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In 1799 the Czar of Russia issued an Ukase granting to the Russian American Company certain privileges, and jurisdiction over the northwest coast of America, down to the 55th degree of north latitude.

On September 4, 1821, an Ukase was issued by which Russia claimed exclusive sovereignty over the northwest coast of America down to the 51st degree of north latitude, and also over one hundred miles of the Pacific Ocean, which washed the islands, and the mainland of the northwestern coasts of America. This Ukase was intended to protect and enlarge the privileges of the Russian American Company, which had been granted by the Ukase of 1788, the chief of which was the exclusive right of hunting and trading for the pelts of animals in that territory.

The Ukase of September 4, 1821 extended the limits to the 51st degree, and in addition, prohibited the navigation of the Pacific Ocean to the subjects of all other nations, within one hundred miles of such islands and coasts.

Protests were promptly made by the United States and Great Britain.

Negotiations were begun in 1821, which terminated in a treaty between Russia and the United States in 1824 and a treaty between Russia and Great Britain in 1825. The treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia, among other things, defined a line separating the Russian from the British possessions as follows:

III. La ligne de démarcation entre les Possessions des Hautes Parties Contractantes sur la côte du continent et les Îles de l’Amérique Nord-ouest, sera tracée ainsi qu’il suit:

A partir da point le plus méridional de l’Ile dite Prince of Wales, lequel Point se trouve sous la parallèle du 54me degré 40 minutes de latitude Nord, et entre le 131me