The New York herald., 1849-06-12
The Commerce Of Behring's Straits, and the
Whale Fisheries.
WAsHIHGToN, Nav 10. Is49.

this city, under the encouragement of the adni-
nietration, compiling commercial statistics, parti-
oulaJly OF China, Japan and Asiatlc Russia, for the
use Of the government. He has kindly furnished
us, for the readers Of the Herald, the following
statement of the commerce of the Arctic tribes
near Behring's Straits, and of Its Importance
to our whale ships = an Importance which is
vastly augmented since the acquisition Of Cali
forna.
RENEWAL OF THE CHARTER OF THE IMPERIAL. RUS
sIAN AMERICAN cohrAsY-cPENfNa OF CONNER
CIAL INTERCOURSE WITH JAPAN.
Information has been received by the last steamer,
that the Emperor OF Russia. in II late ukase has
new'd the privileges Of the imperial Russian American
Company which WAS originally chartered in 1897 and
is vested with the administration OF the Russian pos
sessions On the northwest coast Of America Alcu.
uea Ind Kurube Islands, kamtsohatka &c The
governor of the company resides ut Sitka where its
chief factory IL established In the renewed charter
clsufe ia introduced expressly stipuating that the
company hall establish factories in both America TO
meet the OF Iussian commerce. II also imposes
Epon the company the establishment OF y transatlan-
Tic line II steamers towards which IT has received from
III. imperial treasury subvenon of 900 roubies
The anticipated opening by the Gar ut NO distant
day OF the ports within the Jurisdiction of the
pany and in the Cult of Okotk to foreign commerce.
The privilege accorded by China to Russia in lA47 for
the free navigation OF the great slanchunan river
Amur the patton by the British during the
yeur Of Quelpoerts leland, lying near the southern
coast Of Corsn, q military aud naval station. com.
msnding the northern coasts OF China and the Japan
Seas together with the large fleet Of several hundreds
OF American whalers now actively employed in the
pursuit Of their gigantic game of the coasts OF Japan
and its northern dependencies events calculated
to have important bearing upon the Japanese
government and must necessarily compel it, ere long
to abandon its exclusive system Of isolation and secu
sion from the rest of the world
Tie visit Of the American whale ship Manhattan,
Captain Mercaor Cooper to the Bay Of Jedo in 1S45,
to return twenty two Japanese mariners whom he had
rescued from sinking junk and desert island coupled
with the moderation forbcarance and courtesy which
charac terzed the conduct Of Commodore Biddls and
the elnc.fs oi the Am, rcan squadron during their
short visit to the bay in 1915 have inspired both
the imperial government and the Japanese people with
the hehet opinion of country and have fAvorAby
disposed them towards it.
When Captain Sir Edward Belcher, Of II. B. NJ ship
Samarang, touched at NargasaN IN 1845 during his
scientific voyage in the Eastern Seas he was
kindly received and permitted to land on an island
in the harbor. to make his nagnstical observations
unmolested No edict was issued. IS Is customary
forbidng his return but, the contrary his promise
to revisit that port received with apparent salts
faction; and the chief who came on board including
several young OF family expressed the nope that
they might be able to show him theiI houses and in
troduce him to their families. They assured him OF
Of fNagaratk towards the English and their hope that
on his return, the High Counteors At Jedo would
consent to his admission freely that It was within
their power entirely and not the Sisgoods (Empero
that kindly expressions had transpired amongst the
great chiefs about Nargarask, and they were &C.
nerally precursors Of good
Captain Belcher states that they have . college at
Nargarsski, where the youth in addition to general
are taught foreign languages including
the English and Dutch. Among the visters to the
ship were several Japanese who understood both lam
gusges.
that British manof-wsr and steamer left Hong Kong
about the 10Th February, for Japan
In this auspicous ktate OF things, encouraged
to hope that the secluded and mysterious Empire of
Japan will, ut distant day be opened to American
MORALS which have recently been addressed to Pre-
tident Taylor by the merchants Of New FORK and Bal
timorc, recommending the sariy opening Of American
commercial intercourse with Persia, Burmah, Cochin
China, the Indian Archipelago and Japan and also for
revision Of treaty with Siam In order to place
| trade upon proper footing with that Kingdom, and
stipuste Tor the residence Of an American consul at
Bankok will receive from the present patriotic and
enphtened administration the prom pt attention and
due to subjects Of such vast importance
10 the commercial navigation, industrial and agricu
tura interests OF there cnied States and our rising
territories Of Oregon and California the Pacific
| SIBERIAN FAIR OF osTRowNoYE-TRAFFIc BETWEEN
THE TsHukIscHEs AND NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES
ON BEHRING S STRAITS.
