THE UKASE OF 1821. 41 



lialf of Bering Sea was covered by the ukase to 

 enable Russia to protect the herd while there. 



lu so far as it affected that sea and its shores, ukase decinra- 



Uny of existing 



Russia regarded the ukase as merely declaratory ligiits. 

 of existing rights. The board of administration 

 of the Russian American Company, writing from 

 St. Petersburg to the chief manager of the 

 Russian Ainerican Colonies at Sitka on Septem- 

 ber 20, 1821, says: "With this precious act in 

 your hand you will be enabled to assume a new 

 position and to stand firmly opposed to all 

 attempts on the part of foreigners to infringe 

 upon our rights and privileges. In accordance 

 with the will of His Imperial Majesty we will not 

 be left to protect unaided the land and waters 

 embraced in our exclusive privileges. A squad- 

 ron of naval vessels is under orders to prepare for 

 a cruise to the coasts of northeastern Asia and 

 northwestern America. . . . We can now 

 stand upon our rights, and drive from our waters 

 and ports the intruders who threaten to neutralize 

 the benefits and gifts most graciously bestowed 

 upon our Company by His Imperial Majesty."^ 



' Vol. I, p. 59. This and other documents hereinafter cited, re- 

 lating to the affairs of the Knssian American Company, belong 

 to the official records or archives of the territory which was ceded 

 to the United States l>y Russia by the treaty of 1867. They came 

 into the iiossession of the United States by virtue of the second 

 article of that treaty and are now in the archives of the Depart- 

 ment of State at Washington. Fac-similes of all the original 

 documents referred to herein will be found at the end of Vol. I. 



271G 6 



