ALASKA (ante), comprises all the N. American continently. of the 141st degree of w. long., together with a narrow strip between the Pacific ocean and the British dominions; also all the islands near the coast, and the Aleutian archipelago, except Copper and Beh ring islands on the coast of Kamtchatka. The area, including islands, is 580,170 sq.m.; and in 1870 the population amounted to 29,097, of whom 26,843 were natives of the terri tory, 1421 were half-breeds, 483 Russians, and 350 from the United States and foreign coun tries. The capital is Sitka, formerly called New Archangel, and is the only t. of impor tance in the territory. It is on a commodious harbor on Baranov island, 53° 3' n. lat., and 135° 17' w. long. The t. was long the headfmarters of the Russian-America-n fur company, When the cession to the United States was made in 1867, Sitka was a collection of log huts about 100 in number, with but few respectable buildings, and these were occupied by gov ernment officers. St. Paul, in Nodiac island, is the principal depot of the seal fisheries, and around it is the best agricultural land in the territory. There is another considerable settlement on Oonalaska island, where there is good anchorage. Trading ports are scat tered over the sea-coast of the territory, the chief of them Fort Yukon, near 66°, the most northerly station of the Hudson bay company. Little is known of the interior of the territory except along sonic of the large rivers. The coast line measures over 4000 In. along the Arctic ocean on the n., Behring's sect on the w., and the Pacific ocean on the s. The climate is much less severe than in corresponding latitudes au the e. coast of the continent, as it is moderated by the warm water of the Pacific, whose effect upon the w. coast of North America is like that of the gulf stream upon the w. coast of Europe. In the Yukon, or most northerly districts, it is very cold; the eiuth remains frozen all summer, and ice in thu river.Yukonr is from 5 to 9 ft.. thick in winter: -The islands and the southern or Sitka district are not so cold. The lowest record of temperature is '70° Fahr.
below zero. The summer is short, dry, and hot. Nay to Aug. is the pleasant season, and rain falls almost continuously in Aug. and Sept. The average annual rain-fall is ' about 40 in., and there are about 150 rainy days in a year. Jan. and Feb. are usually pleasant months. Sitka is in a wet situation, and it is said that more rain falls there than in any place not within the tropics. From 60 to 90 in. per year have been recorded, and the days of rain from 190 to 285. There is little of agriculture in the territory, though on the islands oats, barley, and root crops can be raised without great difficulty. The fisheries and the fur trade arc the leadingand almost only industries. In 1870, the product of salted codfish alone was 10,612,000 lbs. Seal-catching is still more important. The annual catch of fur seals throughout the world has been estimated at 160,000 animals, of which 100,000 are taken in Alaskan waters; the value for Alaska being estimated at $1,200,000 per annum. The home of the seal, in the breeding and summer season, is on the islands of St. Paul and St. George, 300 m. from any other land. At the beginning of • winter they migrate, and none are seen until the following spring. Laws have been enacted by congress to regulate the seal fisheries, in order to prevent the utter extinction of the animal. The fishery is now controlled by the Alaska company of California, who are not allowed to take more than 100,000 pelts per year; and they are to avoid killing females and very young male seals; while very old males are not worth killing. The company's right does not cover other fur-bearing animals. They employ about a dozen vessels and have 20 or more posts on the island and mainland. The United States govern ment has a considerable income from the rent of the island and the tax on sealskins. No regular government had been established up to the autumn of 1879, but the people had chosen officers and formed a provisional government of their own.