The national Republican., 1867-04-08
THE TREATY WITH RUSSIA
PROFESSOR BAIRD's TEsTI-
MONY RESPECTING THE
TERRITORY PURCHASED.

We now propose to give few others:
If this country ever had national
friend it has been Russia. If there be
Power on earth to which, in view of that
friendship and the course Of the Gear in
r-aGeving his subjects from serfdom, we de.
sire % come into closer relations it is
Russia eve desire to crafty the natural
instincts of the American people just now,
nj the end If n p, I'll war in which Great
Britain and France have been SO un'
friendly, and another first, ,'IasS Power has
been SO faithful and true, we desire to
make q cordial salutation to RI 'ssia' II
in the course of human events we shall
ever need the aid of any foreign Power ID
our struggles for power in this hemis-
pherc, or upon the high seas anywhere, it
will be the immense and almost immacu-
late power Of Russia for it is not too ex-
travagant TO say that the two Powers al
lied may defy the rest of the nations Of the
world on land or sea. These reasons are,
of themselves, sufficient to convey the hint
to every statesman in the land that such q
treaty as our distinguished Secretary Of
State has made, ceding to us all the Rus
sian Possessions in America at nominal
price, and bringing the two Powers into
geographical juxtaposition in the Pacific
sea, is the greatest diplomatic achievement
of the age.
But it is asked, apparently with some
gravity, ,chat do Ve get by thiS treaty I?
We answered on Saturday that We get up
wards of sixteen hundred miles Of ap-
proachable maritime coast, several valua-
BILE islands, and the base Of an immense
and almost wonderful trade now opening
with Japan and eastern Ito us westerly
Asia. We get, moreover, into proximity
to and where, to all intcnts and purposes,
we adioin Russia in Asia, and where
closer alliance, offensive and defensive, is
both possible and practicable. And We
get by this treaty country valuable for
its timber, its minerals, its arabic SOIL its
peltry, furs, great and small FISH, feathers,
and almost every other commodity with
which that remarkable region abounds.
The idea is prevalent with some that be-
cause that country is in high latitude it
is very cold. That, however, is an entire
mistake, as we shall presently show. 1t has
been stated over and again by old explorers
that the isothermal line upon this CONT
nent runs upward from West Point New
York; to New Archangel. Every navi-
gator or traveller upon that coast, who
ever reported his discoveries, confirms the
testimony Of Professor BAIRD, of the
Smithsonian Institute, delivered to the
committee Of the Senate a few days since
upon that subject. But as the testimony
Of the Professor is fresh, and will be, there
fore, more agreeable to the taste Of our
readers than Staler accounts, We will now
give a synopsis Of that,
The Professor, when asked respecting
his means Of information, said that he had
two explorers in that field between one and
two years, who returned last autumn,
bringing with them collection of spec-
lncns of natural history from the British
possessions to the shores of the Polar Sea
that, in respect to climate, they reported
that the temperature from Prince Of Wales
Island to the entrance to Bherings Straits
is, during the winter months, about the
same as that Of Washington city; that
there was little snow, much rain, and that
during the summer months it was foggy |;
that in respect to timber they reported
that the whole country well up to the
northern coast is heavily timbered and
chiefly with hard pine-that small trees
exist up to the very shores-that some Of
the islands are also heavily timbered with
pine forests and dense underbrush; that
some of them, however, are not timbered,
but clothed with luxuriant growth oi
grass.
That in respect to the soil and cultiyable
productions, the west coast produces
barley, and roots such as radishes and tur-
nips, and csCulcnts such as lettuce and
cabbagcs. That the native animals found
llltTt uIt SlNu as eCu Olltli llNCI OllCTI
sable, furrcd seals, minks, black, silver and
rcd foxes, red deer in the south and rein,
deer in the north. That the fish consists
chiefly of halibut, Goldfish, salmon, herring
and abound there in immense quantities
and that in the Bhering sea whales arc
very numerous.
That in respect to minerals, they re-
ported that placers Of gold have been dis
covered at the hcadwatcrs of streams Oh
the east side of the coast range of noun
tains; that there are the same indications
on the western side of the slopes; that ma
tive copper has been discovered in various
places on the coast and in the vicinity oI
Copper river, that iron ore exists there ia
exhaustless quantities, now being smelted
by Russian artisans and used for repairing
ships; that coal ubounds there of about
the quality of that found in New Bluns'
wick, not quite equal to the Cumberland;
that from indications II better quality exists
in beds yet. unopened.