222 
THE SCIENCE OP FRONTIER DELIMITATION, 
missioners before the work id commenced. During my work in West 
Africa, we agreed that if the line cut a town, leaving the main part on 
one side and a few huts on the other, the whole town should belong to 
the side owning the main part. Again it must be agreed if the azimuth 
line is to be accepted as laid down, or if either commissioner can claim 
to take observations at any time and to readjust the line by them. In 
the latter case, the actual line will be a zig-zag one, if it is frequently 
readjusted, as the observations will probably not agree, if a latitude, 
within 250 yards, and if a longitude within much more. The best 
course, I think, is to agree to keep to the azimuth line, and only to 
test its accuracy and to readjust it at certain points at a considerable 
distance apart. If each commissioner reserves the right to take 
observations at any time, very great delay is likely to be occasioned. 
There are many other matters depending on the locality to be 
delimited which it is well to agree about before commencing work. 
It is better to foresee and provide for all contingencies, so as to avoid 
every possible source of disagreement. 
After the delimitation is ended, or whilst it is going on, a Proces - 
verbal should be drafted. In this document the boundary should be 
described as carefully as possible, and all roads, rivers, etc., which it 
cuts should be named. Any arrangements to meet unforeseen con¬ 
tingencies, or compromises, should be described with reasons, as well 
as the accounts of any discussions on disputed points. To the Proces- 
verbal should be appended a list of beacons, each of which bears a 
consecutive number, and each of which should be so described that, if 
removed or thrown down, its position can be recognised again. These 
documents are drawn up in the two languages of the commission, 
written in parallel columns and in duplicate, a map being attached to 
each. Each copy is signed by both commissioners under both the 
English and the foreign rendering. Both maps are also signed by 
both commissioners. If the two commissioners are not equally at 
home in the other's language, it is well that the commissioner who is 
not well up in his colleague's tongue should draft the original, and 
that the other commissioner should translate it. 
The signing of these documents does not make the boundary, as 
delimited, valid; the work must be approved by the respective govern¬ 
ments. But it is very unlikely that the governments will refuse to 
confirm the recommendations of their own representatives. In for¬ 
warding their report, the commissioners should always recommend 
that the boundary be accepted as delimited, so that this boundary 
supersedes that described in the treaty, although naturally it should 
be identical with it. This point is important, as if this is not done, 
questions may be raised at any future time as to the position of places, 
and it may be claimed that some town, etc., is on the wrong side of 
the frontier, and much trouble may be occasioned. A few years ago a 
critic thought he had discovered a flaw in the United States-Canada 
boundary, and wrote to the papers with reference to some place not 
being in the latitude which it was supposed to be in. But the position 
of the place made no difference at all, although the boundary is a 
