10 VITUS BERIJ^-G. 



during Kussia's protracted strnggles, his energy found 

 that scope which he before had sought on the ocean, and 

 at the same time he had the satisfaction of fighting the 

 foes of his native land. He was a bold and able com- 

 mander. During the whole war he cruised about in the 

 Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, and in the Baltic and 

 other northern waters. Some of the most important 

 transport expeditions were entrusted to him. The Czar 

 prized his services very highly, and when, after the mis- 

 fortune at Pruth in 1711, he laid a plan to rescue three 

 of the best ships of his Black Sea fleet by a bold run 

 through the Bosporus, Vitus Bering, Peder Bredal, and 

 Simon Skop were chosen for the task. Whether the plan 

 was carried out, it is difficult to determine. Berch says 

 that it was not, and adds, '' I cite the incident simply to 

 show that even at that time Bering was looked upon as 

 an excellent commander." In various West European 

 authorities, however, it is distinctly stated that Sievers 

 conducted the ships to England, and in a review of 

 Bering's life published by the Admiralty in 1882, it is 

 stated that Bering was in 1711 appointed to conduct the 

 ship Munker from the Sea of Azov to the Baltic, and as 

 the Admiralty would hardly in a condensed report have 

 taken notice of plans which had never been carried out, 

 it seems most probable that Berch has been incorrectly 

 informed. 



In 1707 Bering was promoted to the position of lieu- 

 tenant, in 1710 to that of lieutenant-captain, and in 1715 

 to that of captain of the fourth rank, when he assumed 

 command of the new ship Selafail in Archangel to sail it 

 to Copenhagen and Kronstadt. In 1716 he participated 



