APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 135 
‘Such being the law, we are led to inquire as to on what discoveries, possessions, 
and occupation Russia’s right to dominion in North America is based. 
“HISTORICAL SKETCH —. 1725-1867. 
“In 1725, under the commission of that wondrous combination of ironand energy, 
Peter the Great, an expedition was organized, crossed the continent from St. Peters- 
burgh to Kamchatka, where a vessel was constructed, and in July 1728 sailed for 
explorations to the north and east. That vessel was the ‘Gabriel.’ Her master was 
Vitus Behring, a name destined to historical immortality. On the expedition Beh- 
ring crossed the waters of the Sea of Kamchatka, discovered and named the Island 
St. Lawrence midway between which and the Asiatic mainland our boundary-line 
is laid down by the Treaty, and after passing through the straits which bear his 
name returned to St. Petersburgh. 
“Jn 1733 a second expedition was organized under the auspices of the Government 
and the commission of Queen Anne, and with Behring, raised to the rank of Admiral, 
at its head, repeated the long and dreary journey across Siberia, and in June 1741 
sailed for new discoveries. In July of that year Behring sighted the American con- 
tinent, some authorities claim at the 58th degree of north latitude, others at the 50th 
degree. The latter is probably correct, as it rests on the authority of Stellar, who 
accompanied the expedition, and Behring undoubtedly sailed as far south along the 
American coast as the 45th parallel, in accordance with his instructions. But what 
is more pertinent to this inquiry, he discovered several of the Aleutian Islands and 
the Komanderoff group or couplet. On the larger of this couplet, which bears his 
name, the hardy navigator, after shipwreck, died on the 19th December, 1741. 
116 ‘‘RUSSIAN DISCOVERY, 
“But the spirit of Russian discovery survived him, and from the starting point he 
began traders, hunters, and adventurers made their way from island to island until 
the whole Aleutian chain, and with it the mainland, was discovered. In 1748, 1745, 
1747, and 1749 a Cossack sergeant named Bossof made four consecutive voyages from 
the mainland of Kamchatka to the Behring and Copper Islands in vessels of his own 
construction. In 1745 a sailor named Nevidchinof, who had served under Behring, 
crossed the channel which connects the North Pacific Ocean with the Behring’s 
Sea and discovered the Islands of Attoo and Agatoo, the former of which now marks 
the western limit of our land dominion. In 1744 a small Russian merchant-vessel 
reached the Island of Atka and some of the smaller islands surrounding it. 
“Ten years later Glottoft, in a ship belonging to an Okotsk merchant, advanced 
as far as the Island of Ounak, and subsequently discovered Ounalaska and the whole 
of that group of the Aleutian chain known as the Fox Islands. He made a Map of 
his explorations, which includes eight islands east of Ounalaska. In 1760 a Russian 
merchant, Adreian Tolstyk, landed on the Island of Adak, explored it and some of 
the surrounding islands, and made a report of his discoveries to the Russian Crown. 
This group was named after him, the Adreian Islands. The next year aship belong- 
ing to a Russian merchant named Bechevin made the coast of the Alirska Peninsula, 
and in the autumn of 1762 Glottoff, who discovered Ounalaska and the Fox Group, 
reached the Island of Kodiak. In 1768 two captains of the Imperial Navy, Krenitzen 
and Levashoff, sailed from Kamchatka in two Government vessels, and the former 
passed the succeeding winter at Kodiak, and the latter at Ounalaska. 
“Twenty-five years succeeding the death of Behring the spirit of discovery had 
planted the Russian ensign along the entire Aleutian chain, trom Behring’s Island 
to the mainland of the North American continent. 
‘AFTER THE SEALS. 
“Possession and occupation followed the footsteps of discovery, and settlements 
and trading posts were established at the more favourable points along the line. 
Expeditions, stimulated by the large remunerations of the fur traffic, were con- 
stantly fitted out at the ports along the shores of the Sea of Okotsk and the mouth 
of the Amoor River for voyages of trade and exploration in the new country. Lieu- 
tenant Elliot, in his Report on the seal islands, published with the Tenth Census of 
the United States, estimates that no fewer than twenty-five different Companies, 
with quite a fleet of small vessels, were thus employed as early as 1772. Under the 
auspices of one of these Companies, Shekeloff, a merchant of Rylsk, founded the first 
permanent Settlement on the Island of Kodiak in 1784. From this point exploring 
expeditions were sent out, one of which crossed the strait between Kodiak and the 
mainland which bears Shekeloff’s name, and explored the coast of the mainland as 
far as Cook’s Inlet, upon the shores of which in 1786 a Settlement was established. 
