Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE RUSSIAN PRESENCE
When Alexander Mackenzie reached the Pacifi c in 1793, other Euro-
peans had made it there before him. England's Captain Portlock had
reached Nootka Sound in 1786, eight years after Captain Cook had
moored his ship there, only to fi nd that the Russians had already set-
tled there. In fact, Russians from the coasts of Siberia had created a
vast island empire that included the Aleutians, Sitka Island, and Kodiak
Island. Their ships had been sailing between Siberia and Alaska for
some time to trade with Aboriginal peoples, who sold them beaver
pelts, which were very popular at the time.
Even Spain was familiar with this part of the Northwest. In 1774,
Spanish explorer Juan Pérez sailed north from Monterey, California,
with orders to take possession of the territories of the northern coast
of North America in the name of the Spanish Crown and to report
back on the presence of the Russians in that territory.
At the end of the 18th century, the British and the Spanish in the area
were at the brick of war. The British had entered an area where the
Spanish expected to fi nd only the Russians. In 1789, after Captain
Martínez unwigely seized Captain Colnett's ships, the British threat-
ened the Spanish with reprisals if they did not give them equal access
to trade on the northwest coast. As a result, the Russians, the Spanish
and the British shared the region, with the Spanish later retreating to
the south. Thus, British and Russian fl ags fl ew over the northwestern
coast in 1793.
In 1825, Russia and the United Kingdom signed a treaty: the border
was established at the 141st meridian, up to the north at the 60th
parallel. But in 1867, the United States bought the territory of
Alaska from Russia, requiring the Hudson's Bay Company to leave
the border region. The territorial dispute pitting the United States
against Canada (then a British dominion) and more specifi cally British
Columbia, would be resolved only in 1907.
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