THE RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY. 55 



tlie authorities to maintain the strictest surveillance over their move- 

 ments. Basing your own a(;tion upon this proceeding on the part of 

 our Plighest Protector, you as commander of all our Colonies must pro- 

 hibit with equal strictness all foreigners from engaging in any inter- 

 course or trade with native inhabitants, as well as from visiting the 

 v/.iters frequented by sea otters and fur-s(;als, over which our operations 

 extend, under the i)enalty of the most severe measures, including the 

 confiscation of ships and the imprisonment of crews engaged in this 

 illegal traffic. You must act with the greatest severity in cases where 

 foreigners have sold to tlie natives arms, powder, and lead. They must 

 be made to understand that their presence in our waters is contrary to 

 our laws, and that they will never be admitted to any i)ort unless you 

 or your subordinates convince yourselves that such is necessary for 

 the saving of life. In a word, you must preserve an attitude in full 

 arccord with the views of the Imperial Go vernment on this subject, and 

 protect against all intruders the douuiin of land and water granted to us 

 by the grace of the Phnperor, and necessary for our continued existence 

 and ijrosperity. 



You nuist transmit these instructions without delay to your subordi- 

 nate commanders for their conduct in their intercourse with foreigners, 

 and especially to the commanders of ships navigating our waters, to 

 enable them to drive away the foreign intruders. 



The communication from the Minister of Marine also contained a co^^y 

 of a letter from the present Governor-General of Siberia embodying 

 many suggestions and o])inions of advantage to the Company. Of this 

 document the boaid of administration forwards a copy for your guidance, 

 to enable you to act for the best interests of the Comx)any. 



Michael Kisselef, 

 Venedict Kramer, 

 Andrei Severin, 



Directors. 



April 2:5, 1820. 



^o. 2(j5. 



P. S, — We hereby inform you that the Government has decided to 

 dispatch two shi])s around the world during the piesent summer; one 

 to winter in Ivamehatka, and theotlierto proceed to Sitka and to cruise 

 in search of foreign vessels. 



No. 4. 



Letter from tlie Board of Administration of the RuHsian American Com- 

 pany to Capt. M. I Muravkf^ Chief Manager of tlie liussian America n 

 colonies. Written from St. Petersburg, March 31, 1821. 



Your two letters from Okhotsk, of the 26th and 28th of July, havo 

 been received by us with satisfaction, but with still greater pleasure we 

 read your just remarks relating to various subjects intimately con- 

 nected with the Company's interests. For this we render you our most 

 sincere thanks, wishing you at the same time a safe arrival at your des- 

 tination and good health, and that you may always retain at heart the 

 best interests of our Company. 



Your remarks to Mr. Riccord can not, we think, have been very ac- 



