, 1854-09-16
The Russians in America.

Signed by the commissioners.
The Russians in America.
Some time since we made reference to
the Russian possessions on the northwest
ern coast Of this continent, and especially
mentioned Sitka in connection with the
mission Of Count de Medem to the United
States, for the purpose of negotiating GER
tain treaties with our Government, inclu-
ding, perhaps, the cession of important
territory.
A few facts respecting the history of
the Russian Company in North America,
may not be unacceptable to our readers,
who share the opinion we have expressed
in regard to the value Of the cesson which
was the theme Of our former article.
The northeastern regions of the Pacific
were, during the past century, the scene of
interesting exploration and discovery
For a long time the attention of the Span
ish, English and Russian Governments was
directed thitherward, and great effort was
put forth, by them all, to penetrate the
straits that divide the Asiatic from the
American continent Volumes have been
written upon the subject, and Russian lit
erature finds some of its richest historical
and descriptive works in the narratives
prepared by the Muscovite Captains, after
their long and perilous voyages into the
remote and then unknown seas that battle
the Peninsula of Alshka and the fifty
islands of the Alentian Archipelago. Not
even the general outline of all that those
volumes record could find its way into
these columns, and we are therefore obliged
to restrict our recapitulation to the simplest
necessary facts.
In l74l, Behring and TscherikofT, stim-
ulated by the exertions of Peter the Great,
in 1925, to have the northeastern coasts Of
Asiatic Siberia explored, pushed boldly
along the inlet to the Icy Ocean and dis
covered the straits and islands honored
with the name of the first intrepid naviga-
tor. From the days of Ulloa, who carried
the Spanish flag as high as 40 deg. north
on the Western American coast, the enter
prise Of that once energetic nation at whose
feet Columbus l6id down key to oil the
treasures of a new and marvellous world,
inceSsantly strove to urge its eonquests
further towards the higher attitudes, and
it is probable that much of the Oregon
coasts and islands were known to Spanish
explorers quite early in the nth century.
In fact, the archives Of Mexico contain
very many accounts written by monks and
others, Of voyages made to strange lands
in the far North; but names and dates are
so confused in these MSS. that we are
compelled to rely upon what was effected
at much later perion by the Russian navi-
gators, and their successors, Cook, Drake,
etc., for useful and seryicable accounts
From the latter we conclude that Sitka is
the native name Of the Island on whose
western coast, and bordering Norfolk
Sound, the Russian company have estahed
their most important station, also formerly
styled Sitka, but now termed New-Arch-
angel. The Russian discoverer of this
island named It Baranoff, and Vancouver,
in l792, embraced it on the chart among
the islands Of the Archipelago Of King
George Ill. Nootka Sound, which Is
an inlet of Vancouyer's Island,
was the name for long time indscrimi-
nGtely applied to the various arms Of the
sea now mapped in that portion Of the
northwestern coasts, and hence arose the
error Of confounding it with Norfolk Sound,
and even with Norton Sound, which lies
within the extent of Behring's Straits and
some degrees higher than the Nootka of
Capt. Cook.
Sitka lies off the main land of New
Cornwall, and is separated, very consider
ably, from the body Of Russian America.
But the policy and expectation Of the Rus
sian company was to occupy commanding
trading posts along tho whole length Of
the Pacific shores, and gradually advance,
by the borders of the main land, subduing
or driving of the native tribes, until the
influence of other Europeans in that part
of the Pacific should be met and overcome.
Thus they dotted a number of forts or fac
tories from Alashka to California, one Of
them, Fort Ross, being situated on the
Bay of Bodega or Romanzoff, near, the
entrance of San Francisco, and as far south
as the 37th deg. Of north latitude.
The aim of this grand scheme is percep-
tible enough, and its results, in case of sue
cessful prosecution, may be conjectured.-l
Fortunately it has been decreed that
American liberty, if guided by sagacity
and patriotism, shall accept the prize o.
mighty absolutsm has found itself unable
to grasp.
This process, 10y which Russian influence
was to steal southwark along the Pacific
and predominant in its vast trade, can be
illustrated in no better manner than by all
luding to the first operations of the Rus
sian company and their occupancy of New
Archangel or Sitka.
The probability of a lucrative fur trade
on the northwestern coasts Of America, so
adjacent to the extremity of Asiatic Sibe-
ria, engaged the attention Of Russian spec
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