IMPERIAL RUSSIAN EDICTS RELATING TO THE 

 RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY. 



CHARTER OF 1799.' 



First cliarier of the Russian American Company. 



On the original is written in His Imperial Majesty's own hand: "Be 

 it thus."— Peterhoff, July 8, 1791). 



"By the grace of a merciful God, we, Paul the First, Emperor and 

 Autocrat of all the Kussias, etc. To the Russian American Comf)any 

 under our highest lu'otection. The beneftts and advantages resulting to 

 our emi^ire from the hunting and trading carried on by our loyal subjects 

 in the northeastern seas and along the coasts of America have attracted 

 GUI imperial attention and consideration; therefore, having taken under 

 our immediate protection a Company organized for the above-named 

 j)urpose of carrying on hunting and trading, we allow it to assume the 

 appellation of 'Russian American Company, oi)erating under our High- 

 est Protection;' and for the purpose of aiding the Company in its enter- 

 prises, we allow the commanders of our land and sea forces to employ 

 said forces in the Company's aid if occasion requires it, while for fur- 

 ther relief and assistance of said Company, and having examined their 

 rules and regulations, we hereby declare it to be our highest Imperial 

 will to grant to tliis Company for a i^eriod of 20 years the following- 

 rights and privileges: 



I. By the right of discovery in past times by Russian navigators of 

 the northeastern^ part of America, beginning from the fifty-fifth degree 

 of north latitude and of the chain of islands extending from Kamchatka 

 to the north to Americu, and southward to Ja^^an, and by right of pos- 

 session of the same by Russia, we most graciously permit the Comjiany 

 to have the use of all hunting-grounds and establisliments now exist- 

 ing on the northeastern''^ coast of America, from the above mentioned 

 flfty-fitth degree to Bering Strait, and also on the Aleutian, Kurile, and 

 other islands situated in the aSTortheastern Ocean. 



II. To make new discoveries not only north of the fifty-fifth degree 

 of north latitude, but farther to tlie south, and to occu])y the new 

 lands discovered, as Russian possessions, according to prescribed rules, 

 if they have not been previously occupied by, or been dependent on, 

 any other nation. 



III. To use and profit by everything which has been or shall be dis- 

 covered in those localities, on the surface and in the interior of the earth, 

 without competition from others. 



IV. We most graciously permit this Company to establish settle- 

 ments in future times, wherever they are wanted, according to its best 



' For Russian text, see Tiklimeuicr, vol. i, app., p. 10, and Golovuiu, in Materialui, 

 I, 1)]). 77-80. 

 * ISic. 

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