In Washington, 150 years ago, an agreement was signed on the sale of Alaska by Russia to America. There have been fierce debates about why this happened and how this event should be treated for many years. During the discussion organized by the Foundation and the Free Historical Society, doctors of historical sciences and Yuri Bulatov tried to answer questions arising in connection with this event. The discussion was moderated by a journalist and historian. publishes excerpts from their speeches.
Alexander Petrov:
150 years ago, Alaska was ceded (that’s what they said then - ceded, not sold) to the United States. During this time, we went through a period of rethinking what happened; different points of view were expressed on both sides of the ocean, sometimes diametrically opposed. Nevertheless, the events of those years continue to excite public consciousness.
Why? There are several points. First of all, a huge territory was sold, which currently occupies key positions in the Asia-Pacific region, largely due to the development of oil and other minerals. But it's important to note that the deal wasn't just about the United States and Russia. It involved such players as England, France, Spain, and various structures of these states.
The procedure for selling Alaska itself took place from December 1866 to March 1867, and the money came later. These funds were used to build railways in the Ryazan direction. Dividends on shares of the Russian-American Company, which controlled these territories, continued to be paid until 1880.
The origins of this organization, created in 1799, were merchants, and from certain regions - the Vologda and Irkutsk provinces. They organized the company at their own peril and risk. As the song goes, “Don't be a fool, America! Catherine, you were wrong." Catherine II, from the point of view of the merchants Shelekhov and Golikov, was indeed wrong. Shelekhov sent a detailed message in which he asked to approve the monopoly privileges of his company for 20 years and to give an interest-free loan of 200 thousand rubles - huge money for that time. The Empress refused, explaining that her attention was now drawn to the “midday actions” - that is, to today's Crimea, and she was not interested in a monopoly.
But the merchants were very persistent, they somehow ousted their competitors. In fact, Paul I simply fixed the status quo, the formation of a monopoly company, and in 1799 granted it rights and privileges. The merchants sought both the adoption of the flag and the transfer of the main administration from Irkutsk to St. Petersburg. That is, at first it was truly a private enterprise. Subsequently, however, representatives of the navy were increasingly appointed to replace the merchants.
The transfer of Alaska began with the famous letter from Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, brother of Emperor Alexander II, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs that this territory must be ceded to the United States. Then he did not accept a single amendment and only strengthened his position.
The deal itself was completed secretly from the Russian-American company. After this, the approval of the Governing Senate and the Sovereign Emperor on the Russian side was a pure formality. It’s amazing but true: Konstantin Nikolaevich’s letter was written exactly ten years before the actual sale of Alaska.
Yuri Bulatov:
Today, the sale of Alaska is receiving a lot of attention. In 1997, when Great Britain transferred Hong Kong to China, the systemic opposition decided to promote itself: since Hong Kong was returned, we also need to return Alaska, which was taken from us. We didn’t sell it, but ceded it, and let the Americans pay interest for the use of the territory.
Both scientists and the general public are interested in this topic. Let us remember the song that is often sung on holidays: “Don’t be a fool, America, give away your land to Alaska, give back your dear one.” There are a lot of emotional and interesting publications. Even in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea to Russia, a live broadcast of an interview with our president took place, in which, in light of what happened, he was asked the question: what is the prospect of Russian America? He responded emotionally, saying, why do we need America? No need to get excited.
But the problem is that we lack documents that would allow us to find out what really happened. Yes, there was a special meeting on December 16, 1866, but the phrase “special meeting” always sounds bad in our history. All of them were illegitimate, and their decisions were illegal.
It is necessary to find out the reason for the mysterious sympathy for America of the Romanov dynasty and the secret of the sale of Alaska - there is a secret here too. The document on the sale of this territory stipulated that the entire archive that existed at that time in Russian America would go undividedly to the United States. Apparently, the Americans had something to hide, and they wanted to hedge their bets.
