Foreigners in California (Tuesday 9/25)

Russians arrive ca. 1725; send foreign naval officers (better trained) like Kotzebue (German) and Bering (Danish). Russians want to catch up with Europe as an imperial power, using Siberia as a stepping stone.  More fur trade, especially w/ China.  Spaniards fear the Russian-America Company for their skills and numbers. Greatest hunters and trappers in the world, hunting sea otters (best pelts) and seals.

Gov. Baranov 1799: the Russian America company is chartered, headquarters in New Archangel (Sitka), which is also the capital of RA.  Very tough conditions: too far north, can't grow crops. Scurvy! Again!

Count Rezanov goes south to found a farming colony.  Arrives at the San Francisco Bay, greeted by Spaniards, friendly.  Love affair!   But he never returns--dies in Siberia heading back to report.   Dona Arguelo becomes a nun; Bret Harte will memorialize the romance in a famous poem.

Russians found a settlement in 1812 at Fort Ross (i.e. Russ) and name the Russian River. Planned as an expanding farming colony.  Sickness strikes, as usual. Spanish, later Mexicans, begin to worry: our land!  Russians, discouraged, sell Fort Ross in 1839; and in 1862, they sell the rest of Russian America—Alaska--to Seward for his Folly. 

American hide traders ply the coast starting 1830s...no problem.  But mountain men come overland and start to settle.  John Sutter arrives in 1838: Swiss! Asks Mexican Governor for land (1/3 of the valley!) at fork of Sacramento River to build fort: keep out Russians, British, pacify Indians: A true con man: says he's a Captain in the Royal Swiss Navy! Builds the fort. Takes the land grant, but doesn't do anything else.  This spot becomes Sacramento. Exploits (i.e. enslaves!) local Indians.

Sutter's Fort becomes the endpoint of the overland trails into Cali. People like Cali, b/c Oregon is too far north, plus who owns it?  GB and US dispute the territory.  After Mexican war, migration increases; Mexican state is famously weak, so Americans are grabbing their opportunity.  Americans prefer to farm: more economical than ranching. Mexicans are gulled, believing Americans will be tractable residents.

Richard Henry Dana in Cali from 1834-36. Not your typical hide trader: son of a Harvard attorney, but bad eyes. Decides to ship to Cali to fix his eyesight. Keeps a journal--loses it!  Reconstructs it as Two Years Before the Mast. Incredible bestseller!  (Those were the days...)

This spreads the idea of California, especially since he criticizes everyone there except the Americans: gives the impression of a marvelous land just waiting to be repopulated.  Diagnoses the Cali disease: laziness in the second generation.  (Must be the climate…)

Thomas Oliver Larkin, transplanted Boston merchant, appoints himself Trade Consul. Reports back to State Dept. from Monterey. Bilingual, does well in trade, but also relays intelligence. Given a mission: persuade the Californios to secede from Mexico--and perhaps annex themselves to US. Receptive audience, because Mexican tariffs are high, without much protection or involvement in exchange.

In 1842, Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commander of American Pacific squadron (5 ships!) fears war with Mexico, hears rumors of Mexico selling Alta Cali to Britain because of enormous debts. Sees a French invasion force!  (It’s actually bound for Tahiti.)

Upshot: Jones decides to capture Monterey, to "head off the British." Right of prior capture will obtain.  He does! Capture a small presidio with a few soldiers. Larkin tells him there's no war, so Jones takes down his flag.  However, this becomes an international incident, re reparations. (Jones is recalled, but not disciplined, and no reparations are paid, because Daniel Webster refuses.) The idea of a war for this territory has now been broached, however farcically, and the Spanish are now on the alert...