New-York tribune., 1886-01-22


subject races always have been -ntiiiIed' lney
bronebt no ciyilizng influences with them. for the
sufficient reason that Russia itself was yet barDar-
Gus. The missionary endcavors of the GreeH Churcn
were futile and no wonder for most OF the prieS''
Of the period were illiterate, grossly ntempeiaCc'
and as immoral as the pcasantry from which tnoy
sprung. In Alaska during Baranofs admhs,ia-
tion. the padres appear to have done very i''i0
beside getting druuk and quarrellng with the civil
power
Mr. bancroft shows that the accounts OF Baranoi
which represent him cruel and vudlcuVe arc
unworthy Of credeuce lie had many fau.ts ho
doubt. aud he had many enemies. Among 'ne'0
must he classed the naval officers, many of whom
had entered the service of the company but WHOSE
caste preudces made them revolt against the gov
eminent of an Official superior who only irer-
chant and therefore mere cdndiUe in tror eyes
Barpnof had incessant trouble with the msuo-
ordination insolence and preposterous airs OF Ileso
officers Very few of them were worth thelr SAT-
They were an incompetent lazy drunken LOT lot 'ho
most part while Baranof was iuil ol eheisS'
capacity and administrative force. In deallng WIN
the lnw-casS Russians who formed the puih vi '"o
colony it was necessary to use hrmhess' an" "o
did So But that lie was benevolent. h"Splta'lo,
generous to fault, appears to be denonstr''eu anu
il le was somewhat less picturesque thah lr''ne
has made him appear, he was more pract'ca' anu
useful, After forty years of toll the COMPANY sst
this old man adrift. Fortunately Tor himseh' ue
licd on the way back to Russia.
In treating of tho history of Alaska 1rom tne
American purchase to the present time Mr.. Ban
croft has been compelled to examine the proceedings
of the Alaska Commercial Company very
carefully. Tho monopoly cedou 10 .ii''
CORPORATION by the Federal Government mas
been the subject Of much criticism ana "'
ono time an energetic attempt was maze 10 coh-
vince the public that the company was II monster
of greed cruelty and wckcdness; that II was en-
Shaving the poor Aleuts violating It's contract WIN
the Government absorbing all tho resources oil
Alaska. and proceeding from nauitv to iniqnlty.
So much as alleged that Congress ordered m IN
quiry which resulted in tic discovery that most OF
the charges against the corporation mad been IN
vented by rival traders vino failed to secure the
lease of the Prybof Islands. Further Investigation
made if clear that the Government had an eXcclent
bargain in the lease which up to the present tiho
has almost repaid the purchase price OF Alaska. In
fact, without the revonue derived fiom the COM
norcIal Compapy il would he difficult 30 make any
showing at all on behalf Of .se wisdom OF tho pur-
chase to those rigidly practical people who cahrot
be made to believe that an inN estment Is good
unless it begins to pay tho current rate OF interest
from the dav the purchase money is paid. The
ably done much more than vindicoto the wisdom OF
Mr. Seward in the eyes Of the shorsighted hui Tor
It the extinction Of the fur-seal would almost GER
tainIy have been precipitated hy the grGad and
| recklessness of rival hunters and traders. What
happens when a lucrative interest based on an
article lmitod in quantity IS free from all re-
strcton is shown III tic swift disappearance OF our
forests now taking place There is no reason lor
supposng that selfinterest would havo taught
moderation in the case of tho seals any moro thah
in the case of the timber Fortunately the Govern
ment made the lease of the ybllof Islands to me
COMPANY and one of the results OF that trlnsactcn
is that today there are several times rs many sciIs
at the islands during any period OF th9 RUSSIAN
| occupation or so far a is known ever lofoIo.
| Mr. Bancroft is somewhat severe np'n the course
of Congress with regard to Alaska though certainly
not more so than the facts warrant. The hrst ten
years of American occupancy were practically
without result outside of the seal fisheries. The
| military occupation was unfortunate. The soldiers
debauched the natives and did nothing % counter
| act the evil they caused They encouraged them IN
drunkenness by teaching them to brew a vilo stun
| called GhootchenOo" from mOasses They offered
an example of licentiousness which was demorAllZ-
| ing Theii too the only other colonists weTo for
long time broken dow politicians. adventures, ana
smugglers The territory was left without laws
/ courts, authorities OF a1V klhN LIoH ln' w INV
drawal of the troops trouble with the Indians WAS
predicted but did not occur. and no serious din
Guilty has been had with them since. The progress
of Alaska has not been quick considerable. Too
much was expected at first. aud the reaction was
| denresslnQ Mr. Bancroft has set down all the
drawbacks as candidly as tie advantages. 1t Is
not probable that there will ever be large
population in Alaska Two thirds of the country
| is virtually unirhaGitabie by men of our blood.
The climate forbids tho growth of cereals, and Of
most fIuits and vegetables, while stock can with
didiculty be kept alive dIIing the severe winters
But there are vast resources in the fisheries which
! abound with salmon. cod. herr!ngs enacLOn.
halibut, aud several other kinds. and which have
already been developed enough 20 show that their
possibilities are scarcely capable Of exaggerstlon.
In the future when all the nearer forests are eX-
| haustcd Alaskan timber will be precious
possession. Tho presence Of gold and silver IN
! many parts OF the tsrrtory = known, though the
proportion Of paying to Improbable veins remains
| TO be ascertalned. Fisheries forests and mines :;
these are the wealth OF Alaska, ana it is already
| quite certain that The bargain was a sound and
good one, and that the country will be repaid it's
seven and half millions hundred fold. Perhaps
TOO it is for tho best that tho development of the
territory should bc slow. though moro attention
might well have been paid TO its political and
jurdcal needs.
The history of this important ana valuable ac-
qnlsiton has been written by Mr. Bancroft with all
the thoroughness and carr which characterize his
| former volumes. Tho reader is made to feel that
each topic has been examined exhaustively that
every accessible authority has been consulted, that
every piece Of evidence has been duly weighed. and
that the conclusions reached probably as nearly
right and just rs humau judgment can mako them.
No pains or precautions have been spared In obtsin-
ing the amplcst Information. The historian has
dispatched his agents from Ramchatka to 81.
Petersburg from Siska to London. to verify fccts,
and to complete records. The notes contain au
extraordinary mass OF ianOr yet interesting facts.
No details of tho least ST. liGcaIce omitted. No
IL IL. lo.rA &