BELLINGSHAUSEN 
1 15 
the Russian Admiralty, resolved on a scheme of polar 
exploration on a truly imperial scale. He decided to send 
out two expeditions simultaneously to explore the two 
polar regions each consisting of two ships of the Russian 
navy under the command of naval officers. The arrange- 
ments were carried through with all the speed and thor- 
oughness that an absolute monarch could command, and 
there is no doubt that the project of exploration was 
very warmly cherished by the Tsar, whilst Baron de 
Traversey threw himself heart and soul into the work of 
equipment. Everything was far advanced before the 
commanders of the four ships were finally appointed. 
The supreme command of the southern expedition was 
given to Commodore Rashmanoff, a celebrated Russian 
sailor who had served under Krusenstern on his voyage 
of circumnavigation. But the commodore had had the 
misfortune to lose his ship on the Skaw, and was wait- 
ing in Copenhagen for the return of summer before mak- 
ing the journey to St. Petersburg. On receiving his 
orders he excused himself on the plea of shattered health 
and physical inability to undertake so laborious and re- 
sponsible a command, but he recommended for the post his 
old comrade with Krusenstern, Captain Bellingshausen 
then in command of the frigate Flora in the Black Sea. 
Fabian, or perhaps more correctly Thaddeus, von Bell- 
ingshausen, was born in Oesel, the island which lies 
across the mouth of the Gulf of Riga, in the year 1778. 
He was thus forty-one years of age when chosen for the 
command. On May 5th, Bellingshausen received a per- 
emptory order to report himself at St. Petersburg to re- 
ceive the Emperor’s instructions, and making all haste 
from Sevastopol he reached the capital on June 3rd and 
received the appointment to command the expedition. 
