Development of a Canadian Alaska?
- Thread starter Malone
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Is it plausible for the British Empire to invade, occupy, and annex Russian Alaska as a result of the Crimean War?
It is immensly plausible. The Russians IIRC actually went to the British first before the Americans. So you could have them decide to buy it up
I’m actually a little confused why the UK didn’t nab it during OTL. Does anybody know why?
It's the same reason why the British government was semi-seriously entertaining liquidating its holdings in British Columbia immediately after the American Civil War: They're just so far from its centers of power that administering them is just not worth the cost in treasure and/or local political complications. Alaska in the mid-1850s is even worse than British Columbia in the late-1860s, given the communications lag is even greater due to the less-developed state of trans-continental infrastructure and that Alaska is basically as far as earthly possible from London in terms of power projection.
Well, is it possible to make London change its mind regarding the possibility of taking Alaska for themselves?
Short of something overtly contrived and artificial, it's not possible to make Alaska simultaneously worth selling off for Russia, and appealing to Britain. To the American leadership, it extended American reach further into the Pacific, but the British already have British Columbia; there's nothing special about Alaska geographically. It's rich in resources, but so remote that extracting them large-scale isn't worthwhile (gold wasn't discovered until later).
If the Russians focus on it early for whatever reason, building up the infrastructure enough for the British to consider it "not too remote," then it's also valuable enough for the Russians to hold onto.
If the Russians focus on it early for whatever reason, building up the infrastructure enough for the British to consider it "not too remote," then it's also valuable enough for the Russians to hold onto.
Deleted member 114175
It would be an interesting expedition to read about. How would the British have organized it?
A frigate and a company of Royal Marines. Alaska wasn't a tough nut to crack.
Yeah I think the best bet would be an enterprising naval commander in the Pacific choosing to take on Alaska during the Crimean War and succeeding. With the end of the war, Britain would feel compelled to ask for Alaska in the peace (giving it back for nothing in exchange would be a blow to British honour).
They just have to show up. The Russians were heavily supplied by the HBC anyway.
As for development I think that Stickeen gets added to Alaska in 1862 instead of British Columbia and Peace River country stays with the HBC. Now you've got an uber Alaska that covers Alaska, the Yukon and Stickeen. Fast forward forty years and there's an off chance that it gets provincial status along with Alberta and Saskatchewan (having just seen the explosive growth from the Klondike gold rush). If that happens you'll probably see big change, but very little changes until then.
Maybe Russian America might end up getting merged with British Columbia, though on balance I think not; the territory would be sufficiently distinct from Anglo-settled British Columbia and Vancouver Island to merit its own jurisdiction.
Deleted member 109224
The Northernmost portion of British Columbia around the Stikine River likely goes to Alaska. I could see the Yukon basin being administered as part of Alaska as well.
It'll likely be ignored until the 1890s when Gold is discovered. Controlling the port that people used to get to Klondike likely means that the Yukon gets a little bit more population.
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley likely gets a larger population due to the Canadian Last Best West Program of the early 20th Century.
It'll likely be ignored until the 1890s when Gold is discovered. Controlling the port that people used to get to Klondike likely means that the Yukon gets a little bit more population.
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley likely gets a larger population due to the Canadian Last Best West Program of the early 20th Century.
An interesting possibility is the extension of the Canada Pacific line from Vancouver up into Alaska. The promise to build it was part of BC's terms for joining confederation.
With the main spur taking four years (1881-1885), to blast through both the Shield and the Rockies. I would think a spur up north might be feasible, depending on the politics.
This hopefully would allow for an increased immigration of gold miners when the rush happens in th 1890's; and, with the authorities not nearly as concerned with them pulling a Texas, they can invest in infrastructure properly.
With the main spur taking four years (1881-1885), to blast through both the Shield and the Rockies. I would think a spur up north might be feasible, depending on the politics.
This hopefully would allow for an increased immigration of gold miners when the rush happens in th 1890's; and, with the authorities not nearly as concerned with them pulling a Texas, they can invest in infrastructure properly.
It would not be hard to imagine the British keeping Alaska. It entirely possible that one of the officers, perhaps the ship’s doctor, dabbles in the natural sciences as a hobby. By pure good fortune the ship drops anchor off of the beach at Nome and he goes ashore to collect samples. In the process of doing so, he notices a yellow glint in the beach sand. He very carefully washes away the sand a realizes that the yellow glint is the gold. He reports this finding to the captain, who make mention of it in his log and his official dispatches back to England. The Royal Navy sends a scientific expendition to study the area’s natural characteristics and its confirms the presence of large quantities of gold in the area around Nome. The British government formally lays calamity the territory of Alaska.
You could see a line to the panhandle by 1900, but I doubt you'd see a line to Alaska proper before 1920. Your best bet is Alaska getting provincial status in 1905 and demanding a rail link, and then partially funding its own (which likely ends up a public expense boondoggle) and only gets finished because too much money has been sunk not to get it finished.
Having said that, Alberta turned a profit when they sold Northern Alberta Railways.
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What would become of place names? Fairbanks and Juneau, for example, would probably not be called by them.
It would be impossible to know, the origins of place names is very random.
Without the panhandle dispute that whole area will be different having avoided the need for overlapping development and many of the towns/cities there that spring up will vary in value. Without the government capital Juneau will likely be much smaller and wherever Britain sticks the capital will be bigger (Sitka?).