USA > Alaska > History of Alaska : 1730-1885 > Part 52
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The first step taken by the board of directors, after obtaining their second charter, was the election of a successor to Hagemeister, or rather his representa- tive Yanovsky, who, having married Baranof's daugh- ter, was not considered free from the taint thrown upon the latter's fame by Golovnin. M. N. Moura- vief, a captain in the navy and a scion of an old family belonging to the Russian nobility, was the one select- ed, and his appointment being confirmed, he sailed for Novo Arkhangelsk during the year 1821. He at once took measures to reconstruct the garrison, to repair the fortifications of all the settlements, and to erect new buildings wherever they were required.5
Mouravief at once saw the absurdity of Baranof's
4 Among others were those of making settlements in regions adjacent to their territory, not occupied by foreign nations, and of engaging laborers for a term of seven years in any part of the empire, the company assuming the payment of their taxes. Capital invested by shareholders was also exempt, as before, from attachment, though dividends could be appropriated in payment of debts.
5 It is related that he added more buildings to the company's stations than any subsequent manager.
535
MOURAVIEF IN COMMAND.
policy in keeping the Kolosh at a distance from Novo Arkhangelsk. Up to this time they had been compelled to live on the islands north and south of the settle- ment, and this arrangement, intended to insure the safety of the Russians, had only served to increase the danger of hostile attack. Away from all commu- nication and supervision, they had been at liberty to plot mischief at leisure, while they were kept informed of all that occurred in the garrison by the females of their tribe, whose intercourse with the promyshleniki was never interrupted. The result was, that murder and robbery were committed with impunity on de- tached parties of laborers and fishermen. Mouravief, taking advantage of the presence of the well armed ship which brought him to the colonies, summoned the chiefs of the Sitkas, and told them that they might return with their people to their former village adjoining the fort. The permission was gladly accepted, and the removal effected within a few days. Mean- while the palisade separating the native huts from the company's precincts had been strengthened, and a heavy gate built, through which no savage was allowed to enter without a permit. On certain days, they might, at a stated hour, visit the enclosed space for the purpose of disposing of game, fish, furs, and other commodities. Before sunset the streets were patrolled by an armed guard, and all the natives kept out from that time until daylight; sentries were doubled and kept vigilant by a half-hourly exchange of signals. These regulations were found so satisfactory that they were continued by Mouravief's successors, and to a certain extent even by the American troops who took charge of the territory after its transfer in 1867.
The chief manager, or governor as he was now styled, also issued orders that the garrisons should be placed under strict discipline at all the outlying sta- tions; but only in Kadiak could this be done, for at other points the force was too small to allow of mili- tary organization. He then made a tour of inspection
536
THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
through the colonies, visiting all the stations except those at Atkha and Atoo, and on his return divided the colonies into districts. The Sitka district in- cluded the mainland of Russian America from Mount St Elias as far as latitude 54° 40' N., together with the islands along the adjacent shore. The Kadiak district embraced the coast and the islands on the gulfs of Kenaï and Chugatsch, the Alaska peninsula as far south as Shumagin Island, the Kadiak, Ooka- mok, Semidi, and all adjacent islands, the shores of Bristol Bay, and the coast between the mouths of the Nushagak and Kuskokvim rivers. In the Mikhaïlof district were included the basins of the Kvichak and Kuskokvim rivers, and the coast lying between Norton Sound and Bering Strait. The Unalaska dis- trict comprised all of the Alaska peninsula not in- cluded in the district of Kadiak, and the Lissiev, Sannakh, and Prybilof islands. The Atkha district consisted of the Andreanofsky group and the Blishie, Krissie, and Commander islands, and the Kurile dis- trict of the islands of that name lying between Ou- rupa and the Kamchatka peninsula.6
Soon after Mouravief's arrival, the colonies were once more threatened with starvation, a danger which was due to the following incidents: In the summer of 1821 supplies were despatched from Kronstadt in the Rurik, which had been placed at the company's disposal at the conclusion of Kotzebue's voyage, and in the Elizaveta, a Hamburg ship. The command of the Rurik and of the expedition was given to Master Klotchkof. The Elizaveta was intrusted to Acting Master Kisslakovsky.7 While rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the two craft met with a hurricane, dur-
6 The head office of the colonies was of course at Novo Arkhangelsk. There was also an office at St Paul in Kadiak. The other districts were managed by agents selected by the colonial administration. Golovnin, Obsor. Russ. Kol. in Materialui, 51-2.
