OUR INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY. 25 



this treaty were Lord Grenville for Great Britain, and John Jay, the 

 first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, for the United States. To 

 these two men, I believe, belongs the distinguished honour of having 

 been the first to provide for such a mode of settlement, and of being 

 the fathers of International Arbitration, that in these days is obtain- 

 ing such world-wide acceptance. 



The boundary line thus settled and defined is the longest be- 

 tween any two countries in the world. The peaceful condition of 

 the fresh water portion of it I have already mentioned. The land 

 portion is equally free from military display. Instead of being 

 flanked by frowning forts and batteries, as is so frequently the case 

 on the frontiers in European countries, one might almost travel from 

 end to end of it, throughout the whole length of the 5,000 miles, 

 without seeing a single soldier in uniform on either side of the line. 

 What an object lesson both on land and water for those nations at 

 present so heavily burdened,, and one may say cursed, with mili- 

 tarism ! 



But what might have proved the greatest triumph of interna- 

 tional common sense is something regarding our International 

 boundary that is likely to be decided within the next few months. 

 Most of you are aware of what is known as the Waterways Treaty 

 agreed to between the Governments of the two countries in January 

 of the present year, and which would no doubt have been ratified 

 ere this had not a member of the United States Senate succeeded in 

 persuading that body to add a rider granting to his State an addi- 

 tional advantage without conceding any equivalent or compensation 

 to the other side. 



This treaty provides, inter alia, that the navigation of all bound- 

 ary waters shall forever continue free and open for the commerce 

 of both countries ; also that all obstructions or diversions of water 

 on either side shall be regulated by a permanent International Court 

 composed of six Commissioners, three named by each country, sub- 

 ject to certain equitable principles detailed in the treaty. Special 

 provision is made for the amount of water to be drawn off on either 

 side for power purposes and the generation of electricity at Sault 

 Ste. Marie at the outlet of Lake Superior, and at Niagara Falls, 

 while fully preserving the scenic beauty of that great wonder of 

 nature, the common heritage of our two countries. It is also pro- 

 vided that any other difficulty whatsoever along the common frontier 