But the sovereign’s word is a golden word, if you decide that you need to sell, then you need to. It was not for nothing that in 1857 Konstantin Nikolaevich sent a letter to Gorchakov. While on duty, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was supposed to report on the letter to Alexander II, although previously he had avoided this issue in every possible way. The emperor wrote on his brother’s message that “this idea is worth considering.”
The arguments that were presented in the letter, I would say, are still dangerous today. For example, Konstantin Nikolaevich was the chairman, and suddenly he makes a discovery, saying that Alaska is very far from the main centers of the Russian Empire. The question arises: why should it be sold? There is Sakhalin, there is Chukotka, there is Kamchatka, but for some reason the choice falls on Russian America.
Second point: The Russian-American company allegedly does not make a profit. This is incorrect, since there are documents that say that there were incomes (maybe not as much as we would like, but there were). The third point: the treasury is empty. Yes, indeed it was so, but 7.2 million dollars did not make a difference. After all, in those days the Russian budget was 500 million rubles, and 7.2 million dollars was a little more than 10 million rubles. Moreover, Russia had a debt of 1.5 billion rubles.
The fourth statement: if some kind of military conflict arises, we will not be able to retain this territory. Here the Grand Duke is being dishonest. In 1854, the Crimean War was fought not only in Crimea, but also in the Baltic Sea and the Far East. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the fleet under the leadership of the future admiral Zavoiko repelled the attack of the joint Anglo-French squadron. In 1863, by order of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich, two squadrons were sent: one to New York, where they stood in the roadstead, the other to San Francisco. In doing so, we prevented the American Civil War from becoming an international conflict.
The last argument is disarming in its naivety: if we sell it to the Americans, then we will have wonderful relations with them. It was probably better then to sell it to Great Britain, because at that time we did not have a common border with America, and it would have been more profitable to conclude a deal with the British.
Such arguments are not only frivolous, but also criminal. Today, on their basis, any territory could be sold. In the west - the Kaliningrad region, in the east - the Kuril Islands. Far? Far. No profit? No. Is the treasury empty? Empty. There are also questions about retention during a military conflict. The relationship with the buyer will improve, but for how long? The experience of selling Alaska to America has shown that it will not last long.
Alexander Petrov:
There has always been more partnership than conflict between Russia and the United States. It is no coincidence that, for example, historian Norman Saul wrote the work Distant Friends. For a long time after the sale of Alaska, Russia and the United States had practically friendly relations. I wouldn't use the word "rivalry" in relation to Alaska.
As for Konstantin Nikolaevich’s position, I would call it not criminal, but untimely and inexplicable. Criminal is when a person violates certain norms, rules and guidelines that existed in the society of that time. Formally, everything was done correctly. But the way the deal was signed raises questions.
What was the alternative then? Provide opportunities for the Russian-American company to continue operating in the region, allow it to populate this region with people from Siberia and the center of Russia, develop these vast spaces as part of the continuation of the peasant reform, the abolition of serfdom. Whether there would be enough strength for it or not is another matter.
Yuri Bulatov:
I doubt that relations between the two countries were friendly, and this is evidenced by the facts and the speed with which this deal was finalized.
Here is an interesting example: in 1863, Russia signed an agreement with the Americans on the construction of a telegraph through Siberia with access to Russian America. But in February 1867, a month before the deal on the sale of Alaska, the American side canceled this agreement, declaring that they would run a telegraph across the Atlantic. Of course, public opinion reacted extremely negatively to this. For four years the Americans were actually engaged in intelligence activities on our territory, and in February 1867 they suddenly abandoned the project.
Photo: Konrad Wothe / Globallookpress.com
If we take the agreement on the transfer of Alaska, then it is an agreement between the winner and the loser. You read six of his articles, and the wording simply hits your head: America has rights, and Russia must fulfill the specified conditions.
