Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-07-17
RUSSIAN AMERICA.
Its Climate ana Agricultural and Com
mereial Capabilities.
WASHINGTON. July 9th.

public:
VICTORIA. VANCOUVER ISLAND,
April Goth, 1867.
Hon. Vim. II, Seward. Sec. Of State, &c
Strive the Undersigned, citizens Of
the United States, residing in Victoria,
v. l., avail ourselves of the rliest o.
portunity since the ratification Of the
treaty BY the Senate of the United S aes,
to offer you our congratulations upon your
acquisition for our country of Russian
America.
We deem this acquisition Of the great
est Importance politically. commercially
and industrially, and we do not think We
assume too much when we say, from our
contiguity to the acquired territory, and
our residence among people many Of
whom have been engaged for years in nav
igating its waters aud trading with its in
habitants. that we are better prepared to
appreciate the true value of this territory
and the Importance of the service you
have rendered the United States 10 its
acquisition, than most other American Cit
izcns. Its importance politically seems
to be generally conceded, but its CONNER.
cial, material and Industrial valiie appears
to be doubted, or at least but little under.
stood.
The opinion seems generally to prevail
in the Atlantic States that the high lati4
tude occupied by the new territory, and
the severity of its climate render it unfit
for the abJdeof man, and thatit offers
nothing to capitalists and enterprise bu,
its furs and fisheries. This opinion is
erroneous. The climate of the territory
West of the Cascade range Of mountains.
and up tc sixty degrees No latitude, and
If the numerous islands bordering its
shores is much mider, both Summer and
Winter, aud much more pleasant than
hat of any portion OF the New England
states or the Canadas. Its immense for
sts of pine are Of incalcplable value, the
lmher being much superior to that of
'regoD or Washington territory, while the
numerous harbors along its coast will af-
'rd the greatest facilities for its ship !
lent There are'known 10 exist within
&c limits Of the purch ased territory
any valuable minerals, am)ng which
'e gold. silver, copper, lead, iron and OK. :
nsive beds Of coal, which will furnish {
ample field of labor and the investment {
capital. Many beautiful and rich spec. a
lens of all the minerals enumerated are :,
w in the city. which have been brought
ON the territory.
The agricultural capabilities of the coun.
' are no doubt inferior to that of the \
aIes and territories lying south of it, =.
IL there arc large bodies of land known
exist, so far as the country has been q
plored, capable Of producing many OF &C
} vegetables common to temperate elm tn
of great excellence, and in the greatest err
lndance, as we'll as most of the cere-
Commercially, the new territory must
of great value on account of Its compar-
We proximity to many of the tcemiag
~ la tions of Asia, and its possession of
st of the natural productions in demand w Wv
them must ultimately create an extern w
} commerce. . ..H.. 70
We feel satisfied that few years will '"'
,onstrate the great Importance to the ~
ntry of This acquisition; and while it '''
) new constellation to our glorious 'u'
ky of stars, it rebounds greatly TO
honor ahl to the Gre lit of the ad.
istratioh, -. .. =
We have the honor to be, sir, ="
ur couutrymen and obcdicnt servant ? VII,
-llen Francis, U. S. Consul; Edgar well
win, }. A, AcCrea. F. Garcsche, P. and
Bockus, William P. Sayward, Frank ~ :.
bell, NJ W. Watt, W. G. Bowmen, then
fav Sutro, Abraham Frankel Peter thes
,uadc, ID. A. Edgar, S. D. Glstrau, j. "a
rummond. Z. A. Gillingham, L. j. ing.
ovit, Edward Norton, I'd !; William and
l. Uriah Nelson, John Dickson, John t.se sl
ard Hunt. A. H. Guild.