Alaska Land On 28 Feb. 1825, Russia and Great Britain concluded a treaty which described the boundary of Alaska from the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and when Russia sold Alaska to the United States 30 March 1867, the treaty of cession quoted the boundaries as given in the Anglo Russian treaty. This treaty practically ex cluded the British from possession of an un broken strip of coast lands and waters of Alaska from Mount Saint Elias to Portland Canal. Comparatively little was heard of the boundary line until the discovery of gold in the Klondike. As given in the treaty the line was the 141st degree west from Greenwich as far south as a mythical mountain range along which the line ran parallel with the coast to the south ern point of Prince of Wales Island, or about 50° 40'. Under the conventions of 22 July 1892, 3 Feb. 1894 and 20 Oct. 1899, commission ers were appointed to determine the line but they could not agree, and finally terminated negotiations. In 1898 Canada claimed the ports of Dyea and Skagway on Lynn Canal under the novel plea that a line defined as running 10 leagues parallel with the sinuosities of the coast or heads of tide-water inlets should run parallel to the coast itself. Canada contended
that the eastern line left the heads of several inlets within Canadian territory, whereupon a controversy arose which was adjusted 29 Oct. 1899, when the United States fixed a provisional line about the head of Lynn Canal, thus giiiing Canada temporary possession of the places claimed to be within American jurisdiction. In July 1900, this was marked by a joint On 20 Oct. 1903, the Alaska Boundary Commis sion rendered a decision which practically sus tained the American claim, but the British contention with regard to Portland Canal was upheld and the small Wales and Pearse Islands at its head were awarded to Canada. On 21 April 1906, a convention was signed providing for a commission to run the meridian line on the 141st degree west. See ALASKA BOUNDARY