Note 33 — INTRODUCTION.

(33) It is curious to observe, that in 1822 the Americans themselves fought the battle of England with Russia. The extravagant claims of dominion over the Northern Pacific Ocean and the North-West Coast of America, which Russia proclaimed at St. Petersburgh on the 9th October,—“It is not permitted to any but Russian subjects to participate in the whale or other fishery, or any branch of industry whatever, in the islands, ports and gulfs, and in general along the coast of the North-Western America, from Behring’s Strait to 51° north latitude”—were not passed unheeded by the British Ministry of the day, and it was communicated to the Court of St. Petersburgh that England could not submit to such usurpation. The result of these representations were not imparted to the public; but when these pretensions were made known at Washington by the Russian Minister, the American functionaries protested against them with so much vehemence that it was likely to endanger the amicable relations of Russia and the United States—thus fighting the battle of England as it has since proved. In December, 1823, a treaty was entered into at Washington between Russia, the United States and England on this subject, and the Russians retired farther north than 55°.