APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



317 



would have crippled the Eussian- 

 Ainericau Couipany, the Board of 

 Adniiiiistration expresses the fol- 

 lowing' opinion: 



As soon as the Imiierial Govern- 

 ment ascertained that the con- 

 tracts made were in open violation 

 of the privilej^es grantedjihe Com 

 pany, it prohibited 

 forei'guers not only from settling 

 m Kamchatka or Okhotsk, but 

 also from all intercourse with those 

 regions, enjoining the authorities 

 to maintain the strictest surveil- 

 lance over their movements. Bas- 

 ing your own action upon this pro- 

 ceeding ou the part of our Highest 

 Protector, you as Commander of 

 all our Colonies must prohibit with 

 equal strictness all foreigners from 

 engaging in any intercourse or 

 trade with native inhabitants, [as 

 well as fr om visiting the w ateis 

 fre quented by sea-otters and fur- 

 seals, over wbich our operations 

 extend,] under the penalty of the 

 luost 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 

 18 cases where foreigners have 

 sold to the natives arms, 

 powder, and lead. They must be 

 made to understand that [their 

 presence i n our waters is contrary 

 to our l^s, an dTThat] they will 

 never be~~admitted to any port 

 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 accord with the 

 views of the Imperial Government 

 on this subject, [ and protect a gainst 

 all intrude rs the domain of land 

 and water granted to us by the 

 grace of the Emperor, and neces- 

 sar y for our continued existence 

 and ijrosperity.j 



Islands, solely for the purpose of 

 taking sea-otters and seals — by 

 which operations they would have 

 ruined the Eussian- American Com- 

 pany — the Board will now explain 

 its views with regard to these va- 

 rious matters. 



In view of the fact that the Gov- 

 ernment has ])erceived that these 

 schemes would have done much 

 harm to the Company, and has pro- 

 atr~o]ice ail hibited foreigners not only 



from 



settling, but also from trading, at 

 Kamtcliatka and Okhotsk, where 

 there are established authorities, 

 and where a surveillance can be 

 exercised, it is your duty, as the 

 Manager of the Colony, to use your 

 best endeavours to carry out His Im- 

 perial Majesty's orders, by strictly 

 prohibiting the foreigners w^ho may 

 visit the Colony from engaging in 

 a traffic with the Indians, and, in 

 case any of them violate the Eegu- 

 lations, not to be afraid to arrest 

 the bold adventurers and seize 

 their ships, if they carry on a traf- 

 fic injurious to the Company's in- 

 terests at places, or on islands, 

 occupied by it, and especially if 

 they supply the Indians with arms, 

 powder, and lead. You should not 

 even allow them to enter your ports 

 unless you find it necessary to buy 

 something from them which the 

 Company urgently requires. In a 

 word, you should adopt towards 

 these adventurous traders such an 

 attitude as it is proper for the Gov- 

 ernor of all the places occux^ied by 

 the Comx)any to assume. 



