R. UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS 

 1. ALASKA 



a. Convention Ceding Alaska, March 30, 1867* 



Concluded March 30, 1867 : Ratification advised hy the Senate April 9, 

 1867 ; Ratified hy the President May 28, 1867 ; Ratifications ex- 

 changed June W, 1867 ; Proclaimed hy the President June W, 1867. 



Articles 



I. Territory ceded ; boundaries. IV. Formal delivery. 



II. Public property ceded. V. Withdrawal of troops. 



III. Citizenship of inhabitants ; un- VI. Payment ; effect of cession, 

 civilized tribes. VII. Ratification. 



The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all 

 the Kiissias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good 

 understanding which exists between them, have, for that purpose, 

 appointed as their Plenipotentiaries : the President of the United 

 States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the 

 Emperor of all the Russias, the Privy Counsellor JEdward de Stoeckl, 

 his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United 

 States, 



And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, 

 which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed 

 the following articles : 



Article I 



His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias agrees to cede to the 

 United States, by this convention, immediately upon the exchange 

 of the ratifications thereof, all the territory and dominion now pos- 

 sessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in the 

 adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical 

 limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern limit is the line of demar- 

 cation between the Russian and the British possessions in North 

 America, as established by the convention between Russia and Great 

 Britain, of February 28-16, 1825, and described in Articles III and 

 IV of said convention, in the following terms: 



"Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called 

 Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 

 40 minutes nortli latitude, and between the 131'' and 133*^ degree of 

 west longitude, (meridian of Greenwich,) the said line shall ascend 

 to the north along the channel called Portland channel, as far as the 



* Citation: 1.5 Stat. 539 ; II Malloy 1521 ; 11 Bevans 1216. 



(921) 



