In 1803 - 1806 took place first Russian circumnavigation, whose leader was Ivan Kruzenshtern. This trip included 2 ships “Neva” and “Nadezhda”, which were purchased by Yuri Lisyansky in England for 22,000 pounds sterling. The captain of the sloop Nadezhda was Krusenstern, the captain of the Neva was Lisyansky.
This trip around the world had several goals. First, the ships were supposed to sail to the Hawaiian Islands, rounding South America, and from this point the expedition was ordered to split up. Ivan Kruzenshtern’s main task was to sail to Japan; he needed to deliver Ryazanov there, who in turn had to conclude trade agreements with this state. After this, Nadezhda should have studied the coastal zones of Sakhalin. Lisyansky's goals included delivering cargo to America, indirectly demonstrating to the Americans his determination to protect and defend their merchants and sailors. After this, “Neva” and “Nadezhda” were supposed to meet, take on board a load of furs and, having circled Africa, return to their homeland. All these tasks were completed, albeit with minor errors.
The first Russian circumnavigation of the world was planned back in the time of Catherine II. She wanted to send the brave and educated officer Mulovsky on this journey, but due to his death in the Battle of Hogland, the empress’s plans came to an end. Which in turn delayed this undoubtedly necessary campaign for a long time.
In the summer, on August 7, 1803, the expedition left Kronstadt. The ships first stopped in Copenhagen, then they headed to Falmouth (England). There it became possible to caulk the underwater part of both ships. On October 5, the ships put to sea and headed for the island. Tenerife, and on November 14 the expedition crossed the equator for the first time in Russian history. This event was marked by a solemn cannon salvo. A serious test for the ships lay ahead near Cape Horn, where, as is known, many ships sank due to constant storms. There were no concessions for Kruzenshtern’s expedition either: in severe bad weather, the ships lost each other, and the Nadezhda was thrown far to the west, which prevented them from visiting Easter Island.
On September 27, 1804, Nadezhda dropped anchor in the port of Nagasaki (Japan). Negotiations between the Japanese government and Ryazanov were unsuccessful, and without wasting a minute, Kruzenshtern gave the order to go to sea. Having explored Sakhalin, he headed back to Peter and Paul Harbor. In November 1805, Nadezhda set sail for home. On way back She met with Lisyansky’s Neva, but they were not destined to arrive together in Kronstadt - rounding the Cape of Good Hope, due to stormy conditions, the ships again lost each other. “Neva” returned home on August 17, 1806, and “Nadezhda” on the 30th of the same month, thus completing the first round-the-world expedition in Russian history.
The idea of circumnavigating the world in Russia has been floating around for quite some time. However, the first project for a trip around the world was developed and prepared only towards the end of the 18th century. The team of four ships was to be led by Captain G.I. Mulovsky, however, due to the war with Sweden, Russia canceled this expedition. In addition, its potential leader died in battle.
It is noteworthy that on the battleship Mstislav, whose commander was Mulovsky, young Ivan Kruzenshtern served as a midshipman. It was he who became the conductor of implementing the idea of Russian circumnavigation, will later lead the first Russian circumnavigation. Simultaneously with Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern on another battleship, also participating in naval battles, Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky, his classmate, was walking. Both sailed in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Having fought on the side of the British against the French and returning to their homeland, both received the rank of lieutenant commander.
Krusenstern presented his project for a circumnavigation of the world to Paul I. The main goal of the project was to organize fur trade between Russia and China. However, this idea did not evoke the response that the captain had hoped for.
In 1799, the Russian-American Company was founded, the goal of which was to develop Russian America and the Kuril Islands and establish regular communications with overseas colonies.
The relevance of circumnavigation was due to the urgent need to maintain Russian colonies on the North American continent. Supplying food and goods to the colonists, providing settlers with weapons (the problem of frequent raids by the indigenous population (Indians), as well as potential threats from other powers) - these were pressing issues facing the Russian state. It was important to establish regular communication with the Russian colonists for their normal life. By this time it became clear that passage through the polar seas was postponed for an indefinite future. The journey by land, through all of Siberia and the Far East off-road, and then across the Pacific Ocean, is a very expensive and time-consuming “pleasure.”
From the beginning of the reign of Paul I's son Alexander, the Russian-American Company began to be under the patronage of the royal house. (It is noteworthy that the first director of the Russian-American Company was Ustyug resident Mikhail Matveevich Buldakov, who actively supported the idea of circumnavigation financially and organizationally).
In turn, Emperor Alexander I supported Kruzenshtern in his desire to explore the possibilities of communication between Russia and North America, appointing him head of the first Russian round-the-world expedition.
Captains Kruzentshtern and Lisyansky, having received two sloops under their command: “Nadezhda” and “Neva”, carefully approached the preparation of the expedition, purchasing a large amount of medicines and anti-scorbutic drugs, staffing the crews with the best Russian military sailors. It is interesting that all the cargo on the ship “Neva” was managed by another Ustyuzhan (here it is - the continuity of generations of Russian explorers) Nikolai Ivanovich Korobitsyn. The expedition was well equipped with various modern measuring instruments, since its tasks included scientific purposes (the expedition included astronomers, naturalists, and an artist).
At the beginning of August 1803, with a large crowd of people, Kruzenshtern's expedition left Kronstadt on two sailing sloops - Nadezhda and Neva. On board the Nadezhda there was a mission to Japan led by Nikolai Rezanov. the main objective The voyage consisted of exploring the mouth of the Amur and neighboring territories to identify convenient places and routes for supplying goods to the Russian Pacific Fleet. After a long stay near the island of Santa Catarina (the coast of Brazil), when two masts had to be replaced on the Neva, the ships crossed the equator for the first time in the history of the Russian fleet and headed south. On March 3, they rounded Cape Horn and separated three weeks later in the Pacific Ocean. From the island of Nuku Hiva (Marquesas Islands), the sloops proceeded together to the Hawaiian Islands, where they separated again.
On July 1, 1804, the Neva arrived at Kodiak Island and remained off the coast of North America for more than a year. The sailors helped the inhabitants of Russian America defend their settlements from the attack of the Tlingit Indian tribes, participated in the construction of the Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka) fortress, and carried out scientific observations and hydrographic work.
At the same time, “Nadezhda” arrived in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in July 1804. Then Krusenstern took Rezanov to Nagasaki and back, describing the northern and eastern shores of Terpeniya Bay along the way.
In the summer of 1805, Kruzenshtern for the first time photographed about 1000 km of the coast of Sakhalin, tried to pass in the south between the island and the mainland, but could not and mistakenly decided that Sakhalin was not an island and was connected to the mainland by an isthmus.
In August 1805, Lisyansky sailed on the Neva with a cargo of furs to China, and in November arrived at the port