71 



puKsliecl their discovery as far north as the forty-ninth degree of north 

 hititude.'' The hfty-tirst degree, therefore, he said, was no more than a 

 mean point between the Russian establisliment of ISTew Archangel, situ- 

 ated under the fifty seventh degree, and the American colony at the 

 mouth of the Columbia, which is found under the forty-sixth degree of 

 the same latitude. 



To what extent the Ukase was intended to interfere with the free 

 use of the waters outside of ordinary territorial limits, will appear in 

 the following extracts from the above letter of M. Poletica : 



"I shall be more succinct, sir, in the exposition of the motives which 

 determined the Imperial Government to prohibit foreign vessels from 

 approacliing the northwest coast of America, belonging to Russia, 

 within the distance of at least 100 Italian miles. This measure, how- 

 ever severe it nuiy at lirst view appear, is, after all, but a measure of 

 prevention. It is exclusively directed against the culpable enterprises 

 of foreign adventurers, wlio, not coutent with exercising upon the 

 coasts above mentioned an illicit trade very prejudicial to the rights 

 reserved entirely to the Russian- American Company, take upon them 

 besides to furnish arms and amnuinition to the natives in the Rnssiau 

 provinces in America, exciting them likewise, in every manner, to 

 resistance and revolt against the authorities there established. The 

 American Government doubtless recollects that the irregular conduct 

 of these adventurers, the majority of whom was composed of American 

 citizens, has been the object of the most pressing remonstrances on the 

 part of Russia to the Federal Government from the time that diplomatic 

 missions were organized between the two countries. These remon- 

 strances, repeated at different times, remain constantly without effect, 

 and the inconveniences to which they ought to bring a remedy con- 

 tinue to increase. * * * Pacific means not having brought any 

 alleviation to the just grievances of the Russian- American Company 

 against foreign navigators in the waters which environ the establish- 

 ments on the northw^est coast of America, the Imperial Government 

 saw itself under the necessity of having recourse to the means of 

 coercion, and of measuring the rigor according to the inveterate char- 

 acter of the evil to wliich it wished to put a stop. Yet, it is easy to 

 discover, upon examining closely the last regu]ati(m of the Russian- 

 American Company, that no spirit of hostility had anythiiig to do with 

 its formation. The most minute precautions have been taken in it to 

 prevent abuses of authority on the part of commanders of Russian 



