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The people, who had seaworthy knowledge of high level, and the professional fleet has appeared.
Since that time, the idea of circumnavigation clearly or latently present in the minds of the inhabitants of the Russian Empire.
According to I. I. Firsov, the first clear project of organizing a round-the-world voyage with the visits to Kamchatka arose from Vice Admiral Count Nikolai Golovin in co
Circumnavigation became real during the reign of Catherine II. The idea was supported by Alexander Andreyevich Bezborodko (1747-1799), the Secretary of the Empress. Vice President of Admiralty Board, count Ivan Grigoryevich Chernyshev began at his own expense in 1781 the preparation and equipment for circumnavigation.
Captain of the 1st. rank Grigory Ivanovich Mulovsky was appointed commander of this expedition. In September 1787 the ships of the expedition "were in full readiness to March". However, "September 7, 1787 issued a Manifesto declaring war on Turkey." 4 Oct 1787, captain 1st rank G. I. Mulovsky asked for permission to leave the port for the start of the expedition. There was no answer. 28 Oct 1787 came the Empress's decree about the cancellation of the expedition. In 1789, during the naval battle with the Swedish Navy G. I. Mulovsky died [2].
In some literary sources the authors artistically conjecturing the thoughts and feelings of Kruzenshtern, Lisyansky, other sailors in co
In 1796 ended the reign of Catherine II. After the failure of the expedition of Mulovsky real attempt to organize the circumnavigation was not renewed in period of the Empress.
Catherine II was replaced at the helm of state by Paul I (Pavel Petrovich). His reign was rather short and controversial. Relations with England became acute. Serious attempts to organize a circumnavigation were not undertaken in the period of his reign.
On 12 March 1801, Alexander I joined the Russian throne.
"Alexander I has put an end to the conflict in the relations with England and Spain - to the conflict, which has inflamed in recent years of the reign of Paul I. Alexander I signed at the same time confidential convention with France. This peace pause was demonstrating intention of Russia to withdraw from participation in Anglo-French military rivalry in Europe and to be engaged in the solution of problems of Russian economic life. This breather has been used for preparation and implementation of actions for strengthening of positions of Russia in the north of the Pacific Ocean and including for the organization of the First Russian round-the-world expedition" [1].
"In 1793, Kruzenshtern, Bering, Lisyansky and several other officers of the Russian Navy got a business trip to England. Mission lasted 6 years" [1].
Years of life of Ivan Fyodorovich Kruzenshtern: 1770 - 1846, Yuri Fyodorovich Lisyansky: 1773 - 1837. (We also inform you the years of life of Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov: 1764 - 1807).
During the "business trip", after the various events, Ivan F. Kruzenshtern has appeared in India, where he met with G. S. Lebedev, now recognized as one of the founders of Oriental studies in Russia.
"Having been called himself as Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev, he began to tell story of his the extraordinary life. (...) Lebedev asked Vorontsov to seek permission to equip three three-mast vessels under the Russian flag from Calcutta to Petersburg. (...) Kruzenshtern long pondered about what was heard. His plan, initially vague and unclear, has taken on an increasingly distinct shape" [3].
"On returning home, the Kruzenshtern is going to present his note to the President of the Collegium of Commerce P. P. [P. A.] Soimonov (...) ...That Soimonov had put forward the idea about expedition of Mulovsky. Kruzenshtern was hoping to find in face of Soimonov the like-minded man... (...) However, the Soimonov went to Moscow and died shortly thereafter" [1].
Speaking about the project of Ivan. F. Kruzenshtern, V. M. Pasetsky remarks:
"Not by chance, that it was greeted by the contemporaries as pamphlet. TThe highest stately (official) figures of St. Petersburg haven't risked to report completely on I.F. Krusenstern's notes either to Paul I, or to Aleksandr I - they were so dangerous by the liberty of ideas. Moreover, they [Kruzenstern's note, Kruzenstern's proposals] have been withdrawn from documents of government agencies and for the first time were found in personal archive of the seafarer, when materials for the scientific biography of I.F. Krusenstern were gathering" [1].
Here is how V. M. Pasetsky describes the text of the project that was found in the personal archive of the seafarer: "A note to the Minister of Commerce Soymonov. Written on board the Bombay ship under the command of Hamilton, with the project of organizing a Russian expedition in the interests of trade developing and enriching the country ". The document represents a copy of the manuscript in French with the corrections Kruzenstern (...) " [1].
"The project of logistics (sourcing) of the Russian North American colonies by sea across two oceans" has been submitted to the Government by the Minister of commerce, the count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantsev, famous the statesman of an era of Alexander I" [6].
3. Sphinx: one expedition, two circumnavigations. Plus the Embassy. Troyecentricity and energy of competition
Alaska - Aliska -Alooska...
Russian-American Company - is the creativity and is the exotica in the bureaucratic Order. A product of the unusual activity of the Emperor Paul I.
I will quote - almost completely - an article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (GSE) (1969-1978):
'Russian-American Company
a trading company established in Russia on July 8(19), 1799, for the purpose of developing Russian America and the Kuril and other islands.
The Russian-American Company's board of directors, initially located in Irkutsk, was moved to St. Petersburg in 1800. The company received exclusive rights to all natural resources within the lands under its authority. It also received the right to organize expeditions, settle newly discovered lands, and trade with neighboring countries. It established a number of permanent settlements in Russian America, as well as shipyards, workshops, and other enterprises. From 1804 to 1840, with the assistance of the Russian government, it organized 25 expeditions, including 15 circumnavigations (for example, by I. F. Kruzenshtern and Iu. F. Lisianskii); it explored Alaska and helped colonize the island of Sakhalin and the Amur River region.