7 Their cargoes consisted of goods for the colonies and of rye flour for Okhotsk. Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., i. 335.
537
HARD TIMES.
ing which the Elizaveta lost several sails and sprung a-leak, whereupon both vessels were headed for Si- mon Bay. On again putting to sea, after repairs had been made at great expense, it was found that the ship still leaked, and it was thought best to return to port, sell the Elizaveta, and transfer her crew to the Rurik, which arrived at Novo Arkhangelsk in November 1822. As most of the supplies had been given in payment for repairs, the governor detained her in the colonies, having no other vessel at his dis- posal fitted for a long voyage in search of provisions.
When informed of this disaster, the directors at once ordered the purchase of a ship of four hundred tons in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The craft was re- named the Elena, and placed under command of Lieu- tenant Chistiakof, who had before made the voyage from Kronstadt to Novo Arkhangelsk. A few days before the vessel was ready for sea a general assembly of shareholders was held, at which one of the direc- tors 8 stated that, as several rich cargoes had recently been despatched to the colonies, goods and provisions must have accumulated there in great quantity, and that there was no necessity to despatch another vessel round the world. The majority of the shareholders present adopted this view of the matter, and the ex- pedition was abandoned for the time.
Thus in the year 1823 it became known throughout the settlements that supplies need not be expected from home during that and the following year. At the same time a despatch was received from the com- pany's commissioner in California, stating that, on ac- count of a failure of crops and for other reasons, it would be impossible to forward the usual quantity of bread-stuffs from that country. The colonies were now in evil case, and starvation, or at best the pros- pect of living for a time on seal flesh, appeared to be inevitable, for already the storehouses were almost
8 Named Prokofeief. Id., 337.
538
THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
empty. Mouravief at once sent an urgent appeal to the managers, and meanwhile despatched Lieutenant Etholen to the Sandwich Islands in the brig Golovnin for a cargo of provisions, the Rurik being then en- gaged in the intercolonial trade. Calling at San Fran- cisco on his voyage, Etholin succeeded, notwithstand- ing the dearth, in bartering furs for a large quantity of wheat9 at moderate rates. Proceeding thence to the Sandwich Islands, where he found the price of most commodities extremely high, he purchased at a fair price an American brig named the Arab, with her cargo of provisions and trading goods,10 the cap- tain agreeing to take his craft to Novo Arkhangelsk. Both vessels arrived safely, and in time to prevent any serious suffering among the colonists. A few months later the stock of provisions was further increased by the cargo of the Rurik, which was sent to the Sand- wich Islands with the crew of the Arab, after calling at California ports during the voyage, and returned with a moderate supply.11
As in this instance, the colonies had frequently been relieved from want by trade with foreigners; and in- deed, this was too often the only means of averting starvation. Even between 1818 and 1822, when sup- plies were comparatively abundant, goods, consisting mainly of provisions, were obtained by traffic with American and English masters to the value of more
" He paid also 5,000 piastres in cash, and secured altogether 1,900 fanegas. The entire crop in California for 1823 was only 50,000 fanegas. See Hist. Cal., ii. 493, this series.
10 The brig was renamed the Baikal. Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., i. 338, claims that the company realized a large profit on this transaction, but his explanation of the matter is somewhat vague.
11 The goods purchased in the Sandwich Islands were 1,000 lbs. of salt, 1,270 lbs. of biscuit, 500 lbs. of sperm candles, 217 gals. of rum, 133 gals. of brandy, 39 kegs of cocoanuts, and 18 kegs of tar, for which were given in ex- change 2,000 fur-seal skins and 300 Spanish piastres. Khlebnikof, Zapiski in Materialui, 85. In 1825 fur-seal skins were bartered in the Sandwich Isl- ands by the captain of one of the company's ships on the basis of $1.75 per skin. Id., 88. This seems an extravagent price, when, as will be remem- bered, the price at Kiakhta was only 5 to 7 roubles in scrip ($1 to $1.40); but it was the usual rate at which furs were exchanged at Novo Arkhangelsk with American and English skippers. See Id., 75-6, where a list is given of goods exchanged in trade with foreigners between 1818 and 1822.
