118 исторических миниатюр и 108 авторских текстов на 13 иностранных языках. Сборник (СИ)

Alaska - Aliska - Alooska...

Russian-American Company - is the creativity and is the exotica in the bureaucratic Order. A product of the unusual activity of the Emperor Paul I.

I will quote - almost completely - an article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (GSE) (1969-1978):

'Russian-American Company

a trading company established in Russia on July 8(19), 1799, for the purpose of developing Russian America and the Kuril and other islands.

The Russian-American Company's board of directors, initially located in Irkutsk, was moved to St. Petersburg in 1800. The company received exclusive rights to all natural resources within the lands under its authority. It also received the right to organize expeditions, settle newly discovered lands, and trade with neighboring countries. It established a number of permanent settlements in Russian America, as well as shipyards, workshops, and other enterprises. From 1804 to 1840, with the assistance of the Russian government, it organized 25 expeditions, including 15 circumnavigations (for example, by I. F. Kruzenshtern and Iu. F. Lisianskii); it explored Alaska and helped colonize the island of Sakhalin and the Amur River region.

From 1824 the Russian-American Company's board of directors was located at 72 Moika in St. Petersburg. The Northern Society of Decembrists often held its meetings here. K. F. Ryleev, the company's director in 1824 and 1825, also lived in this building.

Throughout its existence, the Russian-American Company sponsored geographic and ethnographic studies of Russian America-for example, by M. D. Teben'kov, V. S. Khromchenko, A. K. Etolin, A. F. Kashevarov, L. A. Zagoskin, and I. G. Voznesenskii. It helped introduce grain and vegetable cultivation and cattle breeding in several areas.'[7].

After reading these phrases, I want to jokingly comment:

'Some board (of directors)... What for board? And where the holders (owners) of human souls? Where serfs?"

And a similar article from the GSE (1926-1947) adds:

'In 1812, near the Bay of San Francisco was founded the first Russian settlement 'Ross' (Fort Ross). In 1816-18 the Russian-American trading company did attempt to place settlements in the Hawaiian Islands.' [16].

It is difficult to imagine the Nikolai Gogol's "The Government Inspector" (Ревизор, Revizor) or the poem "Dead Souls" in relation to San Francisco or the Hawaiian Islands.

I will hypothesize, that and a fast Khlestakov, and an advanced one in the task of Chichikov after a multi-day journey of land and sea (or only by sea) would come to the destination by other people ('Whither, then, are you speeding, bird sailboat? Whither? Answer me!').

They (Khlestakov and Chichikov) and in the Ross settlement or on the Hawaiian Islands would not meet the people, who appeared in the works of Gogol.

But not all at once, at first it is necessary to understand. Shares, furs, incomes ... At the beginning, it seems, has increased prestige ... First everything looked attractively.

And Alexander I began the reign with good hopes and plans.

Generally, the future was solar.

How difficult was a circle of the questions connected with the organization of the first round-the-world expedition it is possible to draw a conclusion, for example, from the following fragments.

"Alexander I created "the Committee of formation of the fleet". And the President of this Committee was appointed not Mordvinov, but - in defiance of him, - decrepit count Alexander Vorontsov, the brother of Ambassador in England.

The tsar has instructed committee: "to define any excess, to transform everything into possible brevity and clearness".

What did Vorontsov think up, who had not served even for a one day in the Navy?

"For many reasons, physical and local, Russia cannot be among the leading maritime states. Yes, in fact neither necessary nor good is not expected. The mighty and the our strength should be in the land forces... "

(...)

Winter London met seafarer with cold. Vorontsov was already aware of the purpose of Lisyansky arrival and has treated him coldly.

'Is it not too early to compete with the enlightened mariners, sir?' - skeptically said Vorontsov. - 'British sailors, as James Cook, are highly experienced and have great knowledge. Russia has no decent ships"' [2].

But the project of the first global cruise has been approved by the emperor Alexander I, and subordinate officials couldn't cancel this project. Haven't cancelled it and objective circumstances (as it has taken place at Catherine II).

Will make a few remarks, concerning the relation of the Emperor Alexander I to the round-the-world expedition, which has taken place during 1803-1806.

Alexander I in connection with the direction and return of the expedition behaved like a man of wide views and very worthy.

Firstly, he approved the project and facilitated the direction of the expedition.