So the top of the Romanov dynasty had mercantile relations with the United States, but not friendly ones. And our society didn’t know what was happening. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Prince Gagarin, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Valuev, and the Minister of War, Milyutin, had no idea at all about the deal and learned about all this from the newspapers. Since they were bypassed, it means they would be against it. Relations between the two countries were not friendly.
The vast territory of Alaska accommodates three Frances. There are gold deposits, tungsten ore, platinum, mercury, molybdenum, coal. Oil reserves have been discovered and are being developed. And this, for a minute, is about 20%...
The vast territory of Alaska accommodates three Frances. There are gold deposits, tungsten ore, platinum, mercury, molybdenum, coal. Oil reserves have been discovered and are being developed. And this, for a minute, is about 20% of the country’s oil.
Many in Russia are sure that Catherine II sold Alaska. This opinion is especially strong after the famous group “Lube” performed a song about Alaska. The youth then decided that the Great Queen had made the wrong move.
A long time ago, the Bering Strait, with a crust of Arctic ice, connected two continents - Asian and American. There was no difficulty in moving from one bank to the other using dog sleds.
The width of the strait between the continents is only 86 kilometers. The Indians, moving to the north, were the first to explore Alaska. But the cold climate squeezed them out of the territory, and the Indians reached the Aleutian islands and settled there.
The Russian Empire was actively advancing eastward beyond the Ural Mountains and into Siberia. Encouraged by the Russian tsars, brave, courageous people headed not to the hot southern countries, but to the North and Far East.
1732 for Russia was the year of the annexation of Alaska. But the discovery of new lands is one thing, the development of new lands is quite another. Russian explorers began settling in Alaska at the end of the eighteenth century.
Immediately this area became a source of enrichment. There were a lot of fur-bearing animals there, and fur was equal to gold. Hunters caught animals, and merchants bought them, taking them to the continent. At the beginning of the exploration of Alaska, the Russians jealously guarded the territory.
But gradually the population of fur-bearing animals fell. The hunt was carried out without any rules and the animals disappeared, finding new habitats for life. Many species were on the verge of extinction. Fur production has decreased greatly.
The Russians had no intention of exploring new lands. It was cold there. The hunters hoped only for the fur trade. This was the primary reason why the territory of Alaska was sold to America. Business circles called the territories unprofitable.
The ruling emperor gradually came to the conclusion that the lands of Alaska would only bring headaches. Industrialists believed that by investing money in an unprofitable region, you could lose everything. The payback is zero.
Russia already has Siberian, Altai and Far Eastern territories. The climatic conditions there are better. This is how the lack of geological surveys in remote areas created the conditions for the loss of the richest territories.
During these years, the Crimean War pumped huge amounts of money out of the Russian treasury. Emperor Nicholas I died and was succeeded by Alexander II. The country's population expected a change in policy, the abolition of serfdom, and freedoms. But, as always, there was no money in Russia.
It was not Catherine who signed the Alaska Treaty. When it came to such a deal, her great-grandson, Alexander II, was on the throne. Those who believe that Alaska was given to tenants for 99 years are also mistaken.
You can often read in literature that the queen did not speak Russian well. And she signed the Alaska document without understanding well enough what it was about. So no. She spoke Russian better than many courtiers.
These events began several decades after the death of Catherine. Russian problems required an immediate solution, but, as always in Russia, there was no money. Alexander II did not immediately rush to sell the Northern Territory.
Another ten years passed before the situation turned out for the worse. Selling land is a shameful fact for any country. Who wants to talk about the weakness of the ruling cabinet, which is incapable of governing the territory? But the treasury was in dire need.
Purchase and sale
Silence and secrecy shrouded the deal. There was no television or internet. The Russian Government sent a representative at large to the US Congress. The proposal took place in 1866.
Although times were difficult in America, they quickly realized the significance of owning an entire continent. America had just ended the Civil War, and the country's treasury was depleted to the limit.
