New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-26
VALUE oRTHE RUSSIAN PURCHASE"

VALUE OFTUE " III SSIAN II l|OAl<Noh'
oyoer.pnIcM FEATURES OF TIE TrRMTcRY-NoT
An icf-RoUND sHoRr-NoT MUCH HOPE FOR
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DEPOSITS. LUMBER
AND THE FUR TRADE-"RFsENT SOCIAL CoNpl-
qIol AND INSECURITY OF THE SETTLERS
In 1925 Vet BelTng. Lieutenant IN the RUSSIAN
navy. acting under Instructions drawn up Ill the
handwriting of Peter the Great, and carried into
effect l,v the Empress Caiharine left ST. Petersburg
and after difficult journey of two years. reached
the Pacific Ocean on which nearly year later he
embarked The object oil Behring was TO ascertain
whether the Asiatic and American continents were
nj any point united. He proclaimed 1hei1 separa-
tion on what to n careful explorer would nave peeh
very Insufficient evidence. and perpetuated his
achievement by discovering and giving his name to
that narrow strait which separates the Oldest rom
the newest continent But the important result Oh
the expedition was TO enlarge the already over
grown possessions Of Russia by giving her an neon
siderable portion of the American continent. TO
this territory the Cars Government seems ior very
many years to have paid just sufficient attention to
adverts, ownership and retain sovereignty. Inc
whole history of Alaska from that time to the pres
ent has been but mcagre record of commerce and
trade The cherries climate and sterile soil have
offered little inducelncnt to permanent habltation'
and have presented few agricultural adVah-
tagcs Bat TO tho adventurer and the pioneer
Alaska, like every other wilderness. has possessed
The strange attraction which always belongs to the
unknown.
The carly history of the country is Il gloomy re-
cord of cructies toward natives and reprisas upon
settler The Russian traders. who visited the
Alcuti:n Islands in quest of furs. were but slightly
superior to the Indians in cunning and experience
md far inferior in every other attribute Their In
tercourse with the aboriginal population was al
ways marked by selfish greed and knavery, and
frenucrtly by brutal and unnecessary cruelty. Not
rontcnt with reducing the Indians TO absolute ser
yitudc. they frequently became their murderers;
respecting no rights natural acquired, they often
without motive and in cold blood gave the slave
happy Gcliverance from manifold misery by rob-
hing him of all which he p0SseSsed-hls life. Down
70 the final departure of Baranof, the worst OF bad
governors the annals of the colony are black with
lnhuinamity and cruelty. Iii 1872 the Russian
Promshlcniks-as the rowing traders were called
drowned some twenty-thTee native women, whom
they had for the basest purpose torn from their
homes A generation later Sitka was attacked and
captured by the Indians, the town destroyed, and
al the officers and thirty incn killed. Those saved
were only rescued by the timely arrival OF an Eng
1ish ship.
In 1901 the Russian Government took formal pos
session Of the country. and. a monopoly organized
acquired control of all the Cars possessions upon
This continent II the conduct of the Pr0mShleniks
was marked by cruelty and stupidity, that of the
Government under the Trading Company was GER
tainly characterized by arbtrarness and bad judg-
ment. Having supreme power over all the lnhaDl-
fants the Governor frequently exercised 1T for no
apparent motive save personal vengeance and
capricious cruelty. The commercial affairs were
managed with great extravaganza, and the Com
pany rarely paid a dividend. Down to 1862, the
Government was generally inefficient and never
profitable The charter of the trading monopoly
expired in that year. and was not renewed, and for
the last five ,years of. Russian occupancy this Com
pany had no authority in Alaska save.by sutferance
In 1854 the first and last Imperial Governor. Prince
Maksuon was appointed. and affairs were placed
npder the direct control of the Government at st
Petersburg.
And nov in 1867, after lao years of nominal, and
nearly seventy years of actual sovereignty Russia
having found her American possessions a source OF
great expense and of revenue or commercial
benefit. determined to retire from this con-
tinent. and found purchaser for her terri
tory in the Government of the United States.
The treaty negotiated at Washington was
completed on the thirtieth of March, 1867,
and the formal surrender made III the Autumn OF
that wear. On the eighteenth of October. the Rus
sian ensign VS. naulcu OOWn llom Oho ioiuVSo vi
Sitka and the American flag up in its place
the Gar ceased forever to rule over the dcstnes OF
the Western Continent, and the United States In
creased her territory sixth. Although the
treaty was completed full effect could not yet be
given TO its provisions. The necessary appropria
fion of money could be made only by Congress, and
that body WAS therefore asked for the sum OF seven
million two hundred thousand dollars.
CONGRESS FURNISHES THE PURCHASE MONEY
long and heated debate followed. 1t said
upon the one side, that the territory was Of nc
practical value; it was affirmed upon the other
that commercially its harbors were OF the greatest
Importance as controlling the Pacific, and its lands
and forests of incalcuabe worth. 1t was stated by
ono party that no sane man would ever choose
Alaska az residence; it was urged by the opposite
marty that the land would surely be peopled by
many hardy farmers, and the ports and rivers hlee
with large number of experienced mariners anc
Fishermen History said that no great nation haC
ever been established In northern a cline; pat
riotis replied that it the duty of the Republic
10 float ats flag over all North America. Prudence
maintained that from business point OF view i
was wretched venture and would be a source only
of expense-One gentleman even gong so lar AS
sav that il involved annual expenditure OF three
and half millions-half a million for interest anC
three for government. Prejudice answered Una
eager England stood ready TO grab the coveted
,norsel One gentleman knew of a commercial com
:pany OF responsible capitalists who would take th
purchase off our hands. and pay us bonus OF three
millions The discussion was long and interesting
and called forth much sound law and good logic
but confidence and patriotism won the day, and thu
money appropriated
The discussion also developed the fact that nfor
NATION with regard to Alaska was very limited ant
nlthough there have been many reports since made
by Government officers concerning what is known
rs our Russian purchase, the pubhc.a at large know
far less about Alaska than when the United
States troops were withdrawn from that TERRITORY
In March, 1877 A carioature in Hdrpe's Weekly