539
CHISTIAKOF SUCCEEDS MOURAVIEF.
than three hundred thousand roubles in scrip.12 The supplies shipped by the company were never more than sufficient for the actual needs of the settlements, and if a ship were lost, her cargo was seldom replaced. The Aleuts were, of course, the principal sufferers, often perishing during their hunting expeditions from hunger and exposure. But what mattered the lives of the Aleuts ? It were better that hundreds of them should perish for lack of food than that the share- holders should suffer from want of dividends.
The governor's appeal was, however, too urgent to be neglected, and, on the 31st of July, 1824, the Elena sailed from Kronstadt with a cargo of supplies, arriv- ing at Novo Arkhangelsk a year later.13 The ship was again placed in charge of Lieutenant Chistiakof,14 who was directed to relieve Mouravief, the latter re- turning home on board the same vessel.15
It is probable that the only reason for Mouravief's recall was some slight disobedience of orders, coupled with the failure of the hunting expeditions sent out by his direction. About the close of the year 1822 the Russian sloop of war Apollon had arrived at Novo Arkhangelsk, with instructions that all trade with foreigners should cease, and for two years the inter- dict remained in force.16 Willing as he was to obey
12 The paper rouble, worth at this time about 20 cents, though its value was of course fluctuating, is always the one spoken of in this volume, unless the silver rouble (worth about 75 cents) is specified.
13 The Elena returned to the colonies in 1828, with a cargo worth 500,000 roubles. Among those on board was the creole Kashevarof. We again hear of this vessel at Novo Arkhangelsk in 1836, on which occasion she brought out Lieutenant Mashin and Master Khalizof. In August of the following year the Nikolai was despatched from Kronstadt. Among her passengers was the creole Arkhimandritof. Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., i. 347-50. Kashev- arof and Arkhimandritof had been educated at the company's expense, the latter at the imperial school of navigation, and both afterward did good ser- vice as navigators, and the former as an explorer.
14 In the instructions given to Chistiakof, it was stated that the frigate Kreisser and the sloop-of-war Ladoga had been sent to the colonies to prevent all foreign trade which might be injurious to the colonies, especially that of exchanging fire-arms and munitions of war with the natives in return for peltry. Id., 339-40.
15 With a cargo of furs valued at 150,000 roubles, and 10,000 pouds of sugar purchased in Brazil. Id., 340.
16 When it was removed, in 1824, the company was relieved from its obli-
540
THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
even this ill-advised order, he was sometimes compelled to enter into transactions that were necessary to the very existence of the Ross colony, to which he must now look for supplies in case of need.17 Of sea-otter, the catch during the four years of Mouravief's ad- ministration was little more than fifteen hundred skins18-a grievous contrast with the condition of this industry in the days of Baranof, who, it is related, could estimate, almost exactly, the number of furs which could be collected in each section of his hunt- ing grounds.19
Not satisfied with prohibiting foreign trade, the Russian government issued an order forbidding the approach of any foreign vessel within thirty leagues of the coast. In 1822 the sloops-of-war Kreisser and Ladoga arrived in the colonies from St Petersburg, having been sent out to enforce the provisions of the oukaz, and remained in colonial waters for two years.20
gation to furnish provisions in its own vessels for Petropavlovsk and Okhotsk. Dok. Com. Russ. Amer. Kol., i. 35.
17 About this period trade with California became very considerable. From the company's books we find that between 1817 and 1825 eleven vessels visited San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Monterey, exchanging furs for provi- sions.
18 The catch for each year between 1818 and 1825 is given in Khlebnikof, Zapiski in Materialui, 73.
19 In 1829 the catch had become so small that little hunting was allowed, and payment was made to the captains of trading vessels in bills of exchange instead of furs. Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., i. 341.
