The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-20
The Neglected Territory.

Toward the end Of Gen. GRANTS admins
tratiun orders were given to withdraw the
rarrisOns Of Alaska. consisting Of Compa-
Mics G. and VI o, the Fourth Artillery. at
Sitka. and Company of tine Twcnty-hrst
Infantry, at For, Wrangel.
Those were wise orders Nine years had
shown that no troops were nodded IN Alaska
The Indians had Leen uniformly peaccabc
Besides, had they proved otherwise, tho
soldiers would have been Of no use, save for
the immediate defence Of attacked settle
ments; they could not have pursued and
punished wronGdoers; they had never ex-
plored the forests or marched across tho
coastwisc mountains: and in the network
Of sounds and Islands along the shores,
whore the Indians chiefly live. any fighting
would have had to be done with canoes, in
which soldiers would have cut IA sorry fig
ure against sayages.
Besides. keeping mp military establish
ment whose supplies were brought at much
expense, and whose numbers almost
cquallcd those Of the people they protected,
was prcp,stcrous. Ii would bc cheaper to
transport the entire population Of Sitka to
Fort WranSel er to Fort Vancouver at Gov
eminent expense, paying for all the aban-
doued property.
But 10 leave the inhabitants Of Alaska
without any protection al all was q gross
outrage. This outrage the HAYES Aduiiui,-
tration committed as soon as it came into
power. and has continued ever since. The
third article of the treaty Of 1867 between
the Cnited States and Russia. guaranteed
To all the former subjects Of Russia who
should remain in the coded territory, pro-
lection To lie and property, and the rights
and privileges of American citizens. II was
Tor this reason that troops were first put
there. But when HAYES found Gen. GRANTS
orders for their recall 10 more useful fields
in course Of execution, he assumed that this
was all that was 10 be done. and east Alaska
from his thoughts. The obvious duty was
T. supply the place OF tho troops with n
gunboat stationed at Sitka, and occasion
ally putrolling the coast, or at least with
occasional visits Of a war vessel from san
Francisco. In direct violation OF the treaty,
to which point the Russian citizens Of
Alaska last summer called the attention OF
! Baron SHIsKIN, the Russian Minister at
Washington, the HAYES Administration has
left the people Of Alaska for two wears with
'"- ""' liN ''''" wa ~ ''''t - f'"
tecl'on' AS result me country mas beeA
Illuminated by the spectacle OF the termed
settlers calling Tor ana on the brltah au-
/ thorites' ana inc latler sending III haste
the osprey rom E'qulhault u perform Ihe
duties that an American mah-o'-War sA"u!u
perform HAYES however was propaniy
ignorant or careless OF the oollEa'.ohs IN
curr'd uhuer the treaty Oh loo" "h'le u"e
Ancient Mariner thouHi!tlt pleasahter 10 use
the national shlps Tor IuhRe'Ihg excursions
IMAM ior protecting c'tllehs' Inc navy
. 'lH'er7' on lh'lr part no u"uut I'h' cruising
III hI'N'h'er lhi"u|h inc M'u''erI"ue"u
/ pell'I lhah so up t""AIu 'n'"icuic ci'cl'i
7 an" lr'I'r the sucr'lE pl N"pl's uH" MIC u
lhal OF 9'lNA ana i"rt "IahEeI
mere Is very Ht'le duupI 'h"l the trouoles
WIN 'hr lnuioha nave ueeh eN'lHEfr"Vod ny
lhe 7'l''orS' III tll' noPV oi EeV''hs troops !"
0llkA ana / ort W ranger again. lor inc sake
o. theT custom Al eu'h o' tneSe places