Alaska sale

Alaska Sale - a deal between the governments of the Russian Empire and the United States, as a result of which in 1867 Russia sold its possessions in North America (with a total area of 1,518,800 km²) for $ 7.2 million.

It is widely believed in Russia that Alaska was not actually sold, but leased for 99 years. However, this version is not supported by any reliable facts, since the agreement does not provide for the return of territories and property.

Background

For the Old World, Alaska was discovered by a Russian expedition led by Mikhail Gvozdev and Ivan Fedorov in 1732. As a result, this territory was in the possession of the Russian Empire.

It is worth noting that initially the state did not participate in the development of Alaska. However, later, in 1799, a special committee was created for this purpose - the Russian-American Company (RAC). At the time of the sale, very few people lived on this vast territory.

According to the RAC, about 2,500 Russians and about 60,000 Indians and Eskimos lived here. At the beginning of the 19th century, Alaska brought profits to the treasury through the fur trade, but by the middle of the century the situation had changed.

This was associated with high costs for the protection and maintenance of remote lands. That is, the state spent much more money on protecting and maintaining Alaska, rather than deriving economic profit from it. Governor-General of Eastern Siberia Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky was the first among Russian officials who, in 1853, offered to sell Alaska.

The man explained his position by the fact that the sale of these lands is inevitable for a number of reasons. In addition to the significant costs of maintaining this region, he paid great attention to the growing aggression and interest in Alaska from the UK.

Complementing his speech, Muravyov-Amursky made another compelling argument in favor of selling Alaska. He argued, not without reason, that the rapidly developing line of railways would allow the United States sooner or later to spread throughout St. America, as a result of which Russia could simply lose these possessions.

In addition, during those years, relations between the Russian Empire and Britain became increasingly strained and at times openly hostile. An example of this was the conflict during the Crimean War.

Then the fleet of the United Kingdom made an attempt to land a landing in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Thus, the likelihood of a direct clash with Great Britain in America became real.

Sale negotiations

Officially, the offer to sell Alaska came from the Russian envoy to America, Baron Eduard Stekl, but the initiator of the purchase / sale was Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich, the younger brother of Alexander II.

This issue was raised in 1857, but the consideration of the deal had to be postponed for several reasons, including due to the American Civil War.

At the end of 1866, Alexander II called a meeting attended by high-ranking officials. After a constructive discussion, the meeting participants agreed on the sale of Alaska. They concluded that Alaska could go to the United States for no less than $ 5 million in gold.

After that, a business meeting of American and Russian diplomats took place, at which the terms of purchase and sale were discussed. This led to the fact that on March 18, 1867, President Andrew Johnson agreed to acquire Alaska from Russia for $ 7.2 million.

Signing of the agreement for the sale of Alaska

The agreement for the sale of Alaska was signed on March 30, 1867 in the capital of the United States. An interesting fact is that the agreement was signed in English and French, which were then considered "diplomatic".

In turn, Alexander 2 put his signature on the document on May 3 (15) of the same year. According to the agreement, the Alaska peninsula and a number of islands located within its water area were withdrawn to the Americans. The total area of the land area was approximately 1,519,000 km².

Thus, if we make simple calculations, it turns out that 1 km² cost America only $ 4.73. It is important to note that along with this, the United States inherited all real estate, as well as official and historical documents related to the land sold.

Curiously, at the same time that Alaska was sold, only the 3-story District Courthouse in downtown New York cost the state government more than the US government - all of Alaska.

On Friday 6 (18) October 1867, Alaska officially became part of the United States of America. On the same day, the Gregorian calendar in force in the United States was introduced here.

Economic effect of the transaction

For USA

A number of American experts believe that the purchase of Alaska exceeded its maintenance costs. However, other experts have a diametrically opposite point of view.

In their opinion, the purchase of Alaska played a positive role for the United States. According to some reports, by 1915, only one gold mining in Alaska replenished the treasury by $ 200 million. In addition, its bowels contain many useful resources, including silver, copper and coal, as well as large forests.