Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-04-17
Russian America.

much, sends us the following article rela-
tive to the country recently purchased by
the United States, the treaty for which
has been ratified by the Senate:
We have been accustomed to regard
Russian America as anything else than
land of promise. Both in its political and
climatic relations it has heretofore pre-
sented Itself to our minds as the natural
associate ofSiberia. Now, that it has been
made somewhat more of a household
word, perhaps few rambling statements
in reference to it from one who visited 1t
may not be unacceptable.
First, A glance at our map Will show
us that ii is a western coast, and extends
from latitude 54o north to latitude 10
north. Now what may we safely infer
from these data? Simply that its eli
matte relations are similar to those of
western Europe under the same parallels.
The countries included there between
these limits are Northern Ireland, Scot
land, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands,
Farce Islands, Denmark, Sweden, Nor
way, and part of Russia, including its
great cities St. Petersburg and Moscow.
The same latitudes are represented on our
own coast by the country lying between
New Foundland and y orthern Greenland.
Here, then, we have North Western
Europe with its civilization and enterprise,
the homes of enlightened millions, and
Eastern North America apparently
doomed to an eternal sterility; but both
under the same parallels. / is superfiu-
Gus to state that the gulf stream is the
great furnace which heats up the one side
and that its waters are but one degree
colder on reaching the island of Spitzber-
gen than when they sweep through the
Straits of Bemini OFF the coast of Florida:
and that we are indebted to the cold cur
rent from Davis Strait for the chilling
temperature of Labrador. Now just such
4 current as the Gulf Stream warns up
our western coast; it crosses Indian Ocean
sweeps up along the coast of ASIA drifting
with it camphor trees to Suppy the inhab-
itants of the AIeutian Islands with wood.
The same current sets it north through
Behring's Strait at the rate of four miles
an hour, and its torpid waters go to warm
up the great, open, Circum-polar Ocean,
just as do those of the Gulf Steam, but
by different route. These are the out
lines of its climatic relations. Those de-
string further information will find it in
such works as the Cosmos, Guyot7s Earth
and Man, Physical Geography of the Sea,
Physical Geography of either Somerville
or Herschell, or Keith Johnston's Physical
Atlas. Vancouver Island but little south of
Russian America, grows the cereal grains
without difficulty, and the meteorological
record of the island, give a mean annual
temperature, within one degree of that of
England. Barley is grown at Litka, and
of course may be at all points south of it.
But | need go on no farther in this strain,
a glance at the isothernal lines, projected
on any physical atlas, will explain all at a
glance. We need the coast and islands
adjacent as a nursery far our fishermen,
that in time of war we may have body
of sailors hardy as those of Great Britain
breeds on the Orkney, Shetland, or Farce
Islands. We need it for its fisheries.
which are equal to those of New Found
land. To-day every dried cod fish eaten
on our western coast has TO go from the
east round Cape Horn, yet they may be
taken by myriads within two weeks sail
of San Francisco. All that is needed is
that we own the fishing banks and afford
the proper encouragement and protection
to enterprise, We need it for its timber
certainly, and possibly for its coal. The
Steekin River Indians are in the habit of
making from the single trunks ofits mag
nificent cedars, canoes which will carry
from four to six tons. need say nothing
of the value of its fur trade; it is as valua-
bic rs that branch of enterprise can be,
though perhaps it would hardly pay the
government to purchase it for this alone,
but we do need it because Great Britain
has protested against the ratification of
the treaty. MEMO.