1. What is intended as the point of commencement of the line? 2. What channel is the Portland Channel? 3. What course should the line take from the point of commencement to the entrance to Portland Channel? 4. To what point on the 56th parallel is the line to be drawn from the head of the Portland Channel, and what course should it follow between these points? 5. In extending the line of demarcation northward from said point on the parallel of the 56th degree of North latitude, following the crest of the mountains situated parallel to the coast until its intersection with the 141st degree of longitude west of Greenwich, subject to the condition that if such line should anywhere exceed the distance of ten marine leagues from the ocean then the boundary between the British and the Russian territory should be formed by a line parallel to the sinuosities of the coast and distant therefrom not more than ten marine leagues, was it the intention and meaning of said convention of 1825 that there should remain in the exclusive possession of Russia a continuous fringe or strip of coast on the mainland, not exceeding ten marine leagues in width, separating the British Possessions from the bays, ports, inlets, havens, and waters of the ocean, and extending from the said point on the 56th degree of latitude north to a point where such line of demarcation should intersect the 141st degree of longitude west of the Meridian of Greenwich? 6. If the foregoing question should be answered in the negative, and in the event of the summit of such mountains providing to be in places more than ten marine leagues from the coast, should the width of the lisière which was to belong to Russia be measured (1) from the mainland coast of the ocean, strictly so-called, along a line perpendicular thereto, or (2) was it the intention and meaning of the said convention that where the mainland coast is indented by deep inlets, forming part of the territorial waters of Russia, the width of the lisière was to be measured (a) from the line of the general direction of the mainland coast, or (b) from the line separating the waters of the ocean from the territorial waters of Russia, or (c) from the heads of the aforesaid inlets? 7. What, if any exist, are the mountains referred to as situated parallel to the coast, which mountains, when within ten marine leagues from the coast, are declared to form the eastern boundary? ARTICLE V The tribunal shall assemble for their first meeting at London as soon as practicable after receiving their commissions; and shall themselves fix the times and places of all subsequent meetings. The decision of the tribunal shall be made so soon as possible after the conclusion of the arguments in the case, and within three months thereafter, un less the President of the United States and His Britannic Majesty shall by common accord extend the time therefor. The decision shall be made in writing, and dated, and shall be signed by the members of the tribunal assenting to the same. It shall be signed in duplicate, one copy whereof shall be given to the agent of the United States of America for his government, and the other to the agent of His Britannic Majesty for his government. ARTICLE VI When the High Contracting Parties shall have received the decision of the tribunal upon the questions submitted as provided in the foregoing articles, which decision shall be final and binding upon all parties, they will at once appoint, each on its own behalf, one or more scientific experts who shall with all convenient speed proceed together to lay down the boundary line, in conformity with such decision. Should there be, unfortunately, a failure by a majority of the tribunal to agree upon any of the points submitted for their decision, it shall be their duty to so report in writing to the respective governments through their respective agents. Should there be an agreement by a majority upon a part of the questions submitted, it shall be their duty to sign and report their decision upon the points of such agreement in the manner hereinbefore prescribed. ARTICLE VII The present Convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and by His Britannic Majesty, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in Washington or in London so soon as the same may be effected. In faith whereof we, the respective plenipotentiaries, have signed this Convention and have hereunto affixed our seals. Done at Washington, in duplicate, this 24th day of January, A.D. 1903. BOUNDARIES: ALASKA AND CANADA Exchange of notes at Washington March 25, 1905 Entered into force March 25, 1905 I Malloy 796; Treaty Series 476 No. 187 The Acting Secretary of State to the British Ambassador Department OF STATE Washington, March 25, 1905 EXCELLENCY, Referring to your note of October 1st, and Mr. Hay's reply of December 2d, 1904, in regard to the report by Messrs. O. H. Tittmann and W. F. King, the Commissioners appointed to carry out the delimitation of the Alaska boundary so far as it was left undefined by the Award of the London Tribunal, and concerning the character of our agreement between the United States and Great Britain for the formal acceptance of the recommendations of the Commissioners by an exchange of notes, I have the honor to state, by direction of the President, that the Government of the United States agrees with the Government of His Britannic Majesty that the part of the boundary between Alaska and Canada lying between the points P and T mentioned in the award of the Tribunal of 1903,1 shall be defined, in accordance with the general principles laid down by said Tribunal, by the summits whose geographical coordinates are given with sufficient approximation for identification in the attached Table, provided that the Commissioners are hereby empowered, after they have secured sufficient data, to select additional and intermediate peaks between the points 7 and 8 and 8 and T where the distances between the peaks given in the Table exceed the probable limit of intervisibility. Provided also that no such additional and intermediate peak shall be more than 2,500 meters from the straight line joining peaks 7 and 8 or 8 and T of the attached Table, as follows: TABLE SHOWING THE POSITIONS AND DISTANCES OF PEAKS The latitudes and longitudes are taken from, and refer to, the Maps numbers 10 and 12 of the surveys made by the British Commission under the 1 For a convention signed at Washington Jan. 24, 1903, see TS 419, ante, p. 263. Convention of 1892.2 The successive peaks are designated by consecutive numbers, counting southward from Point P. Your acknowledgment of this communication, with a similar statement on behalf of the Government of His Majesty will complete the agreed Exchange of Notes and will confirm and give validity to the agreement reached by the Commissioners, thus completing the award of the London Tribunal under the Convention of January 24, 1903 as to the above-described part of the Alaska boundary. Expressing the President's satisfaction at this settlement of the matter, I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant His Excellency The Right Honble. ALVEY A. ADEE Acting Secretary of State Sir H. M. DURAND, G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. etc., etc. No. 50 The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State BRITISH EMBASSY, Washington, March 25th, 1905. SIR: I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 187 of this date, in regard to the report of Messrs. W. F. King and O. H. Tittmann, the Commissioners appointed to carry out the delimitation of the Alaska Boundary so far as it was left undefined by the Award of the London Tribunal, and concerning the character of an agreement between Great Britain and the United States for the formal acceptance of the recommendations of the Commissioners by an exchange of notes. 2 For a convention signed at Washington Feb. 29, 1892, see TS 140-1, ante, p. 220. By direction and on behalf of the Government of His Britannic Majesty, I have the honour to state that the Government of His Majesty agrees with the Government of the United States that the part of the boundary between Canada and Alaska lying between the points P and T mentioned in the award of the Tribunal of 1903, shall be defined, in accordance with the general principles laid down by said Tribunal, by the summits whose geographical coordinates are given with sufficient approximation for identification in the attached Table, provided that the Commissioners are hereby empowered, after they have secured sufficient data, to select additional and intermediate peaks between the points 7 and 8 and 8 and T where the distances between the peaks given in the Table exceed the probable limit of intervisibility. Provided also that no such additional and intermediate peak shall be more than 2,500 meters from the straight line joining peaks 7 and 8 or 8 and T of the attached Table, as follows: [For text of table, see U.S. note, above.] I am instructed to express the gratification of my Government that, by this Exchange of Notes, confirmation and validity are given to the agreement reached by the Commissioners, thus completing the award of the London Tribunal, under the Convention of January 24, 1903, as to the above-described part of the Alaska Boundary. I have the honour to be, With the highest consideration, Your most obedient, humble Servant, The Honorable JOHN HAY, Secretary of State, etc., etc., etc. H. M. DURAND |