CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 19 



111 1799, the "Caroline," Captain Cleveland, Irom Boston, 

 arrived from Sitka shortly after a Eussian post had been 

 established there. 



Several other American vessels, among them the brig Alaska, p. 389. 

 "Eliza," nnder Captain Rowan, visited Sitka dnring 



21 the snmmer and "absorbed the trade while the 

 Knssians were preparing to occupy the field in the 



future." 



The names of seven vessels trading on the 7iorth-west(.„^^°''^^j"^®^* 

 coast are recorded in this year. 307." 



Nothing approaching to a complete record of the names 

 or nationalities of vessels trading npon this part of the 

 coast in the years about the close of the last century can 

 now be obtained, and, in the absence of any published 

 record of explorations, even incidental allusions to the 

 presence of such traders become rare in the years after the 

 date of Vancouver's departure. That such trade was, how- 

 ever, continuously practised is evident from the general 

 complaints made by the L'ussians as to its effect on their 

 operations. 



The following quotations from Bancroft's " History of 

 Alaska" allude to complaints referring particularly to these 

 years. 



Writing of the eutei'in-ises of Baranoff, Cxovernor of Sitka, 

 Bancroft says: 



At every point eastward of Kadiak where be had endeavoured to Alaska, j). 384. 

 open trade, he found himself forestalled l>y English and American 

 ships, which had raised the jyrices of skins almost beyond his limited 

 means. 



Again, referring specially to the nascent Establishment 

 at Sitka, Baranott" himself writes : 



I thought tliere would be no danger with ]iroper protection from the 1''"'- P- -''J^- 

 larger vessels, lliongh the natives there possess large (quantities of 

 tire-arms and all kinds of ammunition, receiving new supplies 

 annually from the English and from the Republicans of Boston and 

 America, whose object is not ])ermaneut settlement on these shores, 

 but who have been in the habit of making trading trips to these 

 regiouB. 



On another page Bancroft writes : 



Baranoff's complaints of foreign encroachment appear to have been iWd., p. 398. 

 well grounded. Within a few leagues of !>itka the ca^itains of tliree 

 Boston ships secured 2,000 skins, though ])aying very high prices, 

 each one trying to outbid the other. 



Further on Baranoff is quoted to the effect that the i''"''- i'- ^99. 

 Americans had been acquainted with the tribes in this 

 region for two or three years, and sent there annually 

 from six to eight vessels. These vessels from the T'nited 

 States were at this time just beginning to supplant the 

 English traders, who had in earlier years been the more 

 numerous, 



22 Once more Bancroft quotes Baranoff as follows : 



The resources of this region are such that millions maybe Alaska, p. 399. 

 made there for our country with proper management in the future, but 

 for over ten years from six to ten English and American vessels have 

 called here every year. It is safe to calculate an average of 2,000 

 skins on eight, or say six vessels, w-hich would make 12,000 a-year, 

 and if we even take 10,000 as a minimum, it would amount in ten 

 years to 100,000 skins, which, at the price at Canton of 45 roubles per 

 skin, would amount to 4,500,000 roubles. 



