178 Biographical Account of [Marcs, 
duties at Glasgow. The Empress of Russia, convinced of the im- 
portance of placing her marine on the best footing, made an appli- 
cation to the Government of this country for permission to engage 
in her service some of the most able and experienced of our naval 
officers, to whom she might entrust both the contrivance and the 
execution of the intended reformation. The request was agreed to, 
and the person recommended was Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, 
who had long applied with great diligenee to the study of naval 
architecture, as well as to that of every branch of his profession, 
and who about 50 years before had been sent to Portugal ona 
similar mission. A proceeding so free from that jealousy which 
often marks the conduct of great nations no less than the dealings 
of the most obscure corporations, is particularly deserving of praise. 
From the first moment that this offer was made to the Admiral, he 
communicated it to Mr. Robison, whom he wished to engage as 
his secretary, and to whom, as he says in his ietters, he looked for 
much assistance in the duty he was about to undertake. A very 
handsome appointment was made for Mr. Robison, and in the end 
of December, 1770, he set out with Sir Charles and his family on 
the journey to St. Petersburgh, over land. 
Admiral Knowles held the office of President of the Board of 
Admiralty ; and his intention was thet Mr. Robison should have the 
place of Secretary. The Russian Board, however, being consti- 
tuted more on the plan of the French than the English, there was 
no place corresponding to that of our Secretary of the Admiralty. 
Mr. Robison continued, therefore, in the character of Private 
Secretary to the Admiral. 
During the first year of the Admiral’s residence in Russia, and 
for the greater part of the second, Mr. Robison remained with him, 
employed in forming and digesting a plan for improving the 
methods of building, rigging, and navigating, the Russian ships of 
-war, and for reforming, of consequence, the whole detail of the 
operations in the naval arsenals of that empire. 
These innovations, however, met with more resistance than 
either the Admiral or his Secretary had permitted themselves to 
suppose. The work of reform, conducted by a foreigner, even 
when he is supported by despotic power, must proceed but slowly ; 
jealousy, pride, and self-interest, will continually counteract the 
plans of improvement, and by their vigilance and unceasing activity 
will never wholly fail of success. All this was experienced by 
Admiral Knowles; yet there is no doubt that material advantages 
were derived by the Russian navy from the new system which he 
was enabled partially to introduce. 
Mr. Robison, from his first arrival at St. Petersburgh, had 
applied with great diligence to the study of the Russian language, 
and had made himself so much master of it as to speak and write 
it with considerable facility. In summer 1772, a vacancy happening 
in the mathematical chair attached to the Imperial Sea Cadet Corps 
of Nobles, at Cronstadt, Mr. Robison was solicited to accept of 
