ALASKA AND HAWAII

Alaska discovered, 1728. Southern boundary fixed at 54° 40', 1823-1824. Suggested purchase, 1859. Purchased, 1867.

Area (est.), 577,390 square miles. Cost, $7,200,000 gold. Hawaii. Area, 6,040 square miles. Various movements for annexation, 1850 on. Reciprocity treaty, 1875. Treaty annexation, 1892; withdrawn, 1893. Treaty annexation, 1898. Annexed by joint resolution, 1898.

CHAPTER IX

ALASKA AND HAWAII

In our previous studies we have had to deal with the acquisition of adjacent territory, and in the main with territory in which there were few or no inhabitants, except Indians. The Constitution had expressly given Congress authority to deal with the Indian tribes, hence their existence had not introduced any new ele. ment into the problem of government. In the acquisition of Alaska, the United States, for the first time in its history, annexed nonadjacent territory. With the resolution incorporating Hawaii into the territorial possessions of the Union, a people as well as a land was added. Even here the extreme had not been reached, for a large portion of the controlling element of the population was either American or spoke the English language. Our next study, "Porto Rico and the Philippines," will introduce us to the extreme limit-non-adjacent territory with a dense population of an entirely different

race.

Previous to this annexation we had been acquiring territory in order that it might become the home of American citizens as they moved from frontier to frontier in the westward march of empire. In each case American ideas had been carried by American people into a practi

cally unsettled wilderness. The new problems, therefore, are so different that our past experience affords us little of value to aid in their solution.

The purchase of Alaska was made without much previous discussion. The idea had been suggested even before the Civil war, but very little attention had been given to it. Even at the time of acquisition very little was known of the region. In general it was regarded as worthless, and the price as a payment made to Russia for her friendliness in the Civil war. On the other hand, as the extracts will in part show, the Hawaiian question had been long discussed, and more than one treaty of annexation had been made, only to fail of ratification. Finally even here a joint resolution was required to secure its annexation in 1898, as it was uncertain whether a two-thirds vote could be secured for the treaty in the Senate.

ALASKA.

The following extracts from the treaty of 1867 with Russia, providing for the acquisition of Alaska, give the more essential provisions:

The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good understanding which exists between them, have, for that purpose, appointed as their plenipotentaries, the President of the United States, William H Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Privy Coun selor, Edward 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 possessed by his said Majesty on the said 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), and 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 last-mentioned 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 posses sions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned, (that is to say the limit to the pos sessions 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 65 degrees 30 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 s uthwest, 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 172 degrees west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper Island of the Kormandorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of 193 degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian.

ARTICLE III.

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