PACIFIC COD FISHERIES. 27 
fishermen to obtain the bounties now paid to the fishermen in the Atlantic 
States. Your memorialists finally pray your Excellency to employ such ships as 
may be spared from the Pacific naval fleet in surveying the fishing banks known 
to navigators to exist from the Cortez Bank to Bering Strait.” 
This memorial, written by a fisherman in behalf of the fishing industry on 
the northeast [west] coast, passed both branches of our Territorial legislature 
with commendable unanimity and dispatch. In forwarding a copy of the above- 
named memorial to the Secretary of State we imparted such information touch- 
ing the fisheries around the Russian possessions, and the impulse which the 
opening of those resources to our fishermen would impart to the commercial 
development on the northwest coast. In acknowledging our humble services 
the illustrious Secretary assured us that “in consummating the recent pur- 
chase, I was strongly fortified by the letters which you wrote to me touching 
the valuable fisheries in those waters.” The New York Times of April 1, 1867 
(the acknowledged organ of Secretary Seward), said ‘‘ that a memorial from 
the Territorial legislature of Washington Territory, dated January, 1866, 
asking the President to obtain certain rights for the fishermen, was the founda- 
tion of the present treaty.” 
On the 18th of October, 1867, the transfer of this vast territory from Russia 
to the United States was officially consummated by the respective commis- 
sioners of the two Governments at Sitka, in the presence of the Russian popu- 
lation, who cheerfully welcomed the few Americans there also present. The 
union has been very cheerfully accepted by the people of the Territory. Our 
Government, on assuming possession, found numerous adventurers from the 
Pacific States domiciled in various parts of the Territory engaged in trade 
and in developing the resources in those regions; vessels laden with ware 
entered every harbor; stores were opened as by magic in every acceptable 
roadstead along the southern and western coasts; an active competition for 
furs, oil, ivory, old copper, iron, and junk was earnestly inaugurated; com- 
merce revived, the sails of our vessels whitened every creek, bay, and sound, 
and the staid Russians very soon obtained an insight into Yankee progress on 
the go-ahead principle. 
The acquisition of Alaska by the United States in 1867 proved an 
especial boon to our cod fishermen, as it secured them from any in- 
terference on the part of the Russians, who had not welcomed them 
very heartily in previous years. This is well shown by the fact that 
while the fleet in 1867 numbered 8 vessels, the fleet of 1868 comprised 
14 vessels. 
The first vessel to attempt to make two trips in one season was the 
schooner Porpoise, Capt. Caton, in 1868, but she got only half a fare 
on the second. 
The first Alaska vessel in the fishery was one owned by Capt. 
Haley, of Wrangell, who in 1879 visited the Hoocheno Bank, in 
Chatham Strait, scutheast Alaska, and purchased his fare from 
natives who claimed -the exclusive right to engage in the fishery. 
These fishermen used bark lines, with wooden iron-pointed hooks, 
and, as they considered a catch of 30 or 40 fish a good day’s work, 
Capt. Haley had to wait quite a while before he could accumulate a 
cargo. In later years several vessels engaged in the business along 
the same lines as Capt. Haley. 
A 
