672 PUBLIC TREATIES. of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 13lst and I33d degree of west longitude, (meridian of Greenwich,) the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the I41st degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian ;) and finally, irom the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Ocean. _ " IV. With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood-
- ‘1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong
wholly to Russia," (now, by this cession to the United States;) ‘* 2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the I41st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to. Russia as above mentioned, (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention,) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom? The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Behring’s Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoif, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behring’s Straits and Behring’s Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction, so ·as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper Island of the Kormandorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian. Ancrrcmr II. p,,,_p,,,l,y iu. In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding article eluded in csssiou. are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortitications, barracks, and other cdifiees which are not private individual property. It is, however, understood and agreed, that the churches which havebeen built in the ceded territory by the Russian Government, shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church resident in the territory as may choose to worship therein. __ Any Government archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid, which may now be existing there, will be left in the possession of the agent of the United States; but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required, will be, at all times, given by the United States to the Russian Government, or to such Russian officers or subjects as they may apply for. Anrronn III. _ Rights of inhah- The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, ¤§::¤¤¤¤ wd6d wr- reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three " 'Y· years; but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory, they,
