14 CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



that of the North Sea, while its extreme width is 1,260 

 miles. From north to south it extends over about 14° of 

 latitude, or more than 800 miles. 



From the south it is approached by numerous open sea- 

 ways, one of which is 175 miles wide, another 95 miles, five 

 more from 55 to 22 miles, and very many of smaller width. 

 On the north, it communicates with the Arctic Ocean by 

 Behring Strait, 48 miles in width. 



Behring- Sea is the common highway to the Arctic Ocean 



with its valuable fisheries. It is Great Britain's highway 



to her possessions in the north via the Yukon River (of 



il^tm^'^M^^^s which the free navigation is guaranteed by Treaty), as well 



i87i,""'Arffcieas tlic routc for such communication as maybe held or 



■^■^^■'■' attempted with the northern parts of the coasts of ISTortli 



America to the east of Alaska, and with the estuary of the 



great Mackenzie River. 



HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 



In 1728 and 1729, Behring, in his first expedition, out- 

 tofy^oT^Aia^'a^^"®*^' somcwhat vagucly, the Asiatic coast of Behring Sea, 

 p. 37.* " " and practically proved the separation of the Asiatic and 

 American continents. 

 ibid.,pp.63-74. In 1741, Bchriug's second expedition, which sailed from 

 Okhotsk, resulted in the discovery of the Ameri(;an coast. 

 Unsatisfactory as the voyages of Behring and his asso- 

 ciate Chi rikof undoubtedly were from a geographical point 

 of view, it was upon their results that Russia chiefly 

 15 based her subsequent pretensions to the ownership 

 of the north-western part of North America. 

 Hunters and traders followed Behring's lead, and Beh- 

 ring Island, and various islands of the Aleutian chain, were 

 visited from the Kamtchatkan coast. 

 Alaska, p. 141. j^ 1763, (xlottof, ou a trading voyagc, vcutured as far 



east as Kadiak Island. 

 Ibid., pp. i,'i7, In 1764 to 1768, Synd, a Lieutenant of the Russian navy, 

 nuide an expedition along the coast to Behring Strait. 



Of the period from 1769 to 1779, Bancroft Avrites in his 

 History of Alaska: 



Ibid., p. 174. From this time to the visit of Captain Cook, siugle traders and 

 small Companies continued the traffic with the islands in nnich the 

 same nninner as before, though a general tendency to consolidation 

 Avas perceptible. 



Ibid., pp. 194- The extension of Russian influence did not pass unno- 

 ticed by Spain, and in 1774 Perez was dis])atched fron) 

 Mexico ou a. voyage of exploration, in which he reached 

 the southern part of Alaska. 



Ibid., p. 197. In 1775^ Ileceta, also instructed by the Viceroy of Mex- 

 ico, explored the coast of America as far north as the 57th 

 or 58th degree of latitude, taking i)ossessiou of that part 

 of the continent in the name of Spain. 



158. 



197. 



* This Avork will be referred to throughout these pages by the short 

 title of "Alaska." 



For the period discussed in this Cha])ter reference may be made 

 generally to "Lyman's Diplomacy of the United States/' 2nd edition, 

 Boston, 1828, vol. ii, chaijtcr II. 



