Privy Counsellor Edouard 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. (Cession of territory-Boundaries.)—“ 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 possessed 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 demarcation 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 north latitude, and between the 131st and 133d 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 point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this lastmentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian ;) and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Ocean. "IV. With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood "1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia,' (now, by this cession to the United States.) "2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned, (that is say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention,) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom." "The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Behring's Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behring's Straits and Behring's Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in the southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Atton and the Copper Island of the Kormondorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian." ARTICLE II. (Rights included in the cession of territory and dominion.)" In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding article are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks, and other edifices which are not private individual property. It is, however, understood and agreed, that the churches which have been built in the ceded territory by the Russian Government, shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church resident in the territory as may choose to worship therein. Any Government, archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid, which may now be existing there, will be left in the possession of the agent of the United States; but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required will be, at all times, given by the United States to the Russian Government, or to such Russian officers or subjects as they may apply for." ARTICLE III.—(Rights of inhabitants.)—" The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three years; but, if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory, they, with the exception of uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion. The uncivilized tribes will be subject to such laws and regulations as the United States may from time to time adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country." ARTICLES IV. and V.-Delivery of territory and military posts. ARTICLE VI. (Payment-Territory to be unincumbered.)Amount to be paid, "seven million two hundred thousand dollars in gold." And the territory to be "unincumbered by any reservations, privileges, franchises, grants, or possessions, ete." ARTICLE VII.-Ratifications.1 Signed by WILLIAM II. SEWARD. OTHER EUROPEAN STATES. [The end aimed at in this collection of treaties and conventions is to select those which have a historical interest for the student of American diplomacy as well as those which are or have been representative of the commercial and foreign policy of the United States. For this object, it is not deemed necessary to insert a great number of treaties which are simply repetitions of one another, and this is true more especially of commercial treaties. Of the treaties with European countries 1 Other treaties with Russia are a treaty of commerce and navigation, in 1832, and a treaty of extradition, 1893. See Extradition Treaties. not given above in this group, the following brief statement is, therefore, believed to be sufficient.] AUSTRIA-HUNGARY-.(1) The first treaty with Austria was one of Commerce and Navigation, concluded August 27, 1829, extended by the convention of May 8, 1848, to the subject of the disposal of property by the citizens of one nation in the territory of the other. (2) A treaty of Extradition, July 3, 1856. (See Extradition Treaties.) (3) A consular convention, July 11, 1870. (See Consular Conventions). (4) A convention concerning Naturalization, September 20, 1870. (See Naturalization Treaties). (5) A Convention relative to trade-marks, November 25, 1871. BELGIUM. (1) Treaties of Commerce and Navigation, November 10, 1845; July 17, 1858, and March 8, 1875. (2) A convention relative to import duties and capitalization of the Scheldt Dues. By the 14th article of this convention, "The United States, in view of the proposition of Belgium to regulate, by a common accord, the capitalization of the Scheldt dues consents to contribute to this capitalization under the following conditions: "a. The capital sum shall not exceed thirty-six millions of francs. "b. Belgium shall assume for its part one-third of that amount. "c. The remainder shall be apportioned among the other States, pro rata to their navigation in the Scheldt. "d. The proportion of the United States, to be determined in accordance with this rule, shall not exceed the sum of two millions seven hundred and seventy-nine thousand francs, etc." (3) Treaty for the Extinguishment of the Scheldt dues, July 20, 1863. By this treaty Belgium, and the Netherlands renounce forever the dues established upon navigation, in the Scheldt and its mouths, and the king of the Belgians engages to pay the sum of 17,141,640 florins. The proportion of the United States is regulated by the treaty of May 20, 1863. (4) Naturalization Convention, November 16, 1868. (See Naturalization Treaties.) (5) Consular Convention, December 5, 1868. (See Consular Conventions.) (6) Extradition Treaties, March 19, 1874, and June 13, 1882. (See Extradition Treaties.) (7) Convention concerning trade-marks, 1884. GERMAN EMPIRE.-Convention respecting consuls and trademarks, negotiated by George Bancroft and B. König, December 11, 1871. (See Consular Conventions.) GERMAN STATES.-Treaties with the minor German States concerning the subjects of (1) the Abolition of the Droit d'Aubaine, (2) Consuls, (3) Extradition, and (4) Naturalization, will be found mentioned under the special groups of treaties relating to those subjects. With Hanover, treaties of Commerce and Navigation were concluded, May 20, 1840, and June 10, 1816. With the Hanseatic Republics (Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburg), a treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, December 20, 1827, and an additional article, June 4, 1828. These States now form a part of the German Empire. GREECE.-Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, December 10-22, 1837. NETHERLANDS.-(1) Treaty of Amity and Commerce, negotiated by John Adams, October 8, 1782. This treaty followed closely the Plan of Treaties and is practically the same as the Treaty of Commerce with France, of 1778. It is interesting historically in that it was negotiated and concluded during the period of the war of independence, and from the fact that the Netherlands was the second State with which the United States entered into treaty relations. (2) Convention concerning vessels recaptured. It is agreed by this treaty that vessels of either nation recaptured by privateers of the other shall be restored to the first proprietor, if such vessels have not been twenty-four hours in the hands of the enemy, on the payment of one-third of the value of ship and cargo to the captor as salvage; if more than twenty-four hours in the hands of the enemy, they shall belong entirely to the captor. In case the vessel recapturing is a ship of war, the captured vessel shall be restored to the owner, he paying one-thirtieth part if recaptured within twenty-four hours, and one tenth part, if after twenty-four hours possession by the enemy. (3) Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, January 19, 1839, and August 26, 1852, which are still in force. (4) Consular Treaties, January 22, 1855, and May 23, 1878. (See Consular Conventions.) (5) Extradition of Criminals. (See Extradition Treaties.) PORTUGAL.—(1) Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, August |