PURCHASE OF ALASKA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 12 August 1942, Page 3

PURCHASE OF ALASKA

ONE OI GREAT LAND DEALS OF HISTORY “By the authority of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia, I transfer to the United States the Territory of Alaska.” With these words, uttered by Prince MaksutolT, then the Czar’s commissioner in what was called “Russian America,” one of the greatest land deals of modern history was completed. Two hundred Russian and two hundred American soldiers facing each other at Sitka stood to attention, the Russian shore battery and the U.S. gunboat in the harbour fired salutes, the Tsar’s flag was hauled down and “Old Glory” was hoisted, writes J. B. Powell in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” Alaska, one of the world’s richest areas, became Uncle Sam’s property for the paltry sum of 7,200,000 dollars, or a little less than two cents (about one penny at that time) per acre. The transfer was completed with the handing over of the Governor’s insignia by Prince MaksutofT to General Jefferson C. Davis on 18th October, 1807. Thus, within a few months Alaska will celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of its I becoming American. The “Territory” is a world in itself, though unknown to most Americans. It contains nearly 600,000 square miles, or about one-sixth of } all the land under the American flag; |it is almost twice as large as New i South Wales. This mighty land is unique in the variety of its resources, , its climates, its soil and its waters. | It is a country of seas, lakes, and rivj ers, and almost as many islands as • the empire of Japan. It has a vast j continental mainland with mountains J —the highest in North America—and ; valleys, rolling plateaux and great j lowland plains, and navigable rivers j of many thousands of miles.