20 A second voyage round the world was made by Otto von Kotzebue dur- ing the years 1823-1826. A new ship, the Predpriatie (Enterprise), carrying 24 guns, was fitted out for this undertaking. There were on board the nat- uralists Eschscholtz and Lenz, the astronomer Preus, and the mineralogist Hoff- man. Kotzebue's New Voy. round World, i. introd. The commander received general instructions to protect the interests of the Russian American Com- pany. He sailed from St Petersburg on the 2Sth of July, 1823, and after a prolonged sojourn at Rio Janeiro, and a quick trip around Cape Horn, put into Concepcion Bay, Chile, which country had become republican since his last visit. Owing to intrigues between the different parties, he was not so well received as on the former occasion. In his journal he asserted that a plot had heen formed to capture him and his officers, and that two Chilian men-of-war attempted to prevent the sailing of the Predpriatie, which vessel next visited the Sandwich Islands, and the groups in the Caroline Archipelago discovered during the voyage of the Rurik. The expedition finally reached Petropavlovsk and Kamchatka on the Sth of June, 1824, and sailed for Novo Arkhangelsk on the 10th of August. Thence Kotzebue again proceeded to the Sandwich Islands and the coast of California, where he greatly increased the difficulties then arising between the Russian and Californian authorities in regard to the continued occupation of the Ross colony. In his report upon the matter, he
541
A DIPLOMATIC CLOUD.
The shareholders soon began to see the folly of their senseless agitation against traffic with foreign- ers; receipts fell off to an alarming extent, and it be- came evident that something must be done to avert the dissolution of the company. At a general meeting, one of the directors, named Prokofief, laid before them the report of Mouravief in relation to the evil effects of the imperial order, and stated that a famine would have ensued in all the colonies if the governor had obeyed the spirit as well as the letter of his instruc- tions. He pointed out to them how much Baranof owed to his unfettered intercourse with foreign traders in developing the resources of the colonies. He also showed them the enormous expense of expeditions sent direct from Kronstadt, and the advantage of pur- chasing goods from foreign skippers who came to the company's ports at their own risk and expense. His appeal was successful, and a resolution was adopted · by the assembly petitioning the government to reopen to foreign vessels the port of Novo Arkhangelsk. The request was granted, and the consequence was that under Chistiakof's management there was a great im- provement in the company's affairs.
While the company's business was thus progressing satisfactorily, a cloud arose in the diplomatic horizon, which at one time threatened the very existence of the colonies. As soon as the arbitrary measure of Russia became known to English and American north- west traders, protestations and complaints were for- warded to their respective governments. The matter was discussed with some heat in the United States congress, causing voluminous diplomatic correspond- ence. In the mean time some traffic was carried on under protest, and the matter was finally settled by the Anglo-Russian and Russo-American treaties of 1824 and 1825, when the eastern and southern
sided clearly with the Californian authorities and against the company. He returned to Novo Arkhangelsk on the 23d of February, 1825, and sailed on his homeward voyage in the autumn of the following year.
542
THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
boundaries were then established as they remain to the present day, the limit of Russia's territory being fixed at latitude 54° 40'. The clause relating to the boundary between the Portland Canal and Mount St Elias furnishes an instance of the absurdity of legis- lation by diplomates in regard to regions of which they were entirely ignorant. At some time in the future this work will have to be undone, and another line agreed upon, as it is impossible to follow in real- ity the wording of the treaty.21
The convention between the Russian and English governments was concluded in February 1825. The commissioners on the part of Russia were the same
21 I insert here an extract from the treaty with the United States of the 17th of April, 1824, as published by the Russian government: 'I. With mutual consent, it is hereby established that in all parts of the great ocean commonly known as the Pacific Ocean, or its adjoining seas to the south, the citizens and subjects of the high contracting powers may engage freely and withont oppo- sition in navigation or fishing, and enjoy the right to establish themselves on the coasts of such regions as are not already occupied for the purpose of trad- ing with the natives, subject to the rules and regulations mentioned in subse- quent clauses. II. In order to prevent such privileges from serving as a pretext for engaging in illegitimate traffic, it is agreed that the citizens of the United States cannot land at places where Russian settlements are located, without the permission of the local agent or commander, and that in the same manner Russian subjects cannot land without permission in the settlements of the United States on the north-west coast. III. It is also agreed that from this time forth citizens of the United States, or persons under protection of those states, will establish no settlements on the north-west coast of America, or any of the adjoining islands north of latitude 54° 