Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-06-25
BEHRING SEA.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THIS FAMOUS
BODY OF WATER.

It's Discovery by the R"s-ir"s-Tho
Great Assembly Place of the Fur Seals.
The Limits In tho Treaty OF C"-siom
to the United states Plainly stated.
The Sea of KamcLatka was discovered
in the year 1725 by Vitus Behring. Vtus
Behring was Russian subject, sailing
under the Russian fag, From the date
of that discovery until the purchase of
Alaska in 1867 Russia held undisputcd
sway over the sea, whose name had been
changed to Behring, in honor of its dis
coverer.
In 1745 the Alutian Islands were dis
covered. and in 1853, the interests Of the
Russ ans becoming more fully awakened,
the sea, its islands and coast were ex-
plored by order of Queen Catharine Of
Russia.
In 1890 the Pribylov Islands were
found. They were desolate and unin
habited but the Government, finding
them to be the great assembly ground Of
the fur seals, transferred Aleuts from
their native islands. After time they
became contented and settled on the fog
dimmed Pribylovs; afterward nothing
could induce them to forsake their
adopted home.
| Having found otter, seal and other
valuable animals within the limits Of its
territory, Russian protection was ex-
tended and as early as the year 1864 tho
right to trade with the islands was
granted to merchants by Russia, the
government always requiring percent.
age of the gains. From 1926 to 1867, q
period of 142 years, Russian monarchs
held as absolute sway over Behrng Sea
as over any other part Of their domain.
! If individual or company desired to trade
within its boundary the permission came
from the Gar, with rules and stipula-
adhere.
In the treaty of cession, the western
limit of Russian America, or Alaska, is
as positively stated as the eastern limit,
viz. "The western limit within which
the territories and dominions conveyed
! are contained passes through point in
Behring Straits on the parallel of sixty
five degrees thirty minutes NJ, at its in.
tersection by the meridian which passes
midway between the Islands of Krusen-
stern or Ingalook, and the Island of Rat
manoff, or Noonerboak, and proceeds
due north without limitation into the
same frozen ocean.
1.-The same western limit, beginning at
the same initial point, proceeds thence
! in a course nearly southwest, through
Bohring Strait and Behring Sea so as to
p1ss midway between the northwest
point of the Island of st. Lawrence and
the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, +,
to the meridian of 172 W.. thence from
the intersection of that meridian
in southeasterly direction 80 as
to pass midway between the Island
of Attou and the Copper Island of the
Kormandorsky couplet or group in
the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian
of 1893 degs. W., so as to include in the
territory conveyed the whole of the
AIeutian Islands east of the meridian.
Thus it will be seen that Behring Sea
is recognized as part of the territory
divided between Russia AMI the United
States. No other country has claimed
Islands or other possessions within its
limits, and its tol lography makes it i'm
possible that it should be claimed AS an
open highway. Behring Strait is pas
sage between Siberia and Alaska and be-
vond that is the Arctic Oceai and unex-
plored regions. 1t is therefore practi-
rally an inland sea subject to the domin-
ion of the nations bordering upon its
waters. And here the question strikes
one rather forcibly if the United States
side of the sea is free foraging ground,
why is not the Russian po. ton equally
free?
If the sea was Russia's to give, then the
portion sold is as truly the property of
the purchaser as it was her own previous
to the negotiations. If the Alaska side
was not legally hers, neither is the re-
mainder, and therefore poachers have the
same right in all parts; they are no
longer poachers, and are amenable to no
l,w for taking public property. But
Russia is ready to protect her rights, and
10 nation has the temerity to dispute
them. The United States has been so
sure of a just appreciation of her claims
that she has made no provision for their
Observation-Disclosures Star.