206 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHBEIES. 



whalers, until at last the company proposed to the Imperial Government that if a cruiser were sent 

 out from Russia to guard the colonial coast against intruders the company would bear the expenses 

 of such a vessel. The Emperor agreed to the proposal, and gave orders to the naval authorities to 

 prepare estimates as to cost and expenditure. In reply a report was received stating- that the sum 

 of 270,000 rubles was required to fit out the ship for the cruise, and 85,000 rubles annually for its 

 maintenance. This sum the company found itself unable to pay and the- project fell through. At 

 last, in 1850, the corvette OHvitza was ordered to the Sea of Okhotsk, and did some service in 

 keeping foreign whalers out of that sea and breaking up their principal station near the Shanta 

 Islands. In the mean time Tebenkof's suggestions concerning the fostering of Russian whaling 

 interests in the Pacific had borne some fruit; a few of the shareholders of the Russian-American 

 Company, together with some ship-owners in Finland, concluded to fit out whaling ships in Fin- 

 laud or at Cronstadt and send them around into the waters of Bering Sea and the Arctic beyond 



the straits. 



"A capital of 100,000 rubles was quickly contributed, and active operations began as early 

 as 1849. By order of the Emperor a sum of 20,000 rubles was appropriated from the special fund 

 of the province of Finland to aid in the construction of the first whaling ship, and a sum of 10,000 

 rubles to be paid the company for the construction of each succeeding ship of the same class. The 

 company also obtained the privilege of importing, free of duty, all the material necessary for build- 

 ing and fitting out the first twelve ships and to carry on the business without payment of duties 

 for a period of twelve years. The name of this branch company was ' The Russian-Finland Whal- 

 ing Company,' and its charter was approved on the 13th of December, 1850. 



"The first ship, the Suomi, of 500 tons, was built in the port of Abo, Finland, in the year 

 1S51. The command of the vessel was intrusted to a German captain, Hagshagen, and a crew 

 of thirty-six men was engaged, which consisted principally of foreigners, among them three steers- 

 men, three harpooners, and three coopers. The whale boats had been imported from New Bed- 

 ford. The cruise of the Suomi in the Okhotsk Sea in the year 1852-'53 was very successful, the 

 catch being 1,500 barrels of oil and 21,400 pounds of whalebone ; the cargo was sold in the Sand- 

 wich Islands, realizing 88,000 rubles, a sum that covered the price of constructing the vessel and 

 fitting it out and left a clear profit of 13,000 rubles. Unfortunately the war with England and 

 France broke out about that time and interfered with further operations in this line. 



" The Suomi had sailed for home before the news of the war reached the Sandwich Islands, 

 and consequently knew nothing of the circumstances when she made the first port on the English 

 coast. The pilot came oft' and, strange to say, warned the captain of his danger, and gave him an 

 opportunity to make his escape to Bremen. The presence of French and English cruisers in the 

 channel made it necessary to sell the ship at Bremen for the comparatively small sum of 21,000 

 rubles. 



"The second whale-ship dispatched by the new company was the Turko, which left for the 

 Okhotsk Sea in 1852, having been fitted out altogether at Abo. The captain was a German by 

 the name of Schale, and the crew consisted of twenty-five Finlanders, many of whom had served 

 on American whaling voyages. A cargo of goods for the Russian-American Company was also 

 forwarded in this ship, but by various disasters the vessel was delayed and did not arrive at 

 Sitka until late in 1853. Shortly before reaching port a few whales were killed, 150 barrels of oil 

 and 650 pounds of bone being secured. 



"Early in the following spring the ship proceeded to sea under command of the first mate, 

 Sederblom, the captain being disabled by disease. The voyage was very successful, resulting in 

 a catch of 1,700 barrels of oil and 23,000 pounds of whalebone. 



