The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-04-27
Russian America.

In January, 1866, a memorial. addressed
to the President Of the United States, passed
The Legislative Assembly Of Washington
Territory, representing the value OF the fish
cries along the shores of the Russian Pos
sessions in America, and requesting the
Government to obtain from Russia such
rights and privileges as would enable Amer.
lean fishermen 10 avail themselves Of that
field of enterprise and source of wealth.
Nothing was publicly heard Of this me.
mortal until, on the 18th of March, 1867.
the President communicated to the Senate,
in its executive session, treaty with Rus
sia. which had been signed by him on that
morning, and which on April 9th was con.
firmed by the Senate, by an almost unani,
nous vote-ony two Senators voting against
it, BY this treaty Russia for the sum Of
81 600, 900 in gold, surrenders to the United
States its sovereignty over all of Russian
America and the adjacent islands.
OF this addition, which will thus soon be
made to our territory, but little compare.
1ively has been popularity known but much
information is now made public ON a subject
which has assumed such sudden prominence.
The coded territory comprises all Of North
America which lies west of longitude IA!
degrees, and is about $4,000 square miles
in extent, including a strip of land extend
ing down the coast for "A distance of four
hundred miles, with all the adjacent islands.
Yhis more than doubles the United States
coast on the Pacific, which now extends
from Lower California to Behring's Straits,
with the exception of a narrow strip com.
prsing British Columbia.
THE CLIMATE.
Concerning the climate and temperature
,or our new purchase, we learn that any
opinions formed ON the usual basis of lati
,ndes would be erroneous As the west
coast of Europe differs from corresponding
points Oh the eastern shore OF America, in
the same degree and from a similar cause,
does the western coast oil America. Dr.
Horace Bushnell, writing to the Hartford
Couyont on this subject. says: The climate
cot what many will be likely to suppose :
= ~ce is a kind of Gulf Stream that sweeps
19I W. Cont Of eastern Asia, striking di.
.,.oS In on ~, N this coast, and raising the
,e on'rS TWENTY o. thirty degrees, in the
so,,a ,,annor ss nnr ~, "a Gulf Stream raises
the Temperature of western, Europe The
climate, think is scarcely NOR @eFere ,hah
that of Scotland. OF course there ~"i De
much the same chance Of production ~
least in the southern portions of the terri
,orv.n And Prof. Baird, Of the Smthso.
man Institute-whe has had two explorers
in the field for more than a year, who re.
turned last autumn, bringing complete col.
lection of specimens Of Natural History
from the entire region extending from the
British Possessions to the shore of the Polar
sea--says: ''The climate and temperature
of the coast from Prince of Wales Island
10 the entrance Of Behrings Straits, during
the winter months, is about the same as the
city of Washington. There is little snow
IA ,,uoh r.in nurino thu su n, n, ~, I he
heavy togs prevail"
P. McD. Collins United States Consular
Agent, writes to Secretary Seward from
Amoor river concerning this land. In his
investigations to determine the route of the
Russian American Telegraph, he has for the
last ten years availed himself of every op.
portunty to become intimately acquainted
with Russian America. Mr.. Collins says
"Upon the whole, Russian America, with
its depend denotes, the islands attached to it,
is valuable country in itself, viewed intrn.
scally. 1t is not such country as Oregon
or Washington in climate or soil, but it has,
nevertheless, many sources of wealth.
i' In the southern part gold is known to
exist. On Copperrine river. whence its
name, there is copper, though as matter
of policy the Russian American Company
have not encouraged mining, because they
feared that mining, if successful, would soon
break up their monopoly of the fur trade
and open the country to the searching eyes
Of foreigners and the dem oralizing influence
of cheap per goods and more lucrative EN-
ployment of the natives.
FISHERIES.
tThe fisheries along the coasts and islands
will build up population and commerce
there which at no distant day will rival New
foundand and the coast Of the Atlantic east
of Cape Cod The shoals and banks along
the islands Of Russian America GRE the re-
sort Of myriads of Goldfish unsurpassed for
size and deicacy. Once give us lodg-
ment, these fishing towns will soon spring
into existence, giving for our Pacific coast a
nursery for first class seamen, which, in the
growing commerce of the Pacific, will be
;ns,, what we want there in future in order 10
rive us the supremacy of that ocean, The
% fisheries slone are worth more than the
whole cost OF the country. and will repay
ms in the future amply for the investment
The immense population of Asia and the
islands of the Pacific will be good customers
for our surplus fish, and will readily take all
we have to spare. Timber for building pur.
poses is abundant and convenient saw mills
will soon make the lumber trade a source OF
great profit, not only for domestic use, but
for export to Asia and the more southern
islands. Boat and ship building can be car.
ried on proftably where good timber is so
abundant end easily procured,