68 CASE OF GREAT BKITAIN. 



g 50th Cong., |Ki Captain Manuel Enos, of the United States barque 

 Doc.\"o.''ao6, pi "Java," stated in 18G7 that he had whaled unmolested in 

 tfiav ^February ^^® bays of Okhotsk Sea for seventeen years previously. 



24, 18G8. See Appendix, vol. ii. Part 11, No. 12. See p. Ui of Case. 



Alaska, p. 592. j^ 1859^ f\^Q cessiou of Alaska to the United States began 

 to be discussed privately. 

 ^^ibid., pp. 578, jj^ 18G0, the Kussiau-Auierican Company applied for a 

 new Charter for twenty years, to date from the 1st Janu- 

 ary, 1862, and Ifeports as to the condition of the Company 

 were called for by the Government. 

 Ibid., p. 580. The Russian x)opulation of the American Colonies at 

 this date, apparently including native wives, numbered 

 784: Creoles, 1,700; native population estimated at over 

 7,000. 

 Alaska, p. G69. 88 lu 1862, the value of the catch of the Is^orth Pacific 



whaling fleet was estimated at 800,000 dollars. 

 tH es^o f ""t h'e ^^ l^^^^' ^hc United States brig " Timandra" was engaged 

 TJnited States, in the cod fishery off Saghalien Island, Okhotsk Sea. In 

 sec. V, vol. 1, p. g^ccegt^iiuo- years a number of vessels resorted to this sea 

 for the cod fishery. 

 Alaska, p. 579. In 1864, Maksutof took temporary charge for the Russian 



Government of the Company's affairs. 

 ^^^^- In 1865, negotiations between the Russian Company and 



the Government continued, but terms such as the Com- 

 pany would accept could not be arrived at. 

 rishery Indus- In the Spring of this year, the "North Pacific cod-fish 

 TJnited *" states! fleet" was Organized. It comprised seven vessels, all of 

 sec. V, vol. i, p. wiiicii are believed to have fished in Okhotsk Sea. 

 Alaska, p. 580. In 1866, the Russian Government still contemplated 

 renewing the Company's Charter on certain terms. A 

 Californian Company entered into treaty for a lease of the 

 "coast strip" of Alaska, then held by the Hudson's Bay 

 Company. 

 trT^^^'J/^the Eighteen vessels were engaged in the Okhotsk Sea cod 

 United "states, fishery. The "Porpoise" initiated the fishery in the Shu- 

 210." ^' ^°^" *' ^" Miagan Group, Alaska, finding there " safe harbours, fuel, 

 water, and other facilities for prosecuting this business." 

 Several British Columbian schooners also fished in Alaskan 

 waters. 



In 1867, Alaska was sold by Russia to the United States 

 for 7,200,000 dollars. 

 Ibid., p. 210. I^ineteen United States vessels fished for cod in Okhotsk 

 Sea or in Alaskan waters, the Shumagan fleet consisting of 

 three vessels. The total catch amounted to nearly 1,000,000 

 fish. 

 "Philadelphia In 1867, bi'fore the cession of Alaska, the whaling interest 

 ?az'ette^"^F'i^i^ of the United States in these seas are thus referred to by a 

 lay, April 12, Philadelphia pai)er: 



867. Ex. Doc. ^ ^ ^ 



dii't'i^r'f'r'^^^^-fq' Our whaling interests are now heaviest in the seas adjacent to Rus- 

 Cong., p. . giau-America, both above and below Behring Strait. 



Aia.ska, p. 669. Tlic value of tlic catcli of the Korth Pacific whaling fleet 



was estimated at 3,200,000 dollars. 

 Ibid., p. 593 In 1868, the lease of the " coast strip " of Alaska to the 



Hudson's Bay Company by the Russian- American Company 



expired. 



