The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-03
RoMANoFF AND UNCLE SAM.
Review of the Relations Between
Russia and the United States.

NuSS4d anu Lne united states.
The much-talked-of cordiality between
the governments of Russia and the Uni
ted States becomes a matter of interest
at the present juncture, when there is
change of rulers in the foreign country;
hence it is worth while to review the
marks of friendship that have passed be-
tween that country and this.
Probably the first marked courtesy was
offered to the United States by the En-
peror Nicholas through Hon. C. NJ. Dali
las. Mr.. Dallas was accredited to that
empire as minister extraordinary and
plentpotentiary in 1887 On his arrival at
Liverpool en- route to his post he was
informed by the American minister to the
court of st. James that a Russian man
o'-war would meet him at Cronstadt and
convey him to st. Petersburg. The compli-
ment was so unusual that it excited the
rather jealous curiosity of the English
| government, so that a resolution of in
curry as to its cause was moved by Sir
Robert Peel.
Viscount Melbourne in due time received
an answer from the imperial foreign Office
at st. Petersburg, which was prepared by
Prince GortChakof. 1t was to the effect
that the Russian minister of state had
been pleased to thus show his friendly SEN
| ttments towards the American nation.
In 1862, when the Mason and Slidell in
cident occurred, and Great Britain began
| sending troops to Canada, and doubled the
garrison at Halifax, the Russian govern
ment sent its North American fleet, under
| Vice Admiral Tegethoff to winter in New
| York harbor Meantime the emperor had
| informed the Hon. Cassius NJ. Clay, whom
| President Lincoln had accredited as
| American envoy to st. Petersburg, that
should Great Britain presume upon hos
| tile measures or endeavor- to raise the
| blockade of the southern ports, the active
intervention of Russia might be Ieckoned
| upon. The Lancashire cotton spinners
were very DESTROYS that the blockade
| should be raised in order to bring out cot
| ton for their closed mills. There is.no doubt
| that Russia's prompt action prevented
| the recognition of the southern confedera-
| cy by certain European powers.
| When the Boring sea arbitration was
first talked of NJ. De Struve called upon
| the Secretary of State, Mr.. Blaine, and
! told him he had been instructed by his i'm
! perial master to say that when Russia
| transferred Alaska to the United States
| all her rights in that territory went with
/ the transfer; that any question of arbi-
| trating upon what Russia had always re-
| garded as a fixed right was a diplomatic
| impertinence on the part of the power
! doing so; that the transaction concerned
| the United States and Russia
| alone, and that should any
! feature of the transaction relating
to the sale of Alaska be in question, Rus
| STA stood ready to make her guaranty
| good in any manner that circumstances
might render necessary. Secretary Blaine
! was somewhat startled at this unInistak-
| able message, and communicated it con-
/ fdentially to the foreign relations COM
| mittee of the Senate. 1t was reported
| that the message was reiterated when the
| arbitration commission met in Paris.
| Russia held that having made her title
| it was an indirect questioning of her in
| tegrity to submit the matter to the arbi-
! tration of a power not interested in or
| concerned with the transaction. In 1877.
when it seemed as though the continent
must become involved in the Russo-Turk-
ish war, three Russian men-of-war were
! permitted to equip and transfer arma>
ments in the harbor of PASSPORT, Me The
British minister, Sir Edward Thornton,
! was directed to inquire into the matter
He was informed by the Hon. William
| NJ. Evarts, Secretary of State that the
| privilege was one the United States had
| the option of granting, and that it was
| conceded to Russia in view of the long
| and firm friendship between the two ma
! tons, which was so thoroughly tested
| during the late civil war This closed
| the incident, but the lesson was not lost
| upon the European powers.