In ten years, the Russian authorities could get much more for Alaska. But they agreed on the amount of seven million, two hundred thousand dollars in gold equivalent. Russia urgently needed money; America had no money.
Today it amounts to half a billion dollars. No one else would have bought these lands. They were most convenient only for America. The reader must agree that Alaska is immeasurably more expensive.
To maintain diplomatic relations between the countries, a year after the sale of the territories, America loudly proposed to Russia to sell Alaska.
The secret visit of the Russian representative was forgotten. It was believed that America itself offered Russia to buy Alaska from it. Russia's dignity was preserved. 1867 marked the official annexation of Alaska to America.
Food for thought
You can argue for a long time about selling or leasing Alaska. But let us remember, reader, that the recent abolition of serfdom, the lost Crimean War - all this placed enormous pressure on the country.
Deprived of a stable income from the serfs, the landowners expected payment of money from the state, which pledged to compensate for the losses. Tens of millions of gold rubles flowed from the treasury.
The tsarist government was forced to make loans from foreign banks. Many countries gave loans to Russia with great pleasure. A rich country - Russia - possessed untold wealth.
But the current situation required immediate capital. Every ruble was on the emperor's personal account. The sale of Alaska became an urgent necessity. Its territories did not bring a penny of income to the treasury.
The entire business and financial world had an idea about this. No other country would buy Alaska. Russia did not notice the sale of the Northern Territories. Many citizens had no idea about it. The American Congress was also against the purchase.
When gold was found in Alaska, the emperor was ridiculed by all and sundry. But finance and politics do not have a subjunctive mood. But at that moment the Russian emperor made the only right decision.
Today Russia is considered the largest country on planet Earth. Its area, scale and length are striking in its size. However, a few centuries ago the territory of the Russian Federation was even larger, because it included the cold northern lands of Alaska.
This part of the land in North America was first discovered for the world community back in 1732 during an expedition by Russian military surveyor M. S. Gvozdev and traveler-navigator I. Fedorov.
Now Alaska is the 49th state in the United States and at the same time the northernmost, coldest and largest in size. The climate there is predominantly arctic, which causes snowy and very cold winters and constant winds from the sea. Only a small area along the Pacific coastline has a climate suitable for human life.
Russia was able to own the newly discovered lands as its legal territory only in 1799. At the first stages of the development of new lands, the main contribution to their development was made by private entrepreneurs, philanthropists and companies. Only 67 years after the discovery, the development of Alaska was carried out with the help and resources of the Russian-American company, created by decree of Paul the First and under the leadership of G.I. Shelikhov.
In 1867, the Russian Empire sold its Arctic territories to America, and since then many people have been interested in the details and nuances of this historical course of events
Background and reasons for sale
Prerequisites for the sale of Alaska began to arise back in 1853 before the start of the Crimean War, when N. N. Muravyov-Amursky, being at that time the governor of the Eastern Siberian lands, raised the issue of resale of Alaska, citing the geopolitical situation in the Far East with the further opportunity to strengthen influence in Eastern Siberia. He addressed a letter to Nicholas I, in which he outlined in detail his thoughts about the eastern territories and the need to donate land for the sake of mutually beneficial relations with the United States.
At that time, diplomatic relations between Britain and Russia were on the verge of breakdown and were hostile. There was even a threat of a possible British invasion of the Russian Pacific coast after their attempt to land and gain a foothold in Petropavlovka-Kamchatsky. Muravyov believed that the time would come when Alaska would have to be given to the United States, since Russia would not be able to resist the enemy on its own, especially since, according to estimates, there were only up to eight hundred Russian people in overseas territories.
