580 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



siderable value, and contained a 

 judicious, though far too plenti- 

 ful an assortment of articles, for 

 the use of the inhabitants of 

 Kamtschatka, whose poverty 

 soon showed the ruinous conse- 

 quences which would attend this 

 attempt to serve them, especially 

 if the tariff was enforced. Re- 

 pairing to the capital, Mr. Dobell 

 met with a most gracious recep- 

 tion from the Emperor, who pre- 

 sented him with a valuable ring 

 on account of services rendered 

 Capt. Krusenstern at Canton, and 

 issued an ukase, permitting the 

 sale of prohibited articles then 

 imported into Kamtschatka, on 

 the payment of thirtj' per cent, 

 reducing the duties chargeable 

 by the tariff on articles to per- 

 haps an average of about twelve 

 per cent, and making free of duty 

 articles of indispensable neces- 

 sity, as provisions, clothing, fur- 

 niture, stationary, &c. It was 

 also noticed, at or about this 

 time, that a deviation from the 

 commercial policy of the empire 

 must be made in favour of the in- 

 sulated inhabitants of Ochotsk 

 and Kamtschatka. Since then, a 

 second ukase has been issued, 

 declaring Mr. Dobell's goods 

 duty free (whether the whole, or 

 the remaining portion I cannot 

 say) : that gentleman has also 

 been appointed Russian consul 

 general at Manilla, and is expect- 

 ed to proceed there very shortly, 

 but with what particular object 

 in view is hard to say ; possibly 

 in the way of his own business 

 rather than of that of the empire. 

 One of his brigs, the Sylph, he 

 begged the Emperor to accept of, 

 and though declined, she yet re- 

 mains at Kamtschatka in ordi- 



nary. Great part of their cargoes 

 are yet on hand, though retailed 

 by the pound of sugar and bottle 

 of rum, and hawked about to 

 every part of the peninsula by 

 two Americans, who have married 

 grand-daughters of Capt. Cook's 

 friend, the worthy priest of Para- 

 tounka. The person who boarded 

 us was one of these agents, who 

 came over from Kamtschatka in 

 the spring with some goods, 

 which not disposing of, detained 

 him at Ochotsk until the next 

 year. 



" The goods imported on the 

 Brothers are considered as being 

 within the meaning of the first 

 ukase, and application has been 

 made to have the second extend- 

 ed to them. My hopes for suc- 

 ceeding in this are sanguine, and 

 founded on the character and in- 

 telligence of governor Menitsky, 

 who, in unison with the govern- 

 ment, I believe to be desirous of 

 inviting commerce to the port 

 for the sake of their own subjects, 

 who it can never be doubted 

 would thus be greatly benefited. 

 Capt. Menitsk)'^, it is to be feared, 

 will not again return to Ochotsk, 

 where he has ])resided five years, 

 as he has the government of 

 Yahutsh, and has applied to be 

 permitted to retire from the navy. 

 He, together with the governor 

 of Kamtschatka, Capt. Rackard, 

 was brought up in the British 

 navy. During the last eight 

 years, Kamtschatka and Ochotsk 

 have been naval governments, 

 and are likely to gain much by 

 the change, the officers in that 

 department of the imperial ser- 

 vice being far more polished and 

 intelligent than the militar)'- ; 

 these places are also garrisoned 



entire-v 



