70 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



All this however is high matter upon which I dare not open my lips till 

 I hear again from you. I have by no means forgot that your despatch of the 

 12th of July leads me to expect further instructions from you so soon as you 

 should know more precisely than you then did the views of the American Gov- 

 ernment in regard to our concert of measures, and I think it very probable 

 that I may hear from you upon the subject even before this letter reaches 

 England. Still however I have thought it advisable to dispatch this Messenger 

 to you if it is only to enable you to compare the language held to me by Mr. 

 Middleton, with that which Rush may be holding to you in London; and 

 moreover to remind you, in case it should be necessary, that if I am to conclude 

 any thing here jointly with Mr. Middleton, the full powers which I have are 

 inadequate, as they were drawn up before there was any question of concert 

 with America, and as they do not specifically empower me to treat about bound- 

 ary even with Russia. 



I am, &c., 



CHARLES BAGOT 



Sir Charles Bagot to Mr. George Canning 



St. Petersburgh, December 29, 1823 



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"The American Minister here has drawn up a huge and lengthy memorial 

 about N. W. Coasts which he designs to give in to this Government. But he 

 has not done so yet, waiting I believe to know a little the nature of the instruc- 

 tions which I may receive from you. It is a sort of narrative to show that 

 Russia has no real rights upon these Coasts South of the 61st degree, and is 

 drawn from Humboldt, Lisiansky and all the voyagers in the world. He has 

 had one conversation upon the general question with Nesselrode in which he 

 took a very high tone, and got, as I am assured, a very sharp rap on the knuckles. 

 He has by order of his Government given in a note to Count Nesselrode claiming 

 indemnity for the loss of the voyage of an United States ship which had (last 

 year I believe) entered the Port of Nov Archangelsk or Sitca, and had been warned 

 by the Russian Governor there, under the Ukase of 1821, to quit the coast 

 in 24 hours. He has not yet received any answer to this note but I know that 

 he has been invited to a conference with Count Nesselrode tomorrow and I 

 think it is probable that he may desire to see him upon this very subject. 



I believe that the idea of the Imperial Court removing next year to Mos- 

 cow is abandoned. The expense is found to be too great — and moreover the 

 Prince and Princess of Orange and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Weimar are 

 expected to arrive here in the Summer. 



I am, &c., 



CHARLES BAGOT 



