272 GOVERNMENT OF RUSSIAN AMERICA. [1806. 



and even to those of the emperor, when they were at variance with 

 his own views. He was, however, devoted to the interests of the 

 company, and, its affairs being most profitably managed under his 

 direction, he was allowed to follow his own course, and the com- 

 plaints against him which reached the Directory were unheeded. 

 These complaints were, it is true, not frequent ; for the Directory 

 and the imperial throne at St. Petersburg were almost as completely 

 inaccessible to the subjects and servants of the company residing in 

 America, as they would have been in another planet. Among the in- 

 ferior agents were men of higher and better character than their chief; 

 but they were forced to bend under his authority, and their efforts 

 to introduce improvements were vain, if they in any degree conflicted 

 with his views as to the immediate interests of the company. 



Of the furs which formed the whole returns from these territories, 

 some were transported in the company's vessels to Petropawlowsk 

 and Ochotsk, whence were brought back the greater part of the 

 supplies of provisions for the use of the establishments ; the re- 

 mainder of the furs being exchanged for arms, ammunition, spirits, 

 wine, tobacco, sugar, and European manufactures, furnished by the 

 trading ships of the United States, of which a large number were 

 then constantly employed in the North Pacific. The presence of 

 these American vessels was by no means agreeable to the Russians, 

 who would willingly have excluded them from that part of the 

 ocean, not only for the purpose of monopolizing the fur trade, but 

 also in order to prevent the natives of the coasts from obtaining 

 arms and ammunition from the Americans, as they frequently did, 

 to the detriment of the authority and interests of the company. 

 This, however, could not have been effected without maintaining a 

 large naval force in the North Pacific ; nor could the settlements 

 have been extended or supported without the supplies furnished by 

 the Americans, unless a direct intercourse were established by sea 

 with Europe, China, or Japan. 



With the view of inquiring what measures would be most effect- 

 ual for the advancement of the interests of the Russian American 

 Company in these and other respects, it was determined at St. 

 Petersburg, in 1803, that an expedition, scientific and political, 

 should be made through the North Pacific. Two ships, the Na- 

 deshda, commanded by Captain Krusenstern, and the Neva, by 

 Captain Lisiansky, were accordingly despatched from Cronstadt, 

 in August of that year, under the direction of Krusenstern, carry- 

 ing out a large body of officers and men, distinguished in various 