The government in Petrograd carefully studied the proposals of the governor general and made a positive decision. Emperor Alexander II ordered the development and destruction of Sakhalin Island in order to prevent its development by foreign companies and investors. This was supposed to be done by the above-mentioned Russian-American company
An interesting fact is that the idea of selling Alaska was promoted by the brother of the ruler of our state, Prince Konstantin, who was at that time the head of the Naval Ministry. Konstantin inspired his brother that in the event of an attack by Britain, Russia could lose not only Alaska as a territory, but also all the mineral reserves located in its depths. Since the emperor did not have a defensive fleet or army in that region, the sale was a chance to receive at least some amount rather than lose everything and, at the same time, win over the US Government.
Alexander II knew about the volume of gold reserves in the bowels of the Arctic land and the potential possibilities for their extraction and use, however, despite a number of reforms implemented in the country, the depleted budget as a result of the lost Crimean War and the rather large external debt of the state persuaded the tsar to accept the proposal Konstantin.
Transaction agreement and land transfer
In 1866, Alexander II held a meeting at which the ministers of the economy, the maritime ministry, the ministry of finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs A. M. Gorchakov, Prince Konstantin and the Russian ambassador to Washington, E. Stekl, gathered. All those present came to the conclusion that the amount for which the sovereign’s lands could be given away should be no less than five million dollars, and in gold equivalent
A few days later, the limits and boundaries of the given territories were approved.
In March 1867, Secretary of State W. Seward, empowered by the President of America, held a series of meetings and negotiations with Steckl, at which the delegates discussed all the nuances of the transfer of Russian possessions. The price was set at $72,000,000
On March 30, 1867, documents were signed in Washington in English and French, which stipulated the conditions for the transfer of the Russian North American colonies to the jurisdiction of Washington. The area of transferred land was more than 1.5 million square kilometers. In addition to the areas, all archival and historical documents, as well as real estate, were transferred to the United States. Soon, the document was signed by Alexander II and ratified by the American Senate. Already on June 8 of the same year, an exchange of signed regulations took place.
Consequences of the Alaska transfer
In the mid-20th century, Americans found large reserves of oil and gas, as well as gold deposits. Since then, the historical fact of the cession of Alaska has been continually distorted and interpreted. Many were of the opinion and still believe that there was no act of sale, and the possessions were only given for temporary use. Another group believes that since the ship with gold for the sold resources sank, therefore, there can be no talk of any transaction, but this contradicts the facts and references from historical archives, according to which the proceeds were spent on the needs of the state.
For more than a century, the Russian Empire owned Alaska and the surrounding islands, until in 1867, Alexander II ceded these lands to the United States for more than seven million dollars. According to an alternative version, Alaska was not sold, but leased for a hundred years, but Comrade Khrushchev actually gave it to the Americans in 1957. Moreover, some are convinced that the peninsula is still ours, since the ship on which the gold was transported as payment for the transaction sank.
One way or another, this whole story with Alaska has become clouded over the years. We propose to understand how it happened that part of another continent became part of Russia and why they decided to sell the lands on which 200 million dollars in gold were mined in 30 years after the sale.
Read also: Reports from the New Russia militia today
Turnips and potatoes for you
In 1741, the outstanding Russian explorer of Danish origin, Vitus Bering, crossed the strait between Eurasia and North America (which was later named after him) and became the first person to explore the shores of Alaska. Half a century later, a merchant and part-time navigator, Grigory Shelikhov, arrived there, who accustomed the local population to turnips and potatoes, spread Orthodoxy among the natives, and even founded the agricultural colony “Glory to Russia.” From that time on, Alaska began to belong to the Russian Empire as a pioneer, and its inhabitants unexpectedly became subjects of the emperor.
Indian sabotage
View of the capital of Russian Alaska - Novo-Arkhangelsk.
The Indians, and they can be understood, were unhappy that foreigners had seized power over their lands, and even forced them to eat turnips. They expressed their displeasure by burning down the Mikhailovsky Fortress in 1802, which was founded by the company of Shelikhov and his business partners. Together with a church, a primary school, a shipyard, workshops and an arsenal. And three years later they set fire to another Russian stronghold. The natives would never have succeeded in these daring enterprises if they had not been armed by American and British entrepreneurs.
