Sprawa sprzedaży Sachalinu przez Cesarstwo Rosyjskie USA w 1905 r.
The Case of the Sale of Sakhalin by Russian Empire to the USA in 1905

Summary/Abstract: The article addresses the issue of the discussion on the sale of Sakhalin by the Russian Empire to the US in 1905. The starting point was the proposal of a Russian war agent in Korea, who suggested, in view of the possibility of Japan seizing Sakhalin, setting up a special Russian-American company to own a license to exploit the island’s natural resources. This was to prevent a possible loss of profits on this account by Russia in the event of the island being captured by the Japanese. Soon the concession issue was modified, under the influence of suggestions from the American entrepreneurs, into the sale of Sakhalin to the USA. The conclusions that can be drawn from the discussions suggest that Russia was willing to give up Sakhalin to the USA for a long time, so that Japan would not take it over. It is difficult to say whether the American government would really be interested in buying the island. Even so, the procedure for obtaining approval from the Senate would probably be long enough for it to be in Japanese hands for a long time. It is more likely that the issue was the initiative of certain circles of American entrepreneurs who wanted to take advantage of the difficult situation of the Russian Empire to obtain the best possible conditions for conducting their business, including in Sakhalin. However, it can definitely be said that the entire project was a failure. An attempt to increase the concession for the exploitation of the island’s natural resources was also unsuccessful, as evidenced by the decision of Nicholas II to reject it.

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