Page:Alaskan boundary tribunal (IA alaskanboundaryt01unit).pdf/103

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ARGUMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
93

Count Nesselrode himself has frankly admitted that it was natural that we should expect, and reasonable that we sbonkd receive, at the hands of Russia, epual measure, in all respects, with the United States of Ameriva,«

The contre-projet drawn up and submitted by Mr. G. Canning set forth in Article V. almost the identical languayve of Art. TV. of the trenty of 1824.% Now it is contended that he did not get for Great Britain what he said he was asking, viz.. the same rights ou the coast that the United States had secured, but that by the treaty of 1525, the rights of the United States were cut down, and that Great Britain, hy the use of the word “coast” in the treaty. aequired exclusive sover- eiguty over a part of the coasts, in respect of which the United States had been granted trading privileges for ten vears,

Artiele IV. of the treaty of L824 appenred without any substential variation as Article VIL. in the treaty of Ps25.

Tf the word ** coast.” as used in Art. IT. of this draft. and in Arts. I. and [V. of the treaty as signed, meant a const line drawn from head- land to headland. then it must be admitted that it meant the same thing in Art. 1. of this draft. and in the same article of the treaty of Ls24 und that of 1825. It will not be asserted that one kind of a coast Tine was meant by the word in one article of a treaty. and that. without even a word of explination in the negotiations. (he same word had a far different meaning in other articles, Wit is the con- sequence of this contention, if **coast™ means what in this controversy itis claimed to mean! In that case, by Art. I. of the treaties of 1S24 and 1825. neither of the contracting parties acquired any right to resort to any costs, not already nuocenpied within the territory of the other. where such coasts were within a line drawn from headland to head. not more than ten miles apart.

They had been treating about the whole extent of this northwest coast. a most sinuous coast. full of indentations and bordered by various ishinds so situnted, ax to make » territorial coast line drawn for jurisdictional purposes, embrace large areas of islands and waters. Such a line would have excluded cach contracting party. for the purpose of trading with the natives. from resorting to any of the coasts so included, though not already occupied ly the other.

UL S.C, App, 211. UL S.C, App, 217,