No matter what happens
A lot of money was siphoned out of Alaska: sea otter fur was worth more than gold. But the greed and short-sightedness of the miners led to the fact that already in the 1840s there were practically no valuable animals left on the peninsula. True, by that time oil and gold had been discovered in Alaska. This, paradoxically, became the most important incentive to quickly get rid of these territories. The fact is that American prospectors began to actively arrive in Alaska, and the Russian government was justifiably afraid that American troops would come after them, or, even worse, the British would come. The empire was not ready for war, and giving up Alaska for thanks would have been completely stupid.
Onerous acquisition
The first page of the agreement “on the cession of the Russian North American Colonies to the United States of America.”
The idea to sell Alaska while it was still possible came from the Emperor’s brother, Konstantin Romanov, who served as head of the Russian Naval Staff. Autocrat Alexander II approved this proposal and on May 3, 1867 signed an agreement on the sale of overseas lands to the United States for 7.2 million dollars (at the current exchange rate - approximately 119 million in gold). On average, it turned out to be about four and a half dollars per square kilometer with all the real estate located on it.
In accordance with the procedure, the treaty was submitted to the US Congress. The Committee on Foreign Affairs (you can look at the faces of the members of this committee in the illustration above) expressed doubts about the advisability of such a burdensome acquisition in a situation where the country had just ended a civil war. Nevertheless, the treaty was ratified, and the Stars and Stripes flew over Alaska.
Where is the money, Zin?
Check for the purchase of Alaska. Issued in the name of Eduard Andreevich Stekl.
Baron Eduard Stekl, charge d'affaires of the Russian embassy in Washington, received a check in the amount of 7 million 200 thousand dollars. He took 21 thousand for his work, and distributed 144 thousand as promised bribes to the senators who voted for ratification of the treaty. The rest was sent to London by bank transfer. The gold bars purchased for this amount were transported by sea to St. Petersburg. When converting the currency first into pounds and then into gold, we lost about one and a half million.
But that's not so bad. The ship Orkney, carrying gold bars, sank on its way to the Russian capital. The company that registered the cargo declared itself bankrupt, and the damage was only partially compensated. Meanwhile, a gold rush began on the peninsula, and, as already mentioned, in 30 years gold worth 200 million dollars was mined there.
Reading the article will take: 5 minutes.On March 30, 1867, exactly 145 years ago, the territory of the Russian Empire decreased by just over one and a half million square kilometers. By the decision of the Emperor and Autocrat of Russia Alexander II, the territory of Alaska and the group of Aleutian Islands near it were sold to the United States of America. There are many rumors surrounding this deal to this day - “Alaska was not sold, but only leased. The documents are lost, so it is impossible to return it,” “Alaska was sold by Catherine II the Great, because this is sung in the song of the group “Lube,” “the deal for the sale of Alaska should be declared invalid, because the ship on which gold was carried for payment sank,” and etc. All the versions given in quotation marks are complete nonsense (especially about Catherine II)! So now let’s figure out how the sale of Alaska actually happened and what caused this transaction, which was apparently not beneficial for Russia.
Territory of the Russian Empire before the sale of Alaska
The actual discovery of Alaska by Russian navigators I. Fedorov and M.S. Gvozdev happened in 1732, but it is officially considered to be discovered in 1741 by captain A. Chirikov, who visited it and decided to register the discovery. Over the next sixty years, the Russian Empire, as a state, was not interested in the fact of the discovery of Alaska - its territory was developed by Russian merchants, who actively bought furs from local Eskimos, Aleuts and Indians, and created Russian settlements in convenient bays on the coast of the Bering Strait, in which merchant ships waited non-navigable winter months.
