B. DEATH VALLEY, 276 FEET BELOW SEA LEVEL HIGHEST AND LOWEST POINTS IN THE UNITED STATES Both in California and but 86 miles apart. 4, Point Barrow, the extreme northern part of Alaska, latitude 71° 25' N.; B, Rose Island, Pacific Ocean, latitude 14° 32' S. Alaska are described in the accompanying extracts from the convention of 1825 between Russia and Great Britain, quoted in Article I of the convention of 1867 13 (see figs. 3 and 4) : Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 131st and 133d degree of west longitude (meridian of Greenwich) the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude (of the same meridian); and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen ocean. IV. With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood 1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia, (now, by this cession, to the United States). 2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom. The following paragraph is in the convention of 1867 only: The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed, are contained, passes through a point in Behring's straits on the parallel of sixtyfive degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Kruseastern, or Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north, without limitation, into the same Frozen ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behring's straits and Behring's sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper island of the Kormandorski couplet or group in the North Pacific ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude [167° east longitude] so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian islands east of that meridian. The consideration paid for Alaska was $7,200,000 in gold. There is no possibility of misinterpreting the language of the convention as to the portion of the boundary running along the 141st meridian, but when the wealth of the area was recognized the claims of the United States as to the location of the part of the boundary 18 Malloy, W. M., op. cit., vol. 2, p. 1521. |