The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-11-14
RUSSIAN AMERICA.

~
Formal Transfcr OF Russian Amer
ica-Thc American Flag Hoisied-
The acknowledgement OF the
commissioners.
New YORK, November 13.-The Her
AIDS Alaska correspondence dated octo,
Der Sth, says: The formal transfer ana
delivery of Russian America took place
to-day, Mr.. George Lowell Rousseau be-
ing the first to hoist the American nag.
The same correspondent, November
ID. saws: The steamer Assipee exper-
iensed a terrific hurricane forty miles
off Archangel and was nearly wrecked.
She lost ali her beats, number of sails,
ohrouometers destroyed, and most of
the fires were put out. She shipped an
immense sea and damaged the powder
in the magazine. A few sailors were
wounded but none were killed. Gen.
eral Rousseau and staff were aboard at
the time.
A hurricane swept over the harbor
with great violence. Several vessels
were badly damaged and some driven
ashore. Anumber of houses were blown
down throughout the city. No ilYes
lost. a-- II
The Russian Commissioners have pro-
tested against the occupation OF the
Fur Company's buildings by United
States troops. By courtesy the troops
are now sheltered and the supplies
stored there. The matter has been re-
ferred to Mr.. Seward.
Since our occupation of the city seven
duels on paper have occurred, but they
were settled without bloodshed.
Especial to New York Herald.l
New ARCHANGEL, October 8, via
SwENoMIsH, w. T., November 1lth.-
The formal transfer and delivery OF
Russian America to the United States
government took place to-day, by Cap
tain Pestrichoff, Acting Commissioner
on behalf of the Russian government,
and Major General Rousseau. At three
P. NJ. a battalion of United States
troops, under command of Major Charles
0. Wood, 9th Infantry, was drawn up
in front of the Governors residence. BY
half-past three large concOurse had as
sembled, comprising Americans, Rus
slams, Creeles and Indians. At the last
named hour the Russian forts and fleet
fired salutes in honor of the lowering OF
the Russian flag, but the flag would not
come down. In lowering it it tore its
entire width close by the halliards, and
| floated from the crosstrees, forty feet
from the ground. Three Russian sail
ors attempted to ascend the inch-and-a-
half guy rope supporting the flag staff,
but each failed. A fourth assembled in
boatswain's chair, seized the flag and
threw it in a direction directly beneath
him, but the motion of the wind car
ried il OFF.
Five minutes after lowering the Rus
sian flag the stars and stripes went
gracefully up, Mr.. George Lowell Rous-
seau having the honor of tlinging the
flag to the breeze, the United States
steamers Ossippee and Resaca at the
same time honoring the event by firing
salutes.
AS the Russian flag was lowered, Cap
tain Pestrichoff stepped forward and
addressed General Rousseau as follows
General: AS Commissioner of His
Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Rus,
STA, i now transfer and deliver Russian
America, ceded by His Majesty, to the
United States.
General Rousseau, in response, as the
American flag assembled, said:
Captain AS Commissioner on behalf
of the United States Government, re
ceive and accept the same accordingly
The Commissioners spoke in tone o.
common conversation and were only
heard by Governor Makestatoff, Genera
jeff. c. Davis, Captain Kuskal and {
few others who formed the group
Several ladies witnessed the ceremonies
among them the Princess Makestatetf
Mrs. General Davis, and Mrs. Major
Wood. The Princess wept audibly as the
Russian flag went down. The transfer
was conducted on purely a diplomatic
and business-like manner. The entire
transaction concluded in u few hours
The Ossippa with the Commissioners oil
board came steaming into the harbor a
eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and a
four o'clock in the afternoon, dozel
American flags hoated over the newl!
bora American city of Sitka.