36 THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY. 



While the privileges conferred by this charter 

 were very great, the Company was, on the other 

 hand, burdened with some heavy obligations. 



Its obligations, j^ ^r^g compelled at its own expense to carry on 

 the government of the region over which its priv- 

 ileges extended, to maintain courts, the church, 

 and a small military force, and, at a later period, 

 to hold r.eady at various j^oints on the coast 

 provisions and stores for the use, in cases of 

 emergency, of the naval vessels or troops of the 

 Russian Government. 



Its mode of gov- For tlic purposcs of administration the Impe- 



ernmeut. 



rial Government and the directors of the Com- 

 pany jointly appointed a chief manager, who 

 resided at Sitka, and who at an early date was 

 required to be an officer of the navy of high 

 rank. His powers were absolute within the ter- 

 ritory over which the Company exercised juris- 

 diction. Under him were sub-managers, over- 

 seers, and other agents. Reports of the Com- 

 pany's transactions were submitted originally to 

 the Minister of the Interior, and later to the 

 Minister of Finance. 

 Officers of inipe- Dating from the year 1802 officers of the Im- 



rial ijiivy eugagcd . n - n i r 



ill its Bcrvice. penal navy were constantly m tlie employ oi 

 the Company. As long as it maintained a mili- 

 tary and naval force in the Colonies at its own 

 expense, such forces were entirely at the dis- 



