Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1822-05-04
From THE FRANKLIN GAzETsr,
AMERICA ANDRUSSIA.

iHc tOhoWIHf le OF the COR
responsiveness between the cecretary Of state
and the chesslier Poetica, the Russian min.
lister. relative to the north west coast Of A
merics. communicated by the President TO
congress At their request:
The first is u letter from Mr.. Poletica to
the secretary, communicating the regulation
adopted by the Russian American Company.
and sanctioned by the Emperor, asserting u
Territorial CLAIM on the part of Russia Tn the
oorth west Coast of America from Behring's
Straits TO the 5lst degree of north latitude,
and ln'erdicting to all commercial vessels o.
Their than Russian, upon the penalty Of seiz-
ure and conhscauon, the approach upon the
high seas within 100 italian miles of the
shores.
No. III from the secretary to Mr.. Poleti-
ca, expresses the sorprise Of the President at
the measure, and requests an explanation Of
The grounds of 1t.
No. Ill. in answer, is a detail of these
grounds, in which the ChevaiIer de Poletica
states the discovery of Behring's Straits and
Of Cape or Mount ST. Elias by Behring in
l74i, vino with Tehiriko fl discovered as far
as the 18th degree of north latitude; The pri.
vate expeditions in i743, and the Russian
settlements existing in 1868, and found by
Cook in l773; and other voyages made by
been published. The Spsnisrds had not OBJ
jected to the Russian settlements: and in
1889, when the Emperor Paul gave the pre-
sent Russian American company its first
charter, he gave it the exclusive possession
from the 55th degree of north latitude to
Behring's Straits, and permitted them to ex-
tend their discoveries and form establish
meDIs to the south. The American govern.
ment obtained of Spain, by the treaty of
Washington in 1919. the right of the Spans
iards north Of the 42d degree of north lati.
! tude, but the northern boundary was not FIX
ed. lie concludes therefore that the right Of
Russia rests on three recognized bases: first
| discovery, first occupation, and peace able
possession for more than halfa century,. The
American right was derived from Spain,
who never claimed against the limits ssigned
10 the Russian company. And Russia might
have extended them as far AZ the 49tb de.
gree OF north latitude. The 5lst degree is a
mean point between New Archangei under
the 57th, and the American colony at the
mouth OF Columbia river, which is under the
10th degree of the same latitude.
In regard to the maritime prohibition. he
states it was intended to r-press foreign ira.
ders, who furnish arms ard ammunition to
The sarages, exciting them to revolt, Com.
taken by the American government. He
further considers the sea between America
and Asia as a shut sea, which the Russian
government might have entirely closed.
NO. Nv. is the repiy-of the secretary of
state by direction OF the President, tina, the
claim 10y Russia lie now for the first time as {.
serted; that its only foundation appears to be
the settlement at New Archangel. which
Is on an island; that in 1879 the limits pre-.
scT'bed by the emperor Paul TO the Russian
company were faed at tho 35ih degree of
north latitude, aud that assuming the lati.
tude at 81 Is new pTetension not sanction.
ed by any settlement made since 1899, that
as 10 the maritime prohibition, the right to
navigate those seas was part OF the indie pen
dence OF The United States and enjoyed ever
'ihce; that as to its being shut sea from a +.
meT!ca TO Asia, the distance from shore to
shore Is nos less thsn 4CG0 miles that the
citizens OF The United States had right to
Trade with the lGdians luly as TO navigate
those seas: that no specific com plant was ev
er made TO the government of the U. States,
or 1t would have been attended to,
No V, Is letter from the Cbevalier de
Poieiica to the secretary of state, explaining
the grounds taken in his prior letter, with The
additional statement that in 1899 the descen
dants of the companions of capt Tchiriko #,
462 in number, were found in the latitude of
46 and 80,
The idea OF shut sea of 1000 miles in
width is something new in the law of nations.
we believe. Vattel says, that ''no nation has
right TO lay claim to the open sea, or to at.
tribute the use of It to itself, to the exclusion
OF Others. The kings of Portugal have for
merly srrogated TO themselves the empire
OF the seas of Guinea and the East Indies :.
but the other maritime powers give them.
selves little trouble about such a preten.
sion."
The claim to the territory by The Russian
company, on the validity Of which must de.
pend their rightto regoIaie the distance from
the coast, would seem not to extend south of
SIS, the limit assigned to it in 1899. The
power to make settlements. never executed
cannot confer any right: the accidental set.
Element by the descendants of Tchiriko offs
companions, il continued, which does not
appear to be The case, cannot be considered
as colonization. That the Spanierds never
objected, was probably owing to The very
circumstance of no attempt being made to
extend the settlement of New ATchangel.-
We rathersuppose that the whole is scheme
OF The Russian company to monopoiize trade
and aggrandIze themselves, no matter what
may be the consequence.
Ertrdct Of a letter from a respectable Rer.
camille House an liverpool, dated 27M
Wnrch, 1892
'Phlad. Flour having become scarce, SIS.
per Dbl. has been obtained for one or two par
GELS, but we believe nothing has been done
in other descriptions
IL is now understoOd that Government in
tend to take off the restrictions 10 tn. trade
between the United States and the West In