Mr. Lansing to Mr.
Sifton.
Washington, July 1,
1903.
Sir: I have the honor, in response to your
request to the agent of the United States, under date of June 11, 1903,
that you be furnished with certified copies of certain documents
specified or referred to in the case of the United States, of which
copies were not thereto annexed, to direct your attention to the fact
that Article II of the treaty of January 24, 1903, provides that such
demand shall be made within thirty days after the delivery of the case,
and that the right secured by such provision had expired by limitation
when your request was served upon the agent of the United States.
As it is, however, the desire to comply with every request of His
Majesty’s agent which can be reasonably granted, the strict right under
the treaty is not insisted upon, but there is herewith transmitted to
you certified copies of the documents requested which are in the
possession of the Government of the United States, together with a
memorandum explanatory thereof, and of the documents of which the
Government is unable to furnish copies.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Robert Lansing,
Acting Agent of the United States before the
Alaskan Boundary Tribunal.
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum in relation to documents specified in
the request of the British agent, dated June 11,
1903.
- 1.
- The marine map. A certified
photographic facsimile has been furnished in the copies of
Russian and French documents already delivered to the British
agent.
- 2.
- Survey of the mouth of Chilcat River by
Lindenberg. This is presumably the same as the Survey by Pilot Lindenberg No. 15 in this memorandum.
A certified photographic copy of this survey is herewith
transmitted.
- 3.
- Coast map, mentioned in Mr. G.
Davidson’s report. A search has been made for this map in the
archives of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, but it
has not been found, and there is no evidence that it ever was
completed or delivered to that office. If on further search it
is discovered, a certified copy will be furnished.
- 4.
- Sketch relating to Tongas Island. A
certified lithographic copy is herewith transmitted.
- 5.
- Letter from Governor Seymour, mentioned
in Colonel Scott’s report. A certified copy is herewith
transmitted, together with a certified copy of Colonel Scott’s
letter, to which the former is a reply.
- 6.
- Note from Doctor Tohmie, mentioned in
Colonel Scott’s report. This note is not in the possession of
the United States Government. A certified copy of the letter to
Doctor Tohmie is herewith transmitted.
- 7.
- Information relating to Indians living on
the coast. A certified copy is herewith
transmitted.
- 8.
- Letter from Mr. Duncan. It does not
appear by Colonel Scott’s report that any such letter was
received by him, and it is not in the possession of the United
States Government. A certified copy of the letter to Mr. Duncan
is herewith transmitted.
- 9.
- Instructions from Major-General
Halleck, mentioned in Colonel Scott’s report. These
instructions are printed at page 346 of the appendix to the case
of the United States.
- 10.
- Copy of statement of the boundary line
as published in an English journal, mentioned in General
Howard’s letter. A certified copy of the copy made by General
Howard is herewith transmitted.
- 11.
- Plans of harbors made by Commander R.
W. Meade. A search has been made in the archives of the Navy
Department; but the plans referred to have not been
[Page 531]
found. They were
probably destroyed when superseded by later and more accurate
charts.
- 12.
- Chilcoot Inlet chart, mentioned in
Captain Beardslee’s report. A certified copy is herewith
transmitted.
- 13.
- Map mentioned in Mr. Max Pradt’s
letter. This map is not in the possession of the United States
Government.
- 14.
- Chart by Lieutenant Symons of the Jamestown. This chart is the same as Chilcoot Inlet chart, No. 12 in this
memorandum.
- 15.
- Survey by Pilot Lindenberg, map and
original journal. The map is presumably the same as the Survey of the mouth of Chilcat River, No.
2 in this memorandum, of which a certified copy is herewith
transmitted. No other map answering to such a description, and
no journal by Lindenberg, is in the possession of the United
States Government.
- 16.
- Maps mentioned in report of governor of
Russian colonies in America. There is no evidence that such maps
were ever delivered, and no such maps are in the possession of
the United States Government.
Robert Lansing,
Acting Agent of the United States before the
Alaskan Boundary Tribunal.
