The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-11-13

The following letter has been received
at the statg Department., and, like every
thing relative to our new possessions,
will be read with Interest:
%. s.. IEdATToG AT HoSoLuLu,l
=. -. 4 * Si- August 2, 1861
SIR-From paragraphs in the few
which reach here, i am led
TO believe that the climate and resources
OF the Russian territory, recently ptlr-
chased by. the United States, are greatly
misunderstood by some of the press:
and people of the Atlantic States.
Many Of the seamen who frequent these
Islands have made voyages 10 the coast
and Islands of Russian America for
years past. and 1 transmit TO you such,
limiIed information concerning the
county as have derived from them,
trusting that IL may prove acceptable
and hoping possibly TO add to the in
formation you already possess. r. 80
4 Captain Meek, an old New England
shipmaster, and one of the most iDtellf-
gent men In this community says thst
he Traded with the natives of Russian
America for more than twelve years..
During that time he passed two winters
in SItka, and saw very little snow on
the coast near the harbor during either
winter. In one, the winter of 1928, none
at all, although the mountains sur
rounding the settlement were covered.
Rain fell through great portion ofeach
winter, and heavy fOgs frequently pre-
vailed. The winter temperature u not
go low as at points on the Atlantic
coast, from Is to II degrees south on the
same parallel; and although no Their
m0metrical record was kept by him, he
believed the climate during those win
ters. to be warmer than the sea coast 0f
southern New York or northern Viz.
&Inia. 81 .s.-
Inthe vicinity of Sitka, fine potatoes
are raised, and all other vegetables OF
hetsmperate zone. Barley Is already
cultivated, and a little wheat, aud all
the other cereals could no doubt be cul-I
tivated 70 advantage. Kodiac Is one Of
the largest of the islands, and the best
for all purposes. The soil Is good, the
country less mountainous, and the cod
and other fisheries extensive. On some
parts of most of these islands and coast,
stock can be erazed for about nine
months IN the year. During three or four
months they would have 10 be housed
and fed. Grass Is abundant In the To-
calittes fitted for stock and apparently
richRnd nutritious. The summers Of the
westerly islands ARE cooler than those
OF Zodiac or SItkA, on account of the
winds from the North. which some.
times blow with great Violence Inc
forests on the main land are large, the
trees of luxuriant growth, and capable
OttuEnlBhlnB an almost 4ub8nhusLhOAo
supply Of ship timber.
The fact that the coast and islands
have many good harbors, makes this
tim Der accessible and consequently
valuable in the future. The country
abouuds in coal Of a quality not known.
The Captain, has seen native copper
and there has always been q tradition
among the traders that gold exists US,
although he has never. seen any evil
dence of the TACT. The natives are
treacherous, warIlke, and acquainted
with the use of arms. For many years
one of the principle articles of trathc
with them has been small arms and
ammunition, conseq uently they are
nearly all armed with guns, The fact
that they are constantly at war among
themselves has heretofore made them
less troublesome to their civilized
neighbors.
The voyage from Honolulu to Sitka
has been made in ten days, and In the
same time from San francisco under
sail. Judging from the Imperfect de-
scrIptions these men have given me-
the country, taken altogether 10 any.
thing but the uninhabltable, desolate,
frozen region many newspapers u have
read represent It TO be; on the contrary
1t containBthousands otsquare miles OF
land as well adapted for cultivation ana
stock raising as many parts OF the New
England States. Its fisheries are rich
aud extensive, and require only de.
velopment to make them a large and
profitable. source of revenue. IL pos
sesses thatinexhaustable supply OF ship
timber which we will need to build up
a navy and a merchant marine on the
Pacific, when the United States, pursu-
ing the policy you have SO successfully
inaugurated. will have become masters
of the great commerce. of China and
the East.
1t will become the birthplace and
nursery OF a hardy race Of seamen, who
will man our ships aud make our COM
MERGE az supreme on the Pacific coast as
Ii once was on the Atlantic and It Will
become 10 the Pacific coast what New
England waste the Atlantic before her
race OF adventurous and intrepid sea-
men had given place to generations OF
thrifty manufacturers.
have the honor 10 belyour obedtent
servant, RSwARDl II. McCooK
HoN.4WA. a. SESARD,-
Secretary .fiStdte. Al
Z