Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-04-05

Acquisition Of Russian America BY the
United States.
The Important information comes to us
from Washington thattbe President on Sat-
uraay communieated totheA Senatesm exec.
utive Session, aItreat Ile rotated with Rus
tsia, by which theslat terspo yer ceaes tosthel
United States an her fcrlit9riesin NarthI
bAmercasfor some seven n iIlibnsspf dollars.
This, though not IAN ythia ike So ektapsixe
Or valuable as such acquisitions as that of
Louisiana in 1903, or Texas in 1915, or of
New Mexico and California in 1913, is yet
of considerable value and significance at this
jumcturc,, and III view Of its peculiar geo
graphical POSITION The country embraced
in the transfer comprises all that spartions Of
the continentSlying north of latitude 81 de-
grces 40 minutes north, at which the south
e1n boundary of Tie American pos
! Sessions was fixed BY The CONVENTION of1824
and west Of longitude IA degrees west, with
the islands adjacent, together with belt Of
rock Pacific coast and d number: Of Islands
lying between latitude 81 degrees 40 min
utcs and go degrees; The whole area is
about $50 900 square miles, but the strip
along the coast from the 54th to the Goth
degree Of latitude is only from twspty to SIX
ty miles broad, j, yet it cuts out perhaps one
half of the British territory Of Columbia from
the sea, the Russian line extending some
four hundred niles, and ceasing at Portland
Inlet. The greater portion Of the territory
| lies between the 142a and the 166th degree
Eof gitudie,. and the Goth and list degree
Of latitude. Portland inlet is in. about tie
same parallel as the most northwardly por-
ton of Canada. On the north. Russian
America IS bounded by Behring' Straits and
the Arctic Ocean The population is now
estimated at about seventy thousand, Of which
Esome forty to Fifty thousand are Indians and
Esqdimaux, the remainder being Russians,
Grcoles, Kodiaks, &c, The principal settle
menti is New nArcbangel said to contain /
E000 inhabitants, on the island of <Basanow
| or 'Sitka: The, other. chief islands are Prince
Eof Wales, Kodiak, Numvak and St. aLaw-
renee, forming, With numerous others, the
Alcutian Archipelago. - There are also the
settlement of Michaeloyski on Norton Sound,
f1Souwarof on KVfichack river, Fort st. Mich
'olas on Afiaska river, ST. George Factory
on Pribloy Island, and a factory on ST. Paul
Island. A great, portion Of the country,
however, may be considered urlinhabitable,
but. the southern and coast portions Of it are
considered valuable for the fur trade and
fisheries. 1t will afford, us commercial ad-
vantages upon the Pacific. all;a. strategic
position IN a naval sense, which may be made
available for many purposes, It win also
give us possession Of q largo extent Of coun-
stry through which tie overland telegraph is
carried. s>s t-:.19 ca ii. MI H.
If this treaty. Is IS ratified, as most probably
it will be, the. British authorities. will be
sandwiched in British Columbia, BY the pos
sessions Of the United States on the north
and on the south Of them Hence the an
nounccnient Of the negotiation Of this@treaty
is, said to have caused a lively sensation in
Washington. What may be its ultimate ef-
fccts on British power in The extreme north
ern region in question is an interesting sub
ject for speculation. The thought naturally
suggests itself that it may lead to further. &C
QUESTIONS there on the part Of tho United
States, in time, through similar peaceful ne
gotiations with Great Britian--7thc interest
and convenience Of both parties mutually
working to that end. It is suggested that
Russia codes her American territory for the
same reasons that induced Napoleon TO sell
Louisiana. That is, having designs in Eu-
rope, in the event of a war, she would prob
ably lose this territory. But, apart from
that. that, the cession to the United States
at this time is fruit, in part, Of the extreme
" friendly relations which have been main
tanned between our own and the government
Of the Czar. - Bdltinacre Sun. IS. ..t..g.
,CoNFIscATJoN The Providence Journal
Rep,, which iicslh,h has gone to great lengths in