426 THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY 



briefty stated, was (1) a claim by Russia to exclusive jurisdic- 

 tion on tbe high sea extending 100 miles from the coast of Asia 

 above latitude 45° 50' north and from the northwest coast of 

 America above latitude 51° north ; and (2) a prohibition to all 

 foreign vessels to land upon or trade with the natives on any 

 part of the coasts indicated.* This ukase brought forth a prompt 

 and vigorous protest from both the United States and Great 

 Britain, which was soon followed by negotiations between Rus- 

 sia and the two latter governments. It was early made known 

 that Russia was prepared to withdraw its claim to exclusive 

 jurisdiction in the Pacific ocean and would not insist upon its 

 territorial claim to the coast of America below latitude 55°.t As 

 the United States was advancing no serious claim to the terri- 

 tory north of that line, it found little difficulty in reaching an 

 accord, and a treaty between Russia and the United States was 

 signed April 17, 1824, nearly a year before an agreement was 

 reached with Great Britain. 



The chief object had in view by Great Britain in its protest 

 and subsequent negotiations was to secure the withdrawal by 

 Russia of her claim to exclusive jurisdiction in the Pacific 

 ocean. At that period Great Britain was the rising power of the 

 world in maritime commerce, the United States being its next 

 competitor, and it made good use of the latter to aid in bring- 

 ing about this withdrawal. At that clay the vast territory of 

 North America lying between the Rock}^ mountains and the 

 Pacific ocean above latitude 55° was almost a terra incognita, 

 and, with the immense areas to the east of the mountains still 

 unoccupied except b}^ a few trading posts, the country was held 

 in little estimation b}^ Great Britain. A few navigators had 

 skirted the coast and enterprising American traders had held 

 some intercourse with the Indians living immediately on tide- 

 water, but noiie but the Russians had penetrated any distance 

 inland. Only one British trading post was established in this 

 region west of the Rocky mountains, on the line of 55°, and 

 that 120 miles from the ocean, and there was not one above that 

 line.? 



But we are not left to infer from these historical facts what 

 was the ruling motive and object of Great Britain in opening 

 and prosecuting negotiations with Russia, for these are explicitly 

 stated in the instructions given by the Secretary for Foreign 



*Fur Seal Arbitration Papers, 1893, vol. iv, p. $10, for full text of Russian ukase, 

 fib., p. 390. J lb., p. 383. 



