The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-21
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 81. 1903.
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY.

y
The Canadian Commissioners in re.
fuslng to sign the Alaskan award seem
to US to be doing the baby act" to use
an expressive slang. Tho case was tho
gued by both sides. and the award made
Z according to the facts.
Our case was we'll presented by Mr.. d.
I r. Watson, counsel for the United States.
and full synopsis Of his address was
4 printed at tho tine in the London Tele-
graph. Mr.. Watson began by saying that
! what was acquired by the United States
in 1867 from Russia was lisiere of coast.
running round the heads of the inlets OF
the coast Of South Alaska Russia sub
Initted to the United States as proof OF
her title to possess what she offered to
SELL the facts that she had discovered
4 tho coast In l741: that she had been In
Il occupation of it from 1893 until 1857. for all
the purposes for which it was fit to be
occupied without a single nation ever OBJ
jecting, and that Great Britain and Cana
4 da had by their acts assented to the line
which she claimed as the boundary be-
tween Alaska and British Columbia. The
evidence OF this. which was submitted
to the American Senate. included maps
issued by Russia not long after the 1925
treaty, showing their boundary going
round the heads Of the inlets. The Senate
approved OF the purchase. but took pre-.
cautions Of stipulating that the purchase
money should not be paid for eight
months after the conclusion of the bar
gain.
I At that time ussD, Mr.. Watson pro.
ceeded, Great Britain and Canada knew
that the United States were buying this
I territory in the belief that its extent
and boundaries were those which
were described by Russia In l,cr maps.
4 Then if ever in good faith. he argued,
were England and Canada bound to have
said, We claim the heads OF the in
let's" But they offered no word Of pro-
test. Both stood by and allowed the
Il purchase to be made on the basis Of tho
4 Russian maps without single lntimation
that anything was wrong with Russia's
she had been In possession OF for nearly
a. century. Immediately afterwards ships
OF the United States began to run up to
the tops OF the inlets. Great Britain said
4 nothing, Canada said nothing; the agents
OF the Hudson's Bay Company said no.
thing. The United States began to exer-
else Jurisdiction. aitd gradually. from year
I to year. enforced her laws.
And 1t is probable that nothing evcr
i would have been said had not gold been
discovered in the Yukon Valley.
But that discovery made great differ
ence, and Englan and Canada, after hold
Ii ing their peace for 30 long set up tho
4 claim that they were the owners OF the
! upper part Of the Lynn Canal. When
there were great interests at stake and
when Canada thought she could get some
Il thing that would be OF inestimab,e value
TO her. she put forward the contention
\! that the boundary line did not run round
II the heads Of the inlets, and now there
was not a bit of the United States bound
airy line which was not disputed.
certain questions in reference to the true
meaning and application Of certain
clauses OF the treaty OF 1895, said Mr..
r. Watson. but had also to take into con.
sideration any action OF tho several gov
ernments. or OF their respective repro
I the conclusion OF the treaties ds25 and
I 166O. so far as the same tends to show
/ the original and effective understanding
Of the parties In respect TO the limits
OF their severa! territorial jurisdictions
under and by virtue Of the provisions of
said treaties" Now, II he could prove
that both Russia and Great Britain as.
serted that the boundary line ran round
the heads OF all the inlets. that would
20 far TO determine the meaning of the
treaty of 1875 He reminded the tribunal OF
\ the rule Of civil courts that where there
y tract between parties the courts looked to
i the object and purpose Of both parties IN
making the contract, with view TO get
1T lis true meaning, This he said, with
reference to the phrase in the 1925 treaty
about mountains and he added that IL
the tribunal answered In the way he
wished 1t to answer the earlier questions
A put 10 It by the convention OF 1903. they
would not require to wander about among
i coo mountains In order to trace bound
airy.
In conclusion he called attention to
i the Russian impsrial ukase OF 1850, grant,
4 Ing the first charter TO the Russian Amer.