60 



and wJiat exclusive rights in the seal fisheries therein, did Bussia assert 

 and exercise prior and up to the time of the cession of Alaska to the 

 United States? 



The relations lield by Russia to Bering Sea and to the fisheries 

 therein, Uirgely involve the interpretation to be given to what are called 

 the Ukases of 1799 and 1821, to the treaty of 1821 between Enssia 

 and the United States, and the treaty of 1825 between Eussia and 

 Great Britain. Those treaties were the result of negotiations that 

 followed the vigorous protests made by the United States and Great 

 Britain against the Ukase of 1821. I will later on consider their effect 

 upon any claims of jurisdiction and authority asserted by Russia. 



The Ukase of 1799, as it is commonly called, was little more than a 

 charter granted to the Russian American Company. The material 

 portions of it are in these words: 



"By the grace of a merciful God, we, Paul the First, Emporor and 

 Autocrat of all the Russias, etc. To tlie Russian American Company 

 under our highest protection. The benefits and advantages resulting 

 to our emi)ire from the hunting and trading carried on by our loyal 

 subjects in the nortlieastern seas and along the coasts of America have 

 attracted our imperial attention and consideration; therefore, having 

 taken under our immediate protection a comjiany organized for the 

 above-named iiurpose of carrying on hunting and trading, we allow it 

 to assume the appellation of "Russian American Company, operating 

 under our Highest Protection;" and for the purpose of aiding the com- 

 pany in its enterprises, we allow the commanders of our land and sea 

 forces to employ said forces in the company's aid, if occasion requires it, 

 while for further relief and assistance of said company, and having 

 examined their rules and regulations, we hereby declare it to be our 

 highest Imperial will to grant to this company for a period of twenty 

 years the following rights and privileges: 



"I. By the right of discovery in past times by Russian navigators of 

 the northeastern part of America, beginning from the fifty-fifth degree 

 of north latitude and of the chain of islands extending from Kamchatka 

 to the north to America, and southward to Japan, and by right of pos- 

 session of the same by Russia, we most graciously permit the company 

 to have the use of all hunting grounds and establishments now exist- 

 ing on the northeastern coast of America, from the above-mentioned 

 fifty-fifth degree to Bering Strait, and also on the Aleutian, Kuiiie, 

 and other islands situated iu the Northeastern Ocean. 



