Seward Alaska
What is your opinion about William Seward's purchase of Alaska?
I'm doing a book report so I thought I would ask all here what they thought. Just for giggles, was wondering what others thought.
Keep in mind that you are in the 1800's and have no idea what Alaska has to offer.
Tell why you feel this way.
Today: Oil, Natural Gas, Gold (mostly mined 100 years ago), Copper, Zinc, Forests, Strategic Airspace, Satellite/radar tracking location, Gorgeous scenery, lots of critters.
Then (most people): Cold, "Seward's icebox", a few natives and strange animals, untamed wilderness when that wasn't a good thing, Just finished the Civil War and unready for more obligations, no shortage of land between the current states and the Pacific Ocean.
Then (a few visionaries): Fire-sale prices (Russia had gotten all the furs they could and no one knew of the oil or gold) and someone would buy it. Do we want Britian with larger holdings in North America (they backed the Conferency). France? Spain? Or Japan? It could serve as a buffer to foriegn activites rather than a jumping-off spot (Russian based in Alaska went well into California at Fort Ross).
Editted to add: Someone else said Alaska has few mineral resources on the coast. I disagree. Nome, Juneau and Hope were all gold fields right on the salt water. Nome and Juneau being VERY significant deposits. I'll grant that the Russians couldn't technologically get to the huge oil reserves on the North Slope of Alaska or even within Cook Inlet (where they travelled). Nor understand the future value of the very high grade uranium deposit on the south end of Prince of Wales Island. And everyone who passed through Alaska noticed the coastal desposits of low-grade coal - bits of it wash up on my beach all the time. But everyone had better coal closer to home. The Russians even had a agent stomping around the Kenai Peninsula in 1850 and he found lots of traces of gold in lots of the streams. He just never tracked down one of the source deposits. It took hundreds of prospectors, crica 1900, to stumble on those few rich finds. But the resources were there, the Russians simply didn't put in the effort. Once the furs were played out, they left.
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 1909 PC Seward Peninsula Railway Excursion Party Alaska $7.99 Time Remaining: 1h 57m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 SEWARD ALASKA HARBOR BOATS OLD $5.46 Time Remaining: 4h 22m Buy It Now for only: $5.46 |
 First Dog Team Nome to Seward 1915 real photo $50.00 Time Remaining: 5h 26m Buy It Now for only: $50.00 |
 Seward Alaska town 1916 view old Postcard $5.00 Time Remaining: 20h 51m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 RPPC SEWARD ALASKA AERIAL VIEW VINTAGE POSTCARD SHIPS $24.99 Time Remaining: 21h 6m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1960s Boats Marina Harbor Seward AK Kenai Peninsula Co $4.49 Time Remaining: 21h 9m Buy It Now for only: $4.49 |
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 PORT CHILKOOT HAINES Alaska 1900s FORT WILLIAM H SEWARD TOWN VIEW PIER $15.00 Time Remaining: 1d 1h 16m |
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 Vintage Postcard PORTAGE GLACIER ICEBERGS near Anchorage Alaska on Seward Hwy $0.99 Time Remaining: 4d 6h 33m |
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 RPPC HARDING GATEWAY SEWARD ALASKA RESURRECTION BAY VINTAGE REAL PHOTO POSTCARD $24.99 Time Remaining: 6d 2h 1m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
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 Alaska Seward Exit Glacier $2.00 Time Remaining: 7d 15h 10m Buy It Now for only: $2.00 |
 Seward Alaska AK Cityscape Aerial View c 1937 Unused Linen Postcard $3.95 Time Remaining: 7d 18h 45m Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |
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 Seward Alaska Birds Eye View 1900s Colored Postcard $7.00 Time Remaining: 8d 23h 26m Buy It Now for only: $7.00 |
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 SEWARDALASKA 1920s TOWN SHIP HARBOR RPPC $22.75 Time Remaining: 10d 22h 9m Buy It Now for only: $22.75 |
 Sitka Alaska 3 Sisters 1914 Colored Postcard Seward PMK $20.00 Time Remaining: 11d 2h 57m Buy It Now for only: $20.00 |
 The Loop Alaska Railroad near Seward Bird eye View c1910 Postcard $3.69 Time Remaining: 12d 19m Buy It Now for only: $3.69 |
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 Seward AK Bird eye View c1910 Postcard $6.89 Time Remaining: 12d 21h 37m Buy It Now for only: $6.89 |
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 The Loop Alaska Railroad Seward AL Alaska Postcard $5.99 Time Remaining: 18d 5h 53m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Seward Alaska 1920s Colored Postcard $7.50 Time Remaining: 19d 1h 57m Buy It Now for only: $7.50 |
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