40' N., and that Russian subjects will establish no settlements to the south of the same parallel. IV. It is provided, however, that for a period of ten years, to commence from the signing of this treaty, the ships of both powers, or the subjects belonging to either, shall be allowed to enter without restriction all interior waters, bays, coves, and harbors of either country, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the native inhabitants of the country. V. From the trade permitted in the preceding paragraphs are excepted all spirituous liquors, fire and small arms, powder, and munitions of war of all kinds, which both contracting powers agree not to sell or to allow their citizens or subjects to sell to the native inhab- itants. It is also agreed that this prohibition shall not serve as a pretext for searching vessels or detaining them, or for the seizure of goods, or for violent measures against the commanders or crews of the vessels engaged in such traffic, since the high contracting powers reserve to themselves the right of meting out punishments or imposing fines for infraction of this article on their respective citizens and subjects. VI. As soon as this treaty is ratified in due form, on the one hand by his Majesty the emperor of all the Russias, and on the other by the president of the United States with consent of the senate, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within ten months of the date hereto subscribed, or sooner if possible, in confirmation of which the respective plenipotentiaries have appended their signatures and their respective seals and stamps. St Petersburg, April 5th (17thi), in the year 1824, after the birth of Christ, 1824.' Tikhmenef, Istor. Obos., i. app. 62-3.
543
TREATY WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
as those who concluded the American treaty, while Great Britain was represented by Lord Stratford Canning, a privy councillor. The third article con- tains the boundary clause which was subsequently inserted in the Russo-American treaty at the cession of Alaska, and is thus worded: "The boundary line between the possessions of the high contracting pow- ers on the coast of the mainland and the islands of north-western America is established as follows: be- ginning at the southernmost point of the islands named Prince of Wales, which point is situated in latitude 54° 40' N. and between the 131st and 133d degrees of western longitude, the line extends north along a sound known as Portland Canal, to a point on the mainland where it crosses the 56th degree of north latitude. Hence the boundary line follows the chain of mountains running parallel with the coast to the point of intersection with the 141st degree of longitude west from Greenwich, and finally from this point of intersection on the same meridian to the Arctic Sea, forming the boundary between the Rus- sian and British possessions on the mainland of north- western America." 22
22 The first and second articles are substantially the same as in the treaty with the United States. The fourth article stipulates that, 'with regard to the boun- dary lines established in the preceding article, it is understood that the island named Prince of Wales belongs entirely to Russia, and that whenever the sum- mits of the mountains running parallel with the coast from 56° of N. lat. to the point of intersection with the 141st meridian shall be more than ten leagues from the shore, the boundary line of the British possessions shall run parallel with the coast line at a distance not greater than ten leagues, the land between such line and the coast to belong to Russia.' Article v. provides that the con- tracting powers must not establish settlements within each other's territory. Article vi. stipulates that the subjects of Great Britain shall be forever at liberty to pass to and from the ocean by way of rivers and streams emptying into the Pacific Ocean and cutting through the coast strip in Russian posses- sion described above. Article vii. provides for free navigation and right of fishery by the subjects of both powers for ten years in the harbors, bays, and channels. Clause viii. provides that the port of Novo Arkhangelsk shall be open to the trade and to the ships of British subjects for ten years counting from the day of ratification, and that if any other power should obtain this privilege for a longer period, the time shall be extended to Great Britain. Article ix. provides that the free trade granted in previous paragraphs shall not extend to spiritnous liquors, powder or other munitions of war, which shall not be sold to any of the native inhabitants. By article x. Russian and British ships were permitted to enter any harbor in distress or for repairs,
544
THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
It was further provided in these conventions that citizens of the United States and subjects of Great Britain should have the right of free navigation, fish- ery, and trade in the Alaskan waters for a period of ten years, but that the trading-posts of either con- tracting power could not be visited by subjects or citizens of the other without the consent of the officer in command; that at the end of ten years this right might be abrogated by Russia; that in the mean while arms, ammunition, and spirituous liquors were in no case to be sold to the natives, and that British sub- jects should always have the privilege of passing to and fro on rivers and streams flowing into the Pacific and cutting the strip of coast already described.
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