8 



The man who finally established the Russian Empire on the North 

 American continent was the iron-willed Baranov, and the extension of 

 the Muscovite's dominions was due to the value of the fur trade, sea 

 otters and seals. 



In 1797, the various trading companies of Eastern Siberia and the 

 American colonies were consolidated with the Russian-American 

 Company, which, in 1799, obtained a charter from the Imperial Govern- 

 ment, granting it exclusive rights in the new Russian possessions. This 

 charter marks an epoch in the history of Alaska, which from that time 

 until the transfer of the country to the United States became identical 

 with that of the Russian American Company. 



In 181 1, the Russians established themselves on the coast of 

 California, the object being to prosecute agriculture and thereby make 

 California the source of supply for provisions, but in this respect the 

 enterprise proved a failure ; for the Siberians and Aleuts, who were 

 placed there, were but very indifferent farmers. Between the Stikine 

 and Bodega Bay in California the Russians never had an establishment. 



In 1774-75 the Spanish navigators, Perez and Quadra, made some 

 explorations on the west coast, and later Captains Meares, Portlockand 

 Dixon. 



We will now turn our attention to the physical features of the 

 country. The word Alaska, or Aliaska, was first applied to the narrow 

 peninsula of the north-western most part of the North American continent, 

 and extending into the Pacific to where the chain of the Aleutian 

 islands begins. Now, the word Alaska is used to designate the vast 

 territory lying between the Arctic and the Pacific and west of the 141st 

 meridian, together with a narrow strip along the coast extending south- 

 ward to Portland Canal, and including the adjacent and Aleutian 

 islands. The coast of Alaska, washed by the Pacific, sweeps northward 

 and westward from Dixon Entrance in a mighty curve, measuring over 

 1,200 miles, to the western extremity of the Alaskan peninsula : and from 

 here again the Aleutian chain of islands stretches, far towards the coast 

 of Asia, in another long curve of nearly 1,000 miles. The most southerly 

 part of the latter curve is in latitude 51 30', that is, about the latitude 

 of London, England. The most northerly part of Alaska is at Point 



