The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-18 00:00:00

ALASKA.

Till recently very little has been known of the
climate and resources of the northern shores of the
Pacific ; but the report on the investigations of the
United States Coast Survey furnished to the No-
vember number of ‘, Lippincott's Magazine" has
thrown new light on the subject. Their instruc-
tions were to observe and study the law of the
tides, to observe and collect information of the
ocean currents, and discuss their influence upon
the climate and vegetable productions of the coun-
try, and their bearing upon the important question
of the ocean steamship routes between San Fran-
cisco and Japan and China ; to search for fishing
banks ; to collect statistics of the furs and mine-
rals, and of the inhabitants and their prospective
relations to the new order of rule and trade. The
fishermen of cod have hitherto been compelled
to resort to Francisco for their stores, but now
Alaska enables them to fish in its bays when stormy
weather drives them from off the open cod banks.
Instead of making the long trip to and from San
Francisco, and of keeping the imperfectly cleaned
fish for a long time in salt, now it will be cured at
stations and depots, where the fish may be col-
lected and conveyed to Asia and Australia.
The number of American fishing vessels em-
ployed among the Shumagin Islands, off the South-
east shores of the peninsula of Alaska in 1867 was
27, the average catch nearly 100 tons, the average
cost of outfit and labour $3,000 in gold, the average
value of the codfish nine and a half cents per pound
iu coin. The suiiply Loin the Alaska banks, it is
stated, has already closed th,; i,nportation of cod-
fish from New England ports into C.ilifornia. The
eastern part of Bchring S.:a is fall of cid, au I Vie
area within the limits of 50 fathoms of water is no
less than 18,000 square miles. The banks along
the shores of Alaska bordering the Gulf of Alaska
and south of the Aleutian Islands will add, it is
stated, not less than 45,000 square miles, and thus
the fishermen will have a surface of 63,000 square
miles, with an average depth not greater than 50
fathoms over which to ply their vocation. The
Gulf of Alaska has always been renowned for whale.
The waters of the Archipelago Alexander abound in
this fish. In June and July every bay, harbour, and
strait is covered with the " whale's food." This
mollusk is carried by the currents along the shores
of Alaska Gulf, and collects under the lee of the
Pamplona Reef, at the very height of the fishing
season. This field is very rich, and it is suggested
that whaling can be more profitably and effectively
carried on here, by means of small vessels especially
constructed for the purpose, and then by storing
the oil at a depot, to be shipped thence to the large
markets. The United States Coast Survey, fol-
lowing the traces of lignite and water-born speci-
mens of coal which were to be found in the St.
John Valley, arrived at the conclusion, from well-
known geological indications, that abundance of
coal would be discovered in that part of
Alaska ; and after the departure of the corps news
was received by telegraph that the bed of coal
pointed out by the geologist of the expedition had
been opened, and the substance, when tried on the
war steamer Saranac, pronounced to be anthracite.
The Japan warm ocean current has an important
influence upon the climate, and consequently upon
the habitability of Alaska, this stream, which is
much more marked in its effect than the Gulf
Stream iu the Atlantic Ocean, being of greater
volume, greater velocity, and of higher temperature.
The main body of this Pacific current runs from
the coast of Niphon, in 35 degrees latitude, 3,300
nautical miles, to latitude 48 degrees, and longitude
148 degrees east from Greenwich, where it is
within 900 miles of the American coast. At this
point it divides, the larger branch striking Van-
couver's Island, and thence running along the
shores of Washington Territory, Oregon, and Ca-
lifornia ; the smaller branch continuing to th
coast of the Alexander Archipelago, and thence
running along the shores of Alaska. This immense
volume of warm water (the temperature of the
surface in latitude 57 degrees being from 50 to 52
degrees in September), exhibits its effects upon the
climate of Alaska, especially in the, vegetation. The
condensation of the warm, vapour-laden air by the
colder and drier air of the continent, produces
heavy rains ; hence the enormous and rapid growth
of the trees, the luxuriant grasses, plants, and
mosses. The difference in temperature between
the wet and dry bulb thermometers is very small,
indicating slow evaporation, and ice cannot be
formed clear and solid enough to be taken to San
Francisco. On the Pacific coast large trees are to
be found seven degrees farther north than on the
eastern side, and gay flowers and rare and beauti-
ful plants give the shores of Cape Lisburne, in
latitude of 59 degrees, the appearance of a garden.

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