The New York herald., 1867-04-01

|
tees Of artillery ten thousand stand of arms fou
tons OF powder and large quantity of fixed ammunition
on board The vessel carried also several officers Of th
liberal army.
The Lindell House, in st. Louas supposed to'be the
largest hotel in America and perhaps the world was
totally destroyed by fire saturday night There were
over four hundred guests the house. but no lives were
lost The loss amounts to sl,6oD 0Oo only partly in
sured.
and laborers of Brooklyn and the ourneymen painsers
or Flushing viii to-day demand increase OF waees
from their employers
cable message received at Ottawa Canada says tsat
the Confederation bill has received the royal assent
The sloop X. s. Simonson, OF Hampton Va, was
wrecked in York river during the atsgales and all on
board -four mem drowned.
The Cession Of Russian Americs 20 the Unitess
States.
From the details published in yesterdays
HERALD it appears that on Friday night last
a treaty was concluded between the Russian
Minister at Washington on behalf of the Gar,
and the Secretary OF State on behalf of the
| United States, in which the Russian govern
ment agrees to convey to the United States all
| its possessions on the Americans continent
| known as Russian America, in consi aeration of
the payment therefor of seven millions of dol
lars. This treaty will lave to be ratified by
the Senate, and the concurrence of the House
Of Representatives in the appropriation of the
| purchase money must next be obtained to COM
| plete the bargain.
Seven millions for Russian America Is the
country worth the money! 1t covers an area
Of 481 278 square miles, equal to that of all the
| country east Of the Allegheny mountains, from
Maine to Mississippi inclusive, an area from
| which we could cut out ten States Of the size
of New York. and still have a considerable
remnant left. This Russian corner Of America
| is watered by river the Kvichpak, which
| upon the map cuts as respectable figure as
| the Mississippi. II is q tremendous river. As
| for the agricultural and manufacturing re-
sources Of this glorious acqnisitionwe cannot
| say much, when it is considered that except
| ing mere strip Of the coast, from ffty-fouf
forty up to sixty, the whole ofthis purchase lies
| above the sixtieth degree Of north latitude, or
in the latitudes Of Greenland! The products
Of the country, in fact are snow, ice and ice
bergs, Esquimaux men and dogs, white bears,
reindeer, furs, hides, fsh, oil and ivory. The
annual exports, under Russia, are as fol-
lows -
Whale seal and wairus oil tno rsporsh
Skns =. sess
Beaver skins. 1ne quality y.................... $4,000
Land otter, white and blue fox and stone mar,en
-skne. .......-.--............ Zo0O
walrus horse teeth. 10000
Now, this, il must be confessed, is q rather
scanty agricultural, manufacturing and COM
mercial exhibit for region OF nearly Eve hum
dred thousand square miles in extent. In this,
view, "in point of fac" SO far is this new pur-
chase from being worth seven millions OF doll
lars that il may be pronounced, barring the
fish oil and beaver skins, utterly worthless and
good for nothing. Seven millions for such a
country, looking only at Its products, is uH-
questionably high price, compared with the
splendid Louisiana purchase from the first Ma
poleon for fifteen millions of dollars.
Politically considered, however, this cession
of Russian America becomes matter of great
Importance. 1t indicates the extent to which
Russia is ready to carry out her entente
cordiale with the United States. 1t involves 0
delicate hint from the Gar to England and
France that they have ne business on this con.
tinent; IL places the British possessions on the
Pacific coast in the uncomfortable position O
. hostile Cockney with watchfnl Yankee or
each side Of him, and it involves warning ia
him that his best policy will be to sell out and
leave the Pacific seaboard from Mexico Il
Behring Strait in the unbroken possession
Of Brother Jonathan. We know that Mr.
! Seward has always had q weakness for the an
nexation Of Canada and this treaty which b
! has concluded with Russia is only FAM
movement for this great object. II is o stei
gained, foothold secured for closer and NOR,
decisive operations. The Gar Is now, VI
have no doubt, absorbed in the Eastern ques
.. ton; and he may have an Eastern pro
gramme in view which looks more to anothe
, collision with England and France than to O.
alliance with either Of them. If so, he natu
rally seeks still closer friendship with th
! United States; but, whatever may be his ds
signs, the military advantages offered U
! against England in the cession proposed ar
apparent in o glance at the map. England, n
doubt, had she been approached with this ofe
!. from Russia, would have promptly accepted /
in order TO head OF the United States; but tn
Gar, In the transfer Of this territory, with il
. naval positions, seeks rather to strengthe
friend than an enemy, in view Of futur
contingencies.
The treaty in question will we suppose,
a laid at once before the Senate, where TIVE
n thirds vote il required for ratification. tn
!, Senate, under special call from the Presider
"a issued on Saturday last will reassemble to-da
lt for the consideration Of executive business
and this treaty was no doubt the special bus
y ness contemplated by the President in maxim
ID this call. That two-thirds vote Of the Sena'
ma | can now be obtained for this treaty we are