hard
,low to the United States. The AmerI- /
an cable runs along this canal, and II
: OF great commercial and strategic
Importance.
Along the Alaskan coast there are said
o be 1900 islands all told. These vary
n size from mere boulders in the sea to
Stands larger than some of the States
n the American Union. The irregular
~ OF the coast line of the islands, as
7ell as OF the coast line OF the mainland
makes the task of fixing the boundary
Inc extremely difficult.
1t Is believed that the commission
annot complete fits work before No
ember l and its sessions may continue
Or many months after that time. Sec
etarv Root hopes to return 10 the
nited States in November and to take
barge OF the War Department until
anuary 9, the date fixed for his re-
rement.