Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-06-09
New News Of Yesterday
The Man Who Negotiated
the Purchase of Alaska
BY 'HoIIans.

Probably the most intimate person
al association which was made by
Frederick w. Seward when serving
as Assistant Secretary Of State in the
administration OF President Lincoln
was one which he maintained with
Gustayus V. Fox, who was Assistant
Secretary OF the Navy. The acuuaint-
ance established between the Assist
ant Secretary Of the Navy and the
Assistant Secretary of State was
based IN part upon the admiration
and high respect which each Of the
two men entertained toward the 9TH
or. But there was also congeniality
OF temperament, OF ideas and of
views respecting the conduct of the
civil war.
Long after Mr.. Seward retired from
the State Department he said to me:
THE people did not knew at the
time Of the war, and / suppose they
never will know, how invaluable
we're the services OF Mr.. Fox to the
Secretary Of the Navy, Mr.. Welles.
Why" said Mr. Seward impressively.
1T was due to the recommendation
of Mr.. Fox that Farragut was select
ed as the officer in charge of the
naval expedition which made possible
the capture Of New Orleans. This was
only one of the many very valuable
recommendations which were made
by Mr.. Fox.
ut is a curious fact in connection
with the career of Mr.. Fox that he
was twice the manager OF great wool
en- mill properties in Massachusetts.
once at Lawrence, a few years before
the civil war, and long afterward
when the war was ended and Mr.. Fox
had retired from public service, when
he was appointed manager OF great
mill properties at Lowell. The pecul-
lar feature of this Is found in the
fact that Fox first became the man
ager of great mill after he had
served about twenty years as an Of
icer of the navy, beginning as a mid
shipman. Then, after his remarkable
success in the Navy Department dur
Ing the civil war he again became
manager of another great mill prop
erty.
There Is another fact associated
with Mr.. FoX's career Of which the
public has no knowledge. You Will
Of course, remember that / have Of
ten told you why my father. when
Secretary of State. earnestly advo-
Gated tho purchase from Russia of
what was then known ms Russian
North America, but is now known as
Alaska.
FOX was appointed as official rep
resentative of the Federal govern
ment to carry the expression of sym
pathy and of profound gratitude felt
by the United States that the EN-
perOr of Russia, Alexander III. es-
capped the act of the would-be assas-
sin who tried 10 kill him when the
! Emperor was upon a visit TO Paris
| Fox was privately and informally in
/ structed to undertake when upon this
mission TO perfect negotiations witt
the Emperor which would make Il
possible for the United states TO bu,
Russia North America. He carried
out these instructions with grea
skill and dolicacy and Il was largel.
due TO the service he then performe,
that my father was able TO negotiate
the arrangement with Russia where
by for S7.20O0,00O the sovereignt.
over Russia North America passed
from Russia to the United states.
Copyright 1914, by h. j. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o
"The Man Who Was Thrice Offered I
Cabinet Position