Russo-American Treaties and Conventions

The 1824 treaty—A Convention Between the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias—determined the boundaries of Russian possessions in North America. It was signed in St. Petersburg on April 5 (17). In 1808, Russian diplomacy, on the initiative of the Russian-American Company, began negotiations with the United States on regulating relations in the northwestern part of North America. In accordance with the convention of 1824, a boundary was established along 54° 40’ N lat; Americans could not settle north of this line, and Russians could not settle south of it. Fishing and navigation along the Pacific coast were declared open for vessels of both powers for a period of ten years.

The 1832 treaty, which dealt with navigation and commerce, was signed in St. Petersburg on December 6(18). Article 1 was based on the most-favored-nation principle with respect to free harbor and port calls, customs duties of tonnage, and any other applicable charges; the inhabitants of both sides were allowed to trade wherever foreign trading was permitted. Article 2 provided for the automatic extension of preferences in the area of trade and navigation to the other party whenever one of the contracting parties granted such preferences to a third party. The treaty remained in effect until 1911.

The 1867 treaty, which dealt with Russia’s sale of Alaska to the United States, was signed in Washington, D.C., on March 18 (30). Russia’s defeat in the Crimean War (1853–56), strained Anglo-Russian relations, and the bankruptcy of the Russian-American Company forced the tsarist government to sell Alaska to the United States. For 7.2 million dollars (approximately 11 million rubles at the exchange rate in effect at that time) Russia transferred to the United States “all the territory and dominion now possessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in the adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set forth.”