in placing the fur trade of the Colonies under the control of a single powerful organization.1 This was accomplished in 1799, in which year Chartered in a ukase was issued, creating the "Russian American Company" and containing its first charter.2

1799.

privileges under

This ukase invested it with special and exclu- Its rights and sive privileges for a period of twenty years on first charter. the shores of northwestern America between latitude 55° N. and Bering Strait, on the Aleutian Islands, the Kurile Islands, and the islands of the Northeastern or Bering Sea. To it was reserved the exclusive right to all products of the chase and of commerce in those regions; and it was specially authorized to take possession on behalf of the Imperial Government of newly discovered countries, both to the north and to the south of latitude 55° on the coast of America. It was authorized to establish agencies within and without the empire, and to use a seal and and a flag bearing the Imperial coat of arms. Its chief place of business, which was originally at Irkutsk, was soon transferred to St. Petersburg, where its shareholders, none of whom were allowed to be foreigners, embraced members of the Imperial family and the high nobility.

1 Vivien de Saint-Martin, vol. I, p. 56,

2 Vol. I, p. 14.

While the privileges conferred by this charter were very great, the Company was, on the other

hand, burdened with some heavy obligations. Its obligations. It was compelled at its own expense to carry on the government of the region over which its privileges extended, to maintain courts, the church, and a small military force, and, at a later period, to hold ready at various points on the coast provisions and stores for the use, in cases of emergency, of the naval vessels or troops of the Russian Government.

Its mode of government.

Officers of Imperial navy engaged in its service.

For the purposes of administration the Imperial Government and the directors of the Company jointly appointed a chief manager, who resided at Sitka, and who at an early date was required to be an officer of the navy of high rank. His powers were absolute within the territory over which the Company exercised jurisdiction. Under him were sub-managers, overseers, and other agents. Reports of the Company's transactions were submitted originally to the Minister of the Interior, and later to the Minister of Finance.

Dating from the year 1802 officers of the Imperial navy were constantly in the employ of the Company. As long as it maintained a military and naval force in the Colonies at its own expense, such forces were entirely at the dis

in its service.

posal of the chief manager, who had the privi-Offeers of Impelege of selecting the soldiers and sailors from any force stationed within the boundaries of Siberia. Even the officers of those naval vessels which were not maintained at the expense of the Company, and which were sent out to the Colonies by the Imperial Government, were generally enjoined to obey the orders of the chief manager, and it will be made to appear from papers which will be hereafter cited that such orders were freely given.

Under its charter the Company paid no royalty or rent to the Government, but as its trade consisted chiefly in the exchange of furs for teas on the Chinese frontier, the Government received large sums through the duty collected on such

teas.

In short, the Company administered both government and trade throughout the whole of the territory over which it was given control.1

1 See in reference to all that has been said regarding the rights, obligations, and government of the Russian American Company: Regulations of the United American Company, Tikhmenief, vol. I, app., pp. 1-19; Charter of 1799, Vol. I, p. 14; ukase and charter of 1821, vol. I, pp. 16 and 24; "Additional Facts relating to the Russian American Company," Vol. I, p. 9; Tikhmenief, vol. II, app., pp. 17-63.

Paid no royalty.

Summary.

and second charter

THE UKASE OF 1821.

Ukase of 1821 On the 4th of September, 1821, this famous of the Company ukase was made public, and nine days later, on the 13th of September, 1821, the Emperor renewed with certain additions for another term of twenty years the charter and privileges granted in 1799 to the Russian American Company. Both the ukase and the new charter appear in full in the Appendix.1

Purpose of the ukase.

The objects which were sought to be obtained by the promulgation of the ukase appear from the recital prefixed to it, which is as follows: "Observing from Reports submitted to us that the trade of OUR subjects on the Aleutian Islands and on the North West Coast of America appertaining unto Russia is subjected, because of secret and illicit Traffic, to oppression and impediments; and finding that the principal cause of these difficulties is the want of Rules establishing the Boundaries for Navigation along these Coasts, and the order of Naval Communication as well in these places as on the whole of the Eastern Coast of Siberia and the Kurile Islands, we have deemed it necessary to determine these Communications by specific Regulations which are hereto attached.”

1 Vol. I, pp. 16, 24.

Its title and first two sections are as follows:

"Rules established for the Limits of Navigation and order of Communication along the Coast of Eastern Siberia, the Northwest Coast of America, and the Aleutian, Kurile, and other Islands.

"§ 1. The pursuits of Commerce, whaling, and fishery, and of all other Industry on all Islands, Ports, and Gulfs, including the whole of the Northwest Coast of America, beginning from Bering's Straits to the 51° of Northern Latitude, also from the Aleutian Islands to the Eastern Coast of Siberia, as well as along the Kurile Islands, from Bering's Straits to the South Cape of the Island of Urup, viz, to the 45° 50′ Northern Latitude, is exclusively granted to Russian subjects.

66

"§ 2. It is, therefore, prohibited to all Foreign Vessels, not only to land on the Coasts and Islands belonging to Russia as stated above; but also to approach them within less than a Hundred Italian Miles. The Transgressor's Vessel is subject to confiscation along with the whole Cargo."

Its title and first two sections.

why

limit of 100 miles

The reason why the limit of one hundred miles Reason was chosen appears from a letter written by Mr. chosen.

1 An Italian mile is the equivalent of a geographical mile, of which there are sixty to a degree.