Harbor of the Russian-American merchant company on the coast of Alaska
The situation changed somewhat in 1799, but only externally - the territory of Alaska began to officially belong to the Russian Empire with the rights of a discoverer, but the state was in no way interested in new territories. The initiative to recognize ownership of the northern lands of the North American continent came, again, from Siberian merchants, who jointly drew up documents in St. Petersburg and created a Russian-American company with monopoly rights to mineral resources and commercial production in Alaska. The main sources of income for merchants in the North American territories of Russia were coal mining, fur seal fishing and... ice, the most common one, supplied to the USA - the demand for Alaskan ice was stable and constant, because refrigeration units were invented only in the 20th century.
Until the middle of the 19th century, the state of affairs in Alaska was not of any interest to the Russian leadership - it is located somewhere “in the middle of nowhere”, no money is required for its maintenance, there is no need to protect and maintain a military contingent for this either, all issues are dealt with by the merchants of the Russian-American companies that regularly paid taxes. And then from this very Alaska there is information that deposits of native gold have been found there... Yes, yes, what did you think - Emperor Alexander II did not know that he was selling a gold mine? But no, he knew and was perfectly aware of his decision! And why I sold it - now we’ll figure it out...
The initiative to sell Alaska to the United States of America belonged to the emperor's brother, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov, who served as head of the Russian Naval Staff. He suggested that his elder brother, the emperor, sell the “extra territory,” because the discovery of gold deposits there would certainly attract the attention of England, the long-time sworn enemy of the Russian Empire, and Russia was not able to defend it, and there was no military fleet in the northern seas. If England captures Alaska, then Russia will receive absolutely nothing for it, but this way it will be possible to gain at least some money, save face and strengthen friendly relations with the United States. It should be noted that in the 19th century, the Russian Empire and the United States developed extremely friendly relations - Russia refused to help the West in regaining control over the North American territories, which infuriated the monarchs of Great Britain and inspired the American colonists to continue the liberation struggle.
Baron Eduard Andreevich Stekl
Negotiations on the sale of the territory of Alaska were entrusted to Baron Eduard Andreevich Stekl, the envoy of the Russian Empire to the United States. He was given a price acceptable to Russia - $5 million in gold, but Stekl decided to assign the American government a higher amount, equal to $7.2 million. The idea of buying the northern territory, albeit with gold, but also with a complete lack of roads, deserted and characterized by a cold climate, was perceived by the American government of President Andrew Johnson without enthusiasm. Baron Stekl actively intrigued, bribing congressmen and editors of major American newspapers, in order to create a political climate favorable for the land deal.
Signing of the agreement on the sale of Alaska
And his negotiations were crowned with success - on March 30, 1867, an agreement on the sale of the territory of Alaska to the United States of America took place and was signed by official representatives of both parties. Thus, the acquisition of one hectare of Alaska cost the US Treasury $0.0474 and for the entire territory of 1,519,000 square kilometers - $7,200,000 in gold (in terms of modern banknotes, about $110 million). On October 18, 1867, the North American territories of Alaska were officially transferred to the possession of the United States; two months earlier, Baron Stekl received a check for 7 million 200 thousand in US Treasury bonds, which he transferred to the London bank of the Baring brothers into the account of the Russian Emperor, retaining his commission of $21,000 and $165,000 he spent out of his own pocket on bribes (overhead).
Gold mine in Russian Alaska
According to some modern Russian historians and politicians, the Russian Empire made a mistake by selling Alaska. But the situation in the century before last was very, very difficult - the States were actively expanding their territory, annexing neighboring lands and following the James Monroe Doctrine of 1823. And the first major transaction was the Louisiana Purchase - the acquisition of a French colony in North America (2,100 thousand square kilometers of inhabited and developed territory) from the Emperor of France Napoleon I Bonaparte for a ridiculous 15 million dollars in gold. By the way, this territory today contains the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and significant territories of several other states of the modern USA... As for the former territories of Mexico - the territory of all southern states of the USA - they were annexed free of charge.
This is the story - it turns out that the sale of Alaska at that time was justified from the point of view of politics and economics...
