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The National Geographic Magazine 



may say, however, without impropriety 

 that the greatest value of the decision 

 is not in the detailed terms of the 

 award, but in the fact that it brought 

 to a conclusion an irritating controversy, 

 that it removed a serious obstacle to 

 better relations between these two 

 neighboring countries. 



The chief credit on the American side 

 for this result is due to the President 

 and the Secretary of State, who had 

 the courage, in spite of the prevailing 

 sentiment that it would be a useless pro- 



ceeding and against many protests, to 

 submit the question to a j udicial tribunal . 

 Still greater credit is due the Prime Min- 

 ister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who, 

 in the face of stronger opposition, con- 

 sented to such a reference. While the 

 outcome is not such as he desired, it 

 must be a relief to him to know that 

 this dangerous subject has been re- 

 moved from the arena of controversy, 

 and I feel sure that in time his people 

 will recognize that he acted wisely and 

 for the best interests of his country. 



DECISION OF 



THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY 

 TRIBUNAL 



Under the Treaty of January 24, 1903, Between the 

 United States and Great Britain 



WHEREAS by a Convention 

 signed at Washington on 

 the 24th day of January 

 1903, by Plenipotentiaries of and on 

 behalf of His Majesty the King of the 

 United Kingdom of Great Britain and 

 Ireland and of the British Dominions 

 beyond the seas, Emperor of India, and 

 of and on behalf of the United States of 

 America, it was agreed that a Tribunal 

 should be appointed to consider and 

 decide the questions hereinafter set 

 forth, such Tribunal to consist of six 

 impartial Jurists of repute, who should 

 consider judicially the questions sub- 

 mitted to them each of whom should 

 first subscribe an oath that he would 

 impartially consider the arguments and 

 evidence presented to the said Tribunal, 

 and would decide thereupon according 

 to his true judgment, and that three 

 members of the said Tribunal should 

 be appointed by His Britannic Majesty 

 and three by the President of the 

 United States: 



And whereas it was further agreed 



by the said Convention that the said 

 Tribunal should consider in the settle- 

 ment of the said questions submitted 

 to its decision the Treaties respect- 

 ively concluded between His Britannic 

 Majesty and the Emperor of All the 

 Russias under date of the 28th (16th) 

 February A D 1825 and between the 

 United States of America and the 

 Emperor of All the Russias, concluded 

 under date of the 18th (30th) March 

 A D 1867, and particularly the Articles 

 III, IV and V of the first mentioned 

 Treaty, and should also take into con- 

 sideration any action of the several 

 Governments or of their respective 

 Representatives, preliminary or subse- 

 quent to the conclusion of the said 

 Treaties so far as the same tended to 

 show the original and effective under- 

 standing of the parties in respect to the 

 limits of their several territorial juris- 

 dictions under and by virtue of the 

 provisions of the said Treaties 



And whereas it was further agreed 

 by the said Convention, referring to 



