Questions to be decided. Meeting of tribunal. tanniques ne formeront aucun Etablissement soit sur la Côte, soit sur la lisière de terre ferme comprise dans les limites des Possessions Russes, telles qu'elles sont désignées dans les deux Articles précédens; et, de même, nul Etablissement ne sera formé par des Sujets Russes au delà des dîtes limites." The tribunal shall also take into consideration any action of the several governments or of their respective representatives preliminary or subsequent to the conclusion of said treaties so far as the same tends to show the original and effective understanding of the parties in respect to the limits of their several territorial jurisdictions under and by virtue of the provisions of said treaties. ARTICLE IV. Referring to Articles III, IV, and V of the said treaty of 1825 the said tribunal shall answer and decide the following questions: 1. What is intended as the point of commencement of the line? 2. What channel is the Portland Channel? 3. What course should the line take from the point of commencement to the entrance to Portland Channel? 4. To what point on the 56th parallel is the line to be drawn from the head of the Portland Channel, and what course should it follow between these points? 5. In extending the line of demarcation northward from said point on the parallel of the 56th degree of North latitude, following the crest of the mountains situated parallel to the coast until its intersection with the 141st degree of longitude west of Greenwich, subject to the condition that if such line should anywhere exceed the distance of ten marine leagues from the ocean then the boundary between the British and the Russian territory should be formed by a line parallel to the sinuosities of the coast and distant therefrom not more than ten marine leagues, was it the intention and meaning of said convention of 1825 that there should remain in the exclusive possession of Russia a continuous fringe or strip of coast on the mainland, not exceeding ten marine leagues in width, separating the British Possessions from the bays, ports, inlets, havens, and waters of the ocean, and extending from the said point on the 56th degree of latitude north to a point where such line of demarcation should intersect the 141st degree of longitude west of the Meridian of Greenwich? 6. If the foregoing question should be answered in the negative, and in the event of the summit of such mountains proving to be in places more than ten marine leagues from the coast, should the width of the lisière which was to belong to Russia be measured (1) from the mainland coast of the ocean, strictly so-called, along a line perpendicular thereto, or (2) was it the intention and meaning of the said convention that where the mainland coast is indented by deep inlets forming part of the territorial waters of Russia, the width of the lisière was to be measured (a) from the line of the general direction of the mainland coast, or (b) from the line separating the waters of the ocean from the territorial waters of Russia, or (c) from the heads of the aforesaid inlets? 7. What, if any exist, are the mountains referred to as situated parallel to the coast, which mountains, when within ten marine leagues from the coast, are declared to form the eastern boundary? ARTICLE V. The tribunal shall assemble for their first meeting at London as soon as practicable after receiving their commissions; and shall themselves fix the times and places of all subsequent meetings. The decision of the tribunal shall be made so soon as possible after Decision. the conclusion of the arguments in the case, and within three months thereafter, unless the President of the United States and His Britannic Majesty shall by common accord extend the time therefor. The decision shall be made in writing, and dated, and shall be signed by the members of the tribunal assenting to the same. It shall be signed in duplicate, one copy whereof shall be given to the agent of the United States of America for his government, and the other to the agent of His Britannic Majesty for his government. ARTICLE VI. When the High Contracting Parties shall have received the decision of the tribunal upon the questions submitted as provided in the foregoing articles, which decision shall be final and binding upon all parties, they will at once appoint, each on its own behalf, one or more scientific experts who shall with all convenient speed proceed together to lay down the boundary line, in conformity with such decision. Signed in duplicate. Experts to establish boundary in con formity with decision. agree. Should there be, unfortunately, a failure by a majority of the tri-Report of failure to bunal to agree upon any of the points submitted for their decision, it shall be their duty to so report in writing to the respective governments through their respective agents. Should there be an agreement Partial agreement. by a majority upon a part of the questions submitted, it shall be their duty to sign and report their decision upon the points of such agreement in the manner herein before prescribed. ARTICLE VII. The present Convention shall be ratified by the President of the Ratification. United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and by His Britannic Majesty, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in Washington or in London so soon as the same may be effected. In faith whereof we, the respective plenipotentiaries, have signed Signatures. this Convention and have hereunto affixed our Seals. Done at Washington, in duplicate, this 24th day of January, A. D. 1903. JOHN HAY And whereas the said Convention has been duly ratified on both parts, and the ratifications of the two governments were exchanged in the City of Washington, on the third day of March, one thousand nine hundred and three; Now, therefore, be it known that I, THEODORE ROOSEVELT, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof, may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and three, and [SEAL] of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-seventh. By the President: JOHN HAY THEODORE ROOSEVELT Exchange of ratifi cations. Proclamation. |