The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-13
Marking the Alaskan
Boundary
BY Frederic j. Aaskin,

When the United States purchased
Alaska from Russia it was believed
that there never could arise between
it and Great Britain a dispute over
the boundary between the territory
and British Columbia. The boundary
| was fixed under a treaty, made in 1926,
between Russia n Great Britain, one
end of 1t to consist of the 141st me-
ridian, and the other end to be con
stltuted by a line drawn across the
summit OF several mountain peaks,
from Mount st. Elias to and through
the Portland canal. SO sure were those
interested that the boundary wa
plainly fixed that Charles Sumner de-
clared, Il am glad to begin with what
is clear and beyond question. | refer
to the boundaries liked by the treaty.
Concerning the 600-mile stretch from
the Arctic ocean southwark, with the
boundary consisting of the 141st me-
ridian, there could be no dispute which
could not be solved by careful meas
urements. but southwark of that the
other 600-mile stretch is made IN of an
irregular boundary separating the
~ ltit IIDlii llp territory
of British Columbia. AS far back as
1878 a dispute between England and
the United States arose, and a modus
ViEcndi with reference to the Stikine
river was entered into, and a similar
agreement composed for the time be-
ing the differences that arose in 1899
relating to the country at the head of
the Lynn canal.
Negotiations for the permanent set
Element of the disputed boundaries
were entered into shortly thereafter,
and these resulted in the negotiation of
a treaty in 1904, creating the tribunal
of London, composed of six eminent
jurists, three from each country, which
was to hear the evidence in the case
and to settle the controversy once and
for all. This tribunal heard the evil
dcnCe. reached its decision, and a COM
mission to carry out its views was ap-
pointed, all within eight months after
the signing of the treaty.
The tribunal determined which
mountain peaks were referred to in the
treaty of 1895, and marked them on a
map for the use of the commission
upon which deVolved the physical task
of fixing the boundary in accordance
with the finding of the tribunal. The
commission consisted of O.. II. Tittman
OF the United States coast and geodctic
survey and W. +. King, representing
the English government. They had to
identify the peaks fixed by the tribunal
of London, and mark each turning
point in the line with stone monuments
wherever possible. There was one
stretch of 120 miles that was fixed by
the tribunal only within certain limits
and the commission was authorized
definitely to fix the exact boundary ir
this stretch.
Before the discovery of gold ir
Alaska few people bothered thei,
heads about boundaries in what seemed
to he a desolate region where all The
land in dispute was not worth tn,
money and pains it would cost to set,
tie he argument. But when the rusi
to the klondike began the Canadian
government constructed a telegraph
overland to Dawson, while the United
States laid Il cable from Seattle t.
ISitka and a telegraph line to Valde:
I and Fort Egbert. 1t was then tina
Alaska became worth considering ar
the United States and Great Britai,
pointed to different mountain peaks a!
those referred to in the treaty of 1927
with the result that the treaty Great
ing the tribunal of London followe,
apace.
| The real work of marking the Alas
kan boundary, under the direction o