APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 281 



THE TREATY. 



The treaty begins with the declaration that '^the United States of 

 America and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Kussias, being desir- 

 ous of strengthening, if i)ossible, the good understanding which exists 

 between them," have appointed Plenipotentiaries, who have proceeded 

 to sign Articles, Avherein it is stipulated on behalf of Russia that "His 

 Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias agrees to cede to the United 

 States by this Convention, immediately upon the exchange of the rati- 

 fications thereof, all the territory and dominion now possessed by His 

 said Majesty on the Continent of America and in the adjacent islands, 

 the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set 

 forth;" and it is stipulated on behalf of the United States that, "in con- 

 sideration of the cession aforesaid, the United States agree to pay at the 

 Treasury in Washington, within ten months after the ratification of 

 this Convention, to the Diplomatic Representative or other Agent of 

 His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias duly authorized to receive 

 the same, 7,200,000 dollars in gold." The ratitications are to be 

 exchanged within three months from the date of the Treaty, or sooner, 

 if i^ossible. 



Beyond the consideration founded on the desire of " strengthening 

 the good understanding" between the two countries, there is the 

 X)ecuniary consideration already mentioned, which underwent a 

 51 change in the progress of the negotiation. The sum of 7,000,000 

 dollars was originally agreed upon; but when it was understood 

 that there was a Fur Company and also an Ice Company enjoying 

 monoi^olies under the existing Government, it was thought best that 

 these should be extinguished, in consideration of which our (irovern- 

 ment added 200,000 dollars to the i)urchase-money, and the Russian 

 Government in formal terms de(dared "the cession of territory and 

 dominion to be free and unincumbered by any reservations, privileges, 

 franchises, grants, or possessions, by any associated Companies, Avhether 

 cori)orate or incori)orate, or by any parties, except merely private indi- 

 vidual property-holders." Thus the United States receive this cession 

 free of all incumbrances, so far nt least as Russia is in a condition to 

 make it. The Treaty proceeds to say that "the cession hereby made 

 conveys all the rights, franchises, and privileges now belonging to 

 Russia in the said territory or dominion and appurtenances thereto." 

 In other words, Russia conveys all that she has to convey. 



QUESTIONS ARISING UNDER THE TREATY. 



There are questions not unworthy of attention, which arise under the 

 Treaty between Russia and Great Britain, fixing the eastern limits of 

 these possessions, and conceding certain privileges to the latter Power. 

 By this Treaty, signed at St. Petersburgh on the 28th February, 1825, 

 after fixing the boundaries between the Russian and British i)0sses- 

 sions, it is provided that "for the space of ten years the vessels of the 

 two Powers, or those belonging to their respective subjects, shall 

 mutually be at liberty to frequent, without any hindrance whatever, all 

 the inland seas, gulfs, havens, and creeks on the coast for the purpose 

 of fishing and of trading with the natives;" and also that "for the 

 space of ten years the port of Sitka or Novo-Archangelsk shall be open 

 to the commerce and vessels of British subjects." (Hertslet's " Commer- 

 cial Treaties," vol. ii, p. 305.) 



