74 RUSSIAN CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO 



teturn trip. During the whole time of the presence of this ship in the 

 northern i)art of Bering Sea and the vicinity of the Pribihjf Islands the 

 commander must be charged with the duty of cruising in search of for- 

 eign whale ships and of English vessels carrying on trade with our sav- 

 ages. This ship, also, must make no prolonged stay at any anchorage, 

 and must be placed under the command of a naval ofdcer, with a crew 

 consisting prin(;ii)ally of sailors of the navy.^ 



******* 



7. The fourth large vessel of the fleet, which may be used for voy- 

 ages to Kamchatka, must also be lifted out as an armed cruiser and 

 kept in readiness to proceed to any point in Bering Sea or in Siberian 

 waters, from which the presence of foreign ships may be reported by 

 the smaller vessels in the course of the season.^ 



******* 



In transnutting to your Excellency the above outlined plan for the 

 employment of the colonial fleet, the board of administration respect- 

 fully requests that in case the interests of the Comi>any require a devia- 

 tion from our ])lans your Excellency will never lose sight of the fact 

 that the interests of the Company are centered at the present time in 

 the district surrounding the seal islands of the Pribilof and Commander 

 groups, and that consequently the colonial waters must be visited by 

 the Company's cruisers constantly and in every x^art, in order to watch 

 and warn the foreign whalers. For this purpose detailed instructions 

 have been fornuilated for our cruisers, as well as for the commanders 

 of the whale ships of the Company, which are obliged to serve in the 

 capacity of cruis<irs when engaged in whaling in Bering Sea. In all 

 cases, the command of a vessel under orders to cruise in colonial waters 

 nuist be given to naval officers, ^\ho will thereby find an opportunity to 

 make themselves acquainted w ith the routine of colonial transactions, 

 while at the same time their rank will give authority to our proceedings. 



V. POLITKOV.SKY, 



Ko. 17. 



Letter from Captain of the first rank, and Knifjht Iran Vassilievitch 

 Furulielm^ Chief M((it(((jer <>/ the l\iissi((n Anieriean Colonies, to M((stcr 

 Benzeman, of the Imperial ^'art/. AVrittenfroni the CfdonieSj JHne;20, 

 1861. 



To Master Benzeman, of the Imperial Wavy, commandinei the steamer 



Alexander the iSeeond: 



When your steamer is ready for sea, you will leave this port and 

 carry out tlie Ibllowing instructions: 



1. You will proceed to the "Kenai Coal INIining Enterprise;" on ar- 

 rival there deliver the acc,omi>anying ])ackage to the connnan<ler, Min- 

 ing-Engineer Enruhelm, and immediately begin to take on as much 

 coal as you can in addition to the cargo on board. 



' TIic sixth and a portion of ilic scvoiitli ]i;iriigiii]>lis, boiuj; iinniiitcrial, liave uot 

 Ijcou ti'iiusliitcd. Sco fiic-siiuilo of original letter, end of tliis volume. 



