, 1867-05-03
Our New TerItorr.

1 tH" - ~ y @eAAAANNIsM
As the Senate has ratified the treaty for II q
purchase Of Russian America, and the House Of
Representatives will unQuestionably pass the
appropriation necessary to complete the bar
gain, We may look at cur newly purchased ter.
ritory. ALI questions as to the policy Of the
purchase are settled. We have bought, and we
are new studying the value Of our speculation.
We had plenty OF territory beforehand enough
to support q population of two hundred millions
OF people. Not one half of the territory of the
United States is occupied, and we have an ab-
undance to invite Immigration for hundred
years. Russian America is an immense territory,
equal in square miles to the Northern States.
| But it seems TO US the larger this territory the
poorer the Government owning 1t. This would
be literally true if Russian America was in any
other position than that of selfprotectionl No
nation will ever attempt to 6llibuster it. Its
frigid climate is more powerful than all the
monitors in the world. Any people attempting
to steal this icy region would meet the fate Of
Sir John Franklin. We doubt very much
whether a military garrison can be kept in the
territory without importing grain, meat and
potatoes from Oregon to feed it. i-H
The principal settlement is New Arehangel, a
town of 900 Inhabitants, on the Island of Sit
ka, the largest Of the group of George III. Here
are forti6cations, magazines and Governors
residence, ell of wood. This is the headquarters
of the Russian American Company, incorporated
in 1893, for fishing and hunting fur bearing
animals. The Company, in its prime, employed
fifty vessels in the business, and divided large
| dividends. The area Of the country is estimated
at $4,000 square miles, and its population at
81 900, divided as follows; Russians, Creoles
Kodiaks and Alecoots, 5000; Esquimaux, $4,000
Its greatest length is 100 miles, and its greatest
width 800. .r
The AAd, in discussing this matter, and speak
ing of the climate and the sterility Of the soil,
says:
| "At,Sitka, where the climate may be consid-
cred almost, if not quite, the most favorable Of
| any portion of the country, the natives raise
few potatoes, not exceeding hickory nuts in size,
and occasionally few Lapland turnips; but it
has been found impossible, from want of grass
as we'll as from climatic causes, to breed cattle
sufficient to supply the wants Of even this small
| town. We have it on the authority OF the Di-
rector of the Russian American Company sta
toned at that point, who says that the experts
| msnt has been repeatedly tried by the importa-
| ton of cattle from Russia, but without success.
Above the line of the Aleutian Islands, which
will embrace the greater portion OF the country,
we have it, upon the authority of explorers of
| the Russian American Telegraph Company, that
the ground never thaws TO greater depth than
| from nine to twelve inches. Agriculturists can
readily judge how favorable such soil is to
the growth ofgrains and grasses. OF the interior,
| almost nothing is known, but we cannot expect
to fud 1t less rugged or more aceeSSibls than
British Columbia lying Immediately to the south
| of it," .u p. .....1s...ss. go .s-#.r.
| If Russian America was worth purchasing,
| the Government must be in possession of
knowledge establishing its mineral richness.
There are many reasons to believe that the
country is rich in COAL copper, gold and silver,
and it is possible that the Government has
| gained positive information through the scien-
tic gentlemen sent out from the Smithsonian
/ Institute, in connection with the Western Union
Telegraph Company. These agents Of our
Government have been exploring the country
the past year, aud it is reasonable to believe
that their reports have led to the recent pur-
| chase. When the project was FIRST announced,
the Senate was unanimously against the pur-
| chase. 1t was hooted at as visionary. What
caused the sudden change of opinion in the
| Senator What else could convert the Senate
but the diffusion of the secret knowledge in
possession of the Cabinet We believe as soon
as the treaty is ratified by Russia, which the
| Government seems to be in haste to effect, that
| the public will be grat6ed with such news as
to the mineral wealth of this Russian territory,
as to fully explain why we so suddenly coveted
these frozen regions of the eNoIth.-AGTy'OiHs
| appeal.