The Alaska purchase strengthened the United States. The money paid for it paid off in a short time, and the strategic plus for the United States from this deal simply cannot be overestimated. As for Russia … The money from the sale of Alaska never made it to the Empire.
The Alaska sale is unique in that it involved a very narrow circle. Only six people knew about the alleged sale: Alexander II, Konstantin Romanov, Alexander Gorchakov (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Mikhail Reitern (Minister of Finance), Nikolai Krabbe (Minister of the Navy) and Edaurd Stekl (Russian envoy to the United States). The fact that Alaska was sold to America became known only two months after the transaction. The Minister of Finance, Reuters, is traditionally considered its initiator.
A year before the transfer of Alaska, he sent a special note to Alexander II, in which he pointed out the need for the strictest economy and stressed that for the normal functioning of the empire, a three-year foreign loan of 15 million rubles is required. in year. Thus, even the lower limit of the transaction amount set by Reuters at 5 million rubles could cover a third of the annual loan. In addition, the state annually paid subsidies to the Russian-American company, the sale of Alaska saved Russia from these costs. The RAC did not receive a dime from the sale of Alaska.
Even before the Minister of Finance's historical note, the idea of selling Alaska was expressed by the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia Muravyov-Amursky. He said that it would be in Russia's interests to improve relations with the United States in order to strengthen its positions on the Asian Pacific coast, to be friends with America against the British.
Goldmine
Alaska was a real gold mine for Russia. Literally and figuratively. One of the most expensive acquisitions of Alaska was the valuable sea otter fur, which was more expensive than gold, but due to the greed and shortsightedness of the miners, by the forties of the 19th century the valuable animals were practically destroyed. In addition, oil and gold were found in Alaska. Oil at that time was used for medicinal purposes, while the gold found in Alaska, ironically, became one of the incentives to sell Alaska as soon as possible.
American miners began to arrive in Alaska, and the Russian government quite rightly feared that American troops would follow the miners. Russia was not ready for war. To give Alaska without getting a penny for it was, to say the least, imprudent.
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Mormons and creeping colonization
Ten years before the sale of Alaska, E. A. In 1857 Steckl sent a dispatch to St. Petersburg, in which he stated a rumor about the possible emigration of representatives of the religious sect of Mormons from the United States to Russian America, which American President J. Buchanan himself hinted to him in a joking manner. Although it was only about rumors, Stekl wrote with alarm that in the event of a massive resettlement of American sectarians to Alaska, the Russian government would face an alternative: to provide armed resistance or to give up part of its territory.
In addition, there was a "creeping colonization", which consisted in the gradual resettlement of the British and Americans on the territory of Russian America and adjacent lands. In the early 1860s, British smugglers began to settle on Russian territory in the southern part of the Alexander Alexander, despite the formal prohibitions of the colonial administration. Sooner or later, this could lead to tensions and military conflicts.
Falling flag
On October 18, 1867, at 3.30 pm, the flag was changed on the flagpole in front of the house of the main ruler of Alaska. American and Russian troops were lined up at the flagpole. At the signal, two non-commissioned officers began to lower the flag of the Russian-American company. The ceremony did not lose its degree of solemnity until the flag got tangled by the ropes at the very top, and the falin broke. By order of the Russian commissar, several sailors rushed upstairs to unravel the flag, which hung on the mast in rags. No sooner had they shouted from below to the sailor, who was the first to climb up to him, so that he would not throw the flag down, but dismount with him, when he threw it from above: the flag fell directly on the Russian bayonets. Conspiracy theorists and mystics should rejoice in this place.
Bad reputation
Edward Steckl played a significant role in the sale of Alaska. From 1850 he served as Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Washington, and in 1854 he took over as envoy. Stekl was married to an American woman and was deeply integrated into the highest circles of American society. Extensive connections helped him to carry out the deal, he actively lobbied the interests of his leadership. In order to persuade the US Senate to buy Alaska, he gave bribes and used all his connections.
Stekl was dissatisfied with his remuneration of 25 thousand dollars and an annual pension of 6 thousand rubles. Eduard Andreevich briefly arrived in St. Petersburg, but then left for Paris. Until the end of his life, he shunned Russian society, as it did his. After the sale of Alaska, Stekl had a bad name.
Was there gold?
The most important secret of selling Alaska is the question: "Where is the money?" Stekl received a check in the amount of 7 million 035 thousand dollars - out of the original 7.2 million he kept 21 thousand for himself, and gave 144 thousand as bribes to senators who voted for the ratification of the treaty. 7 million was transferred to London by bank transfer, and from London to St. Petersburg the gold bars purchased for this amount were transported by sea.
When converting first into pounds, and then into gold, another 1.5 million was lost, but this was not the last loss. The Orkney bark, carrying the precious cargo, sank on July 16, 1868 on its way to St. Petersburg. It is not known whether it contained gold at that time, or whether it did not leave the borders of Foggy Albion at all. The insurance company, which insured the ship and cargo, declared itself bankrupt, and the damage was only partially compensated.
Most likely, there was no gold at Orkney. It was not found during the search operation. Where did it go - the main mystery of the sale of Alaska. There is a version that this money was used to purchase materials for construction roads, but it is much more interesting to think that the money mysteriously disappeared, otherwise what kind of mystery is it?