Ostrsvpoye is situated in os deg north latitude and
1856 deg. 10 sec east longitude. island in the
Lesser ADay, which falls into the Greater Aniay and
Kovyma the latter having its enbochure in the Arctic
Ocean fair is held at this place annually, in Feb
rusry Besides tho natives Of the district it attend
| ed by Russian traders. the Tshuktschcs Tukajrs,
| Samoots, Tungousis, Koriaks and Tchuwanzi
The trade between north eastern Asia and north
western America extremely profitable one to the
Russians and the Tshuktsches The latter are, in
truth only the carriers they buy the furs and other
articles with Russian tobacco hardware, aud beads
| They give half pood OF tobacco to the American
| for two pools Of the tobacco, and he sells the
furs bought Herewith vt clear profit of more than 60
per cent The fuTs consist chiefly OF black and silver
grey fox stone fox lynx vaine river otter beaver
and species Of martin unknown in Siberia OF remark
sbe beauty and resembling the sable In the nature
and color Of the fur Besides these the Tshuktsches
| bring from America bear fkins, strings OF woves'
skins and quantity of wolves teeth They add no.
thing Of their own except whaleAone sledge roaders
and large quantity Of clothing, made by themselves
from the skins Of their reindeer and kind Of bag Of
seal skin in which they pack the American furs
The Russian wares givenin exchange, consist chieny
|
and q kind Of iron and hardware, such Us kettles
hatehets knives &c, and beuds OF various colors By
Wise and bepfcent regulation Of the Russisn govern
nent the sae OF ardent spirits IL strictly prohbed ~
| the fair
The fair usually lasts about three days The lshuktsches
bring with them their women and children, their
arms, household goods and their movesbie houses OF
reindeer skns all conveyed ON sedges drawn by rein
| deer
Before the fair begins, the principal persons both
tides assemble 10 FIX tariff for the different wares
Any who is known to sell NJ less than the rates 30
established made to pay fine and loses the right Of
| traffcing during the remainder OF the fair
The country Of the Tshuktsches extends from Behr-
ines Straits to the country of the koraks between
the 9th and list parallels in Siberia The tribes in-
biting the country the north 0f the river Oradyr
brave indomitabe ruce and have defended them
selves with valor and against the Russians and
pay no tribute. The koraks inhabit the country be-
| tween the Orsdyr and the peninsula Of Ksnschstka
They subject to Russia and pay an annual tribute
The island Of St Lawrence, or Ichouhack inhabited
| by Tchouhacks, on account Of its proximity to the
Asatc coast may be considered AS geographical de
pendency Of Siberia.
The Domeda group or Gwosdef Islands are composed
of several islands and inets the largest OF which are
| KIuzenstern and Ratmonon. The small rocky iset o
Tairway is an exce Mt guide to the eastern the wide
and best channel between the Arctic ocean and the
| sea Of Behring .
The issnd Of lwaklit, one OF the Diomedas Is the
chief mart for the traffic between the Tchuktsches
and the natives Of the two small islands called King
Islet Cookbook and lsak Ajax especially those OF
the last mentioned island who dispose Of the Russian
goods which obtained from the Teuktsches along
the coast Of America far north the peninsula OF
Aiaska and would carry them still further to the cast
| If the settlements Of the Imperial Russian American
Company did not provide the tribes in those parts,
| with such articles.
The Tchuksches Behring's strait in their boy
dars bringing tobacco iron utensils and other articles,
to waklt which they exchange with the natives OF the
Island for furs turks The American tribes
which nhabt the country north Of Cape Prince VI
Wales far Icy Cape also visit the island to obtain
| Russian goods.
ARTICLES OF BARTER BY THE NATIVES INiIABITNG
kTUE AMERICAN COAST OF BHHRIg0S STRAIT.
Skins Of seal and common Arctic fur; the common