CHARTER OF 1844. 29 



Sec. 2. The limits of the navigation and trade of the Company on the 

 sliore of tlie continent and on the ishinds of Northwestern Ameiica, are 

 within the following line of demarcation between Rnssia, England, and 

 America: Commencing with tlie southernmost point of the Island of 

 Prince of Wales, which point is sitnated at 54° 40' north latitude and 

 between 131° and 133° west h)ngitu(le (reckoning from the meridian of 

 Greenwich), the above line runs northward along- the straits named 

 Portland Channel to that point of the mainland where it touches the 50th 

 degree of north latitude. Hence the line of demarcation follows the 

 crest of the mountains which stretch in a direction ]Kirallel with the 

 coast to the crossing at the 141st degree of west longitude (fi-om the 

 same meridian), and finally, from this point of intersection, the same 

 meridian of the 141st degree constitutes in its extension to the Arctic 

 Sea the boundary of the liussian Possessions on the continent of North- 

 western America. 



Sec. 3. In all places annexed to Russia by the above-mentioned de- 

 limitation there is granted to the Company the right to carry on the fur 

 and fishing industries to the exclusion of all Russian subjects. 



Sec. 4. The Company is permitted to hold and use all things hereto- 

 fore found and hereafter to be found in those ])laces, as well on the 

 surface as in the bowels of the earth, without regard for any claim 

 thereto on the part of others. 



Sec. 5. The Company is allowed in future according to necessity and 

 its best judgment within the linuts designated in Sec. 2, wherever it 

 may be found necessary to establish new settlements and fortifications 

 for safe habitation; and those formerly established maybe extended 

 and imj^roved, the Com]^aiiy being allowed to send to those regious 

 vessels carrying merchandise and laborers without any let or hindrance. 



Sec. 0. The Company is authorized to send its vessels to all neigh- 

 boring- nations and to trade with them with the consent of their respec- 

 tive Governments. The Company is also authorized, if it so desires, to 

 send its vessels for commercial intercourse to the Chinese i)orts of Can- 

 ton, Ainoy, Fouchowfou, Nynpofou, and Shanghai, on condition, how- 

 ever, that these vessels, in view of Section 2393 of the Customs Laws 

 (Code of Laws, Volume 0, edition 1842), will in no case carry opium to 

 China for sale. 



Sec, 7. All Government institutions 'shall recognize the board of 

 administration of the Russian Ainericau Company as an institution 

 established for the management of the Company's aftairs, a.nd any de- 

 mands of Government institutions relating to matters within the juris- 

 diction of the Company shall l)e addressed, not to any person or member 

 of the Company, but to the said board. 



Sec. 8. With a view of afibrding to the Company the greatest possi- 

 ble assistance in carrying out the aims of the Govenuneut which in- 

 trusted to the Company so vast an extent of territory with a consider- 

 able population, the employes of the Comjyany, of the ranks specified 

 in the table hereto annexed, are most graciously granted the folloAving 

 privileges: 



1. Those of the employes who belong- to the States having- the right 

 of entering into Goverment service while employed exclusively in the 

 service of the Comj^any, are considered as being actually in the Gov- 

 ernment service, and enjoy the right of being- promoted to ranks and 

 wearing the uniform of the Ministry of Finance. The order of pro- 

 motion for them is the general civil order according to the rank and 

 right of each of the employes. The promotion in rank is made on the 

 recommendation of the board of administration to the Minister of 



