New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-16
ALASKAN CASE OPENED.
ARGUMENT OF CANADA.
A Ruling Thought To BE 4dUersc
10 United States Contention.

London. Sept. 15.-The FIRST day OF the oral
arguments IN the Alaskan boundary question
vas taken up by Attorney General Finlay. who
nsrtially presented the Canadian view OF the
case when the tribunal adjourned. soon after
O'clock this afternoon. until tomorrow morn
sre the Canadians were gratihed at having
made what they believed 20 be the first good
point
The Attorney General sought 10 establish the
position Of Portland Channel and fix the en-
trance thereto. he interpreted the words "a la
11auteur de- In the Russo-British correspondents
heading 10 the signature OF the treaty Of lS2o-
not as showing that the boundary lies 'on the
,sme paraneI' as the lower end Of Prince OF
Wales Island. as claimed by the United States
t,- of Of" as asserted by Canada The erect
=. this would be TO fix the lire at "a degrees 10
minutes. as claimed by Canada Chief Justice
A1,,ers;one agreed with Attorney General Fin
lay
The United States counsel say they will show
that the Canadians themselves have given va
.sors interpretations OF the phrase. and they are
,,clines 10 rninir,ize the importance OF LORD
Al,erstone'e statement
ro~,,- q Few spectators. including the wives OF
=. ,-o-,rrissioners and Of counsel were present
:. .t-e Foreign ONCE this morning when Attor-
,.v General FInlay rose and began the presen-
- % the Canadian argument. 1t was evil
-. ,,,st the commissioners at first were not
80. interested in the Attorney General s
..o-,ar+ Having considered the documents
,,-es6v presented, the commissioners felt tnat
So, we're as familiar with the facts as any OF
-. oounsel The arguments were more Tor the
.,,-pose OF removing any doubts which counsei
- ms, exist IN the minds OF the members OF
=. .,,l,,,nal The agents OF the governments.
A,rever sitting on either side OF the blue COW
- table behind which the commissioners sat
80 counsel occupying the desk in the centre
- the chamber. followed the Attorney 'Teherai :
address with the closest attention
while Attorney General Finlay was speaking
49, Justioe Fuller. accompanied by Ambassa-
- C,boate entered the chamber They were
s,,o,es 70 q small table facing the commits
siouers.
IN. Attorney General briefly described the
A..,orfcal aspect OF the question and took up
,be treaty under which the commission was ap-
,,oir+ed he then presented the Canadian con-
,e,-ion each point Of which has already been
.o.as IN the argument Of clifford Sifton. the
Canadian Minister OF the Interior, ana urged
the commissioners strictly to confine themselves
IN considering the questions, 10 the terms OF me
Russo-B British treaty Of 1873
sreals,nr Of the location Of the line along the
oo.s, from the head Of Portland Channel. as
- ont that the report OF the United States
coast Survey in 1898 showed that the Washing
ION government had adopted the view that the
line should follow the general trend OF tbs
coast" which supports the Canadian conten-
tion.
Senator Turner At this point interrupted the
speaker. saying that the report referred TO the
Trend OF the general coast.
The Attorney General remarked that this was
q subtle distinction" and Chief Justice Alver-
stone ended the discussion by saying that IL
made little difference as IL was merely the d.
section Of the surveyors"
The Attorney Generals argument was go long
thar Lord Alverstone reminded him that the
tribunal familiar with the documents IN the
case and suggested that he simply cite the
pages and volumes on which his references were
founded
After luncheon Attorney General F1nlay, whc
had previously laid much stress on the conten-
rjoB mat the United States boundary line was
drawn in destinations defiance OF the treaty o
49," resumed his argument He will continu'
Il tomorrow.