Letter from Alfred J. T. Taylor to Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 15 June 1922

I reached Ottawa yesterday afternoon and was fortunate through our friend Dr King to be enabled to meet all these men I wished to see, without delay. Mr Stewart gave me freely of his time last work evening and was impressed by the necessity of hurry in the matter of the Wrangel Island base: he explained that the Dept of Justice had been asked for their opinion and said he would do his best to expedite matters, in the meantime suggesting that I should see Mr Finnie and Mr Cory, which I did this morning. I found that Mr Finnie was leaving for the Yukon territory on the 18th, and both he and Cory told me freely of the present position as they saw it.

They said that so far as they were concerned a lease could and would be prepared within 24 hours from the time the Gov't declared that Canada owned and had decided to keep the Island, but that this decision had not yet been reached and rested now entirely with the Council. The difficulties in the way appear to be a reluctance to press the Canadian claim to the Island, which many are inclined to view as of no commercial and of small strategic value, in the face of the fact that we have as yet failed to secure our position in the matter of many larger and much more important lands to the N.E. Russia has cabled a claim to the Island and the cable [: rehearses]. That Wrangel discovered the land in 1821-24 and that in 1910-1915

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the Russian flag was hoisted on the Island by the Russian Admiralty instructions carried out by one W.A. Wilkitsky.

In addition I saw a copy of a letter from Geddes to Balfour dated June 5th. setting forth that the Washington Times a Hearst paper had a report a few days previous to the effect that the U.S. Govt steamer "Bear" was proceeding North to Wrangel Island to investigate the U.S. Govt claim to the property. Geddes went on to say that he had requested further information as to the "Bears" activity from his Pacific correspondents.

The Ottawa attitude as I interprete it today is that Russian undoubtedly has a moral claim to the island, and we have a well grounded legal claim, Cory now has no doubt on this score

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but whether the Gov't will press at this time their legal claim and ignore the U.S. suggestion that the whole matter be held in trust until Russias moral claim be considered, and further invite by their immediate claim to Wrangel the question as to their legal claim to other more valuable islands to which they have a strong moral right but at present a very imperfect legal right due to disappointing delays in establishing prots last year. This is a matter that will remain in doubt until the Dept of Justice bring in their report which I am promised will be in a very few days / One item of news I learned today and that is that J. Craig is going North at once on the Arctic in charge of Bernier

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and with several N.W.M.P. to establish posts [: on] Ellesmere Island as quickly as possible the post most favoured being at the Southern end of the Island. This afternoon Ive had several interviews with Mr Stewart and Mr King and the matter now is sure of prompt action and is only delayed by the nonarrival of the report from the Minister of Justice. This report is now definitely promised for Saturday and have a long complicated talk with Dr King I have decided to rest the matter with him and proceed to Toronto - at which point I shall be wired on Saturday as to whether or not I should return to M Ottawa Monday, which I will certainly do if any useful purpose will be served. My sense of the whole matter is that if the Dept of Justice say it is wise to retain the

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Island in face of the position the Gov't feels it is in in regards to the other Arctic territory. Then we will get our lease - otherwise we won't. and at the minute Im none too sanguine. Later this evening Im to see Mackenzie King and he may be more reassuring. In any event everything that can be done is being done and we have a very strong ally in Dr. King. It was a great pleasure to dine with Dr Prince and family, all of whom are well and wish to be most kindly remembered to you. Spent a delightful day with Brown at Berlin and he will certainly look you up in New York. More about Brown in my next. I enjoyed every minute I spent with you in New York and you were very kind.