APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 389 



because they were so strong. Tliey considcrecT tbat settleineiit gav^e a right of gov- 

 ernment, and that everyone was master in Lis own territory; therefore, any infrac- 

 tion of the laws of a conntry would expose them to the penalties prescribed by the 

 laws of that country, for their own Government would not protect them. What do 

 you think of this? Was he right, or not? I must confess that I was wrong when I 

 said, in a letter to Michael Michailovit.ch, that a single man-of-war would be suffi- 

 cient to put an end to this traffic. To tell the truth, 1 did not believe it at the time; 

 but I was afraid that a whole squadron, or at least a couple of frigates, would come 

 down upon us. This prospect frightened me, both as Mauiiger ol' the American Colo- 

 nies and as a Russian. They would have eaten up all our provisions and cost the 

 Emperor a lot of money, without doing much good. I am ready to confess that I 

 was wrong to you, to his Excellency, and before all the world. If England, which 

 is so powerful at sea, and the other Maritime Powers of Europe, find it impossible to 

 prevent these Republicans from committing depredations nnder a neutial flag, 

 63 although the United States refuse to protect them, what hope is there that a 

 single frigate will be able to stop this traffic on our shores, abounding in straits 

 and excellent harbours, and eo well known to these Americans that they may be 

 called the pilots of these coasts t They will always be on good terms with the natives. 



In all probability they will not trade in arms under the guns of the fort or under 

 those of the frigate, but what is to prevent them from trading in other places? And 

 how is it to be proved that they have been engaged in this trade? Where is the 

 Court which is to try them? One witness will say one thing, and another another. 

 An empty cannon has been known to cause a war, but God save our beloved country 

 from this. New Archangel is a block-house (do not be offended at my thus describ- 

 ing it), or, at any rate, it is not at all like European forts. Itis at best a Kolosh fort, 

 but it often contains merchandize worth more than a million roubles, and an expe- 

 dition to take it, or at least to destroy it, would not cost more than one-tenth of 

 that sum. 



yitka is a great expense, is of no advantage, and swallows up the revenues of the 

 other Settlements without being able to protect them. Then consider its distance 

 from the other Settlements, the difficulty of communicating with it on account of the 

 want of ships and the frequent scarcity of good sailors, or in any case, the great 

 expense of communication, the difficulty experienced by the Chief Manager in look- 

 ing after the other offices, and theuecessity for him to makean annual tour of inspec- 

 tion at the most critical time of the year, which is also the time when his presence 

 at Sitka is most necessary, as it is then that the ships arrive, that expeditious are 

 sent out, that work is actively carried on, and that the natives collect round the fort 

 and put their designs into execution ; they are not as yet very dangerous, it is true, 

 but who knows what may yet be in store for us? 



Under these circumstances, I think that prudence is the better part of valour, but 

 this matter must be kept for another despatch. I will only observe, in conclusion, 

 that I have kept my promise not to embellish the subjects of my Reports, but to say 

 openly what I think. 



[Inolosnre 2 in No. 2.] 



Explanatory Note $hown by Baron de Tuyll to Mr. Adams, December 5, 1824, and filed 



January £5, 18185. 



Note explicative h presenter au Gouvernement des Etats-Unis lors de I'^change des 

 ratifications dans le but d'^carter d'autant plussuremeut tout motif de discussions 

 futures, au moyen de laquelle note on reconnoitroit positivement except^es de la 

 liberte de chasse, de p^che, et de commerce, »tipul(^e en faveur des citoyens des 

 Etats-Unis pour dix ans, les lies Aleutietmes, lea cotes de la Siberie, et en g4n6ral lea 

 possessions linsseasur la cote nord-ouest de I' Am^rique jusqu'au 59° SO' de latitude nord. 

 II paralt que ceci n'est qu'une consequence naturelle des stipulations arret^es, car 

 les cotes de la Sih6ri4 sont baign^es par la Mer d'Ochotsk, la Mer de Kamtschatka, et 

 la Mer Glaciale, et non par la Merdu Sud mentionn^e dans I'Article l*"^ de la Conven- 

 tion du 5 (17) Avril. C'est aussi par la Mer du Kamtschatka ou I'Oc^an du Nord que 

 sont baign^es Ua Ilea Aleutiennes. 



L'intention de la Russie n'est point d'entraver la libre navigation de I'Oc^an Pacl- 

 fique. Elle se bornerait ^ faire reconnoitre comme bien eutendu et plac6 k I'abi'i de 

 toute espfece de doute le principe, que depuis le 59^^ 30' aucun vaisseau stranger ne 

 pourrait approcher de ses c6tes et ses lies, ni y faire la chasse ou la pdche qu'^ la 

 distance de 2 lieues marines. Ce qui m'empfechera paa d'accueillir les bAtimens 

 Strangers a varies ou battus par la tempSte. 



