308 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



tlieir tonnage could be devoted to such stores tliey will be able to car- 



tbe latter object. This iuforma- ry. There is another reason why 



tion would be useful also for other this information would be useful, 

 purposes. 



The Governor-General of Sibe- The Governor-General of Sibe- 

 ria, in his Eeport on the impover- ria, in his Eeport on the wretched 

 ished condition of the Yakutsk condition of the Yakut country, 

 country, points out as the princi- states that he believes that the 

 pal reason for this condition the chief cause of the poverty of that 

 burdens im])osed upon the i^eople region is the system adopted for 

 through transportation of Govern- transporting Government stores 

 ment and commercial cargoes over- and merchandise from Yakutsk to 

 land from Yakutsk to Okhotsk. Okhotsk, and that, although it 

 If by means of the vessels of the is true that the old arrangements 

 Imperial fleet to be disi)atched to for this transport service were in 

 those shores the Yakutsk x>eople 1810 replaced by a system of con- 

 are relieved from this service tracts, nevertheless the Yakuts, 

 they may devote their energies who were almost ruined before this 

 to cattle-breeding, already estab- change took place, and whose cat- 

 lislied among them, and thus better tie, moreover, arecoustantly visited 

 their deplorable condition. by disease, are scarcely able to 



bear the heavy burden imposed on 

 them by the transport service. 



If your Excellency should find If your Excellency should con- 



an annual dispatch of two such sider it practicable to disi^atch two 



vessels, as suggested above, practi- ships annually as proposed above, 



cable, and if the two vessels, and if, in addition to their own 



13 or one, as the case may be, stores, they are able to take some 



could take, in addition to for the ports of Okhotsk and Petro- 



theirown supplies, a certain quan- pavlovsk, this arrangement would 



tity of arms and ammunition for be a great relief to the Yakuts, 



Okhotsk and Petropavlovsk, such besides saving the Treasury con- 



a measure would relieve the suf- siiderable expense, 



fering Yakutes, and at the same In order, however, to be able to 



time afford a partial reimburse- judge better of this matter, it is 



ment of the Government's expense, necessary to ascertain what is the 



[A force of soldiers and sailors weiglit of the stores that are sent 



should also be stationed at the two every year from Yakutsk to Ok- 



ports mentioned above, in order to hotsk, so far as the Ministry of 



till all vacancies caused by death Marine is concerned, as well as the 



or otherwise in the commands of number of horses employed in 



the cruising vessels.] transporting them during the last 



few years. 



In thus laying before you my Having explained my views on 



thoughts on the subject, I am per- this subject, 1 request your Excel- 



mitted to state that they have lency to be so good as to give your 



received the highest consideration attention to what is stated above, 



of His Imperial Majesty, and I can and to favour me with your opinion 



assure your Excellency that the thereon, in Order that I may take 



proi)Ositiou meets with the highest it into consideration in connection 



approval, and this matter is sub- with the proposals I am about to 



mitted to you now to enable you to make in regard to the renewal of 



consider the arrangements neces- the regulations and privileges of 



sary to be made for the purpose of the Kussian- American Company 



