510 BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT 



study of naval architecture, as well as to that of every branch 

 of his profession ; and who, about fifty years before, had been 

 sent to Portugal on a similar mission. A proceeding so free 

 from that jealousy which often marks the conduct of great 

 nations no less than the dealings of the most obscure cor- 

 porations, is particularly deserving of praise. From the first 

 moment that this offer was made to the Admiral, he com- 

 municated it to Mr Robison, whom he wished to engage as his 

 Secretary, and to whom, as he says in his letters, he looked 

 for much assistance in the duty he was about to undertake. A 

 very handsome appointment was made for Mr Robison, and 

 in the end of December 1770, he set out with Sir Charles 

 and his family on the journey to St Petersburgh, over 

 land. 



Admiral Knowles held the office of President of the Board 

 of Admiralty ; and his intention was, that Mr Robison should 

 have the place of Secretary. The Russian Board, however, 

 being constituted more on the plan of the French than the 

 English, there was no place corresponding to that of our Se- 

 cretary of the Admiralty. Mr Robison continued, therefore, 

 in the character of Private Secretary to the Admiral. 



During the first year of the Admiral's residence in Russia, 

 and for the greater part of the second, Mr Robison remain- 

 ed with him, employed in forming and digesting a plan for 

 improving the methods of building, rigging, and navigating 

 the Russian ships of war, and for reforming, of consequence, 

 the whole detail of the operations in the naval arsenals of that 



Empire. 



These innovations, however, met with more resistance than 

 either the Admiral or his Secretary had permitted themselves 

 to suppose. The work of reform, conducted by a foreigner, 



even 



