The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-04
THE BRITISH ARGUMENT.
Line May Cross Inlets and Still Follow the
Coast"

Special Cable Despdich TO THE SUN.
LONDON. Sept. 3-The British argu-
ment makes a volume Of la7 folio pages,
which deal extensively with the seven
questions under consideration. In refer
ence to the question "a to what channel is
the Portland Canal. Great Britain contends
that it is that which Vancouver named on
entering the ocean between Tongas Island
and Kannaghunut Islandl, and, leaving
Sitka and Prince Of Wales Islands to the
south and east it extends northerly eighty
two miles to its head. The contention Of
the United States that Observatory Inlet
was meant is absolutely denied.
Great Britain contends. on the other
hand. that If there must be departure
from Capt Nancouver's map then the line
must run up Clarence Strait and Ernest
Sound. or up Benin Canal on one or the other
eide Of Revillagigedo Island.
The British contention on the third ques-
ton Ia that the inlet must follow the short
est course and that the text Of the treaty
supports the English view. In reference
to the parallel of $40 40 being the southern
boundary Great Britain discarts the letters
of Nesselrode as being Of no weight as
against the terms Of the treaty.
The fourth contention is that the line
from the head of Portland Channel to the
tifty-sixth parallel Of latitude should be
the shortest possible to the point on that
parallel which the tribunal decides is the
starting point of the eastern boundary of
the Hsere.
The principal efforts Of the British argu-
ment are directed at the fifth question,
to which some forty pages of the argument
are devoted Great Britain understands
this question to mean that the tribunal
Ia 70 decide whether it was an essential
characteristic Of the hsierc or strip that it
should not he traversed by inlets. in
! other words whether the eastern boundary
should necessarily run around the heads
of all inlets. the definition Of which Il almost
vital 10 the entire question.
The words coast" and ocean" Great
| Britain contends, refer to the same thing
| Tho windings Of coast are those of coast
| which limits the ocean.
| The American contention of tidal water
is dismissed as out of the question, The
| Thames. at Richmond, is nnquestionably
| under tidal Influences. So is New Orleans,
on the Mississippi But, according to the
| British argument, one could not by any
stretch of Imagination call these two points
| parts of the ocean. 1t Is pointed out that
the provisions of Article VII strongly sup
port the contention that the Alaskan treat v
contemplated the possibility that some
part of the inlets might be British. 1t is
asserted that there is no support for the
American contention that the negotiations
bet ween Russia and the United States for
the treaty contemplated the erection of a
barrier between the British and Russian
possessions throughout the whole Hsidre
The tribunal, il is argued, should draw
a boundary line along the submits of the
mountains parallel to the coast Of the o,c n.
| II is urged that when Russia proposed to
! discard reference to the mountains and
take a ten league distance as a rule Great
Britain refused to consent
Great Britain repudiates the argument
Of the United States that England is en-
! titled to none of the inlets She insists
| that she ought to obtain the heads OF all
! important inlets.
In dealing with the sixth qucs'io ion Great
Britain contends that the width Of the
HsIere should be- measured from line Of
the general trend of the coast of thc ocean,
strictly so-caIled, along n line perpendicular
10 such general trend, reproducing such
widenings of the coast az fairly modify
! the general trend and are of such dmen-
sions as admit Of being reproduced by a
line drawn ten marine l,agues inland
Az contemplated by the treaty where IN
LETT occur thai form Fart Of the territ orial
winter Of Power owning the shoIes on
either side the width Of the hStGr, should
he as"ertainsd from ihe course which "A
line giving effect TO h" general trend Of
the mainland coas would follow ~ Cross
| ing the inlet