THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY

Southland Times, Issue 19185, 24 October 1903, Page 2

THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY

The dispute between Canada, and the United States over tho Alaskan boundary has at last been settled finally, the verdict going in favour of the States. The Conirnission to decide this longstanding dispute was set up in the early part of the present year nnd consisted of six members. Lord Alverstone, the Lord Chief Justice of England, being president, and having two Canadian representatives and three from tho States to assist him. The controversy dates from 30 years ago, when in 1867 Russia ceded Alaska to tho United States. The boundary of Alaska had been marked out by tho Anglo-Russian Treaty of 1825, and from 1867 onwards there has been a dispute, between the United States and Canada as to the interpretation of the wording of the treaty. The difficulty arises entirely from tho fact that the boumdary line between Alaska and British Columbia ex-

Lends some distance down what i 9 geographically the const ot British Columbia. Article IV. of tho AngloRussian Treaty of 1825 lays it down that tho limiting boundary between the British possessions and* tho strip of roast that is to belong to Alaska is to be formed "by a lino parallel to the windings of the coast, which shall never exceed thirty miles t herefrom. " The peculiui* configuration of tbo coast line then gives rise to a difficulty. It is Very irregular and is deeply indented by long arms of the sea, such ns tho Tnkti Inlet, 23 miles' long, the Lynn Caiml, 73 miles, and Glacier Bay, 4 5 miles in length. Tho question in dispute is ; Does tho coast lino go up one side of these inlets and down the other, or is it determined by a line drawn across their narrow openings and following the general outline of the coast ? The answer to that question is of the utmost importance. Jf the fcrmer interpretation is the correct one, then tho United States territory extends inland from every point on the coatft for 3o miles, and Canada is thus cut off al tog-ether from tho valuable Lynn Canal, which is the gateway to the Klondykc goldflelds. If tho coast line, however, wero regarded as running from headland to headland of these immense indentations, then only ."'<> miles of the Lynn Canal would belong to the States, while the remaining 40 miles, with its coast, would he the property of the Canndinns. The decision of the Commission has gone against the Canadian interpretation, and Canada will thus have to reach her valuable goldfields near the Yukon fiver throygh I nited States territory .Juneau. Skagway, Pyla, and the Chilkort Pass, which commands the road to Klondykc, are all now adjudged to be within the Alaskan boundary. Naturally the Canadians are bitterly disappointed at the re-M-ilt -of the deliberations of the Commission. They cannot, however, quest ii in the impartiality of Lord Alvei-stone. on whose vote the derision of course practically rested, and both the Canadian and the British press take a Calm-minded viovv oi the situation, while the American papers nr<* concilintocy. On tho whole, the result should tend towards strengthening the friendly illations existing between the States and the BritiMh nation A possible cause i.-f complication has been reinmi'd finally from 'intenia.tional polilltv.