37 



miles -vrestwardly and sontliwestcrly from the peninsnla of Alaska 

 into the Pacific Ocean. They were discovered in 1780 and 1787 by 

 Gerassim Pribilof, a Eussian navigator, while he was endeavoring to 

 ascertain upon what shores the herd of fur seals habitually landed, 

 which had been observed to pass once a year northwardly, and once a 

 year southwardly, through the channels between the Aleutian Islands. 



Those islands, after their discovery, remained continuously in the 

 possession of Eussia until 18G7. In that year the Emperor, by treaty, 

 ceded to the United States "all the territory and dominion" then pos- 

 sessed by him " on the continent of America and in the adjacent islands," 

 and contained within certain defined geographical limits. The eastern 

 limit of the territory and dominion so conveyed was declared to be 

 the line of demarcation between the Eussian and British possessions 

 in ]^orth America, as established by articles III and IV of the treaty, 

 which will be hereafter referred to, between Eussia and Great Britain 

 of February (28) IG, 1825. . 



The western limit is thus defined by the treaty of 1807: 



"The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed 

 are contained passes tlirough a point in Bering's Straits on the parallel 

 of 05^' 30' north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which 

 passes midway between the Islands of Kruzenstern or Igualook, 

 and the Island of Eatmanofif or Xoonarbook, and proceeds due north, 

 without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western 

 limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course 

 nearly southwest, through Bering's Straits and Bering's Sea so as to 

 ])ass midway between the northwest point of the Island of St. Law- 

 rence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of 

 172, west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in 

 a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the Island of 

 Attn and Copper Island of the Komandorski couplet, a group in the 

 North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of 193° west longitude, so as to 

 include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east 

 of that meridian." 



That treaty further provided : " The cession of territory and dominion 

 herein made is hereby declared to be free and unencumbered by any 

 reservations, privileges, franchises, grants, or possessions by any 

 associated companies, whether corporate or incorporate, Eussian or any 

 other, or by any parties, except merely private individual property 

 holders; and the session hereby made conveys all the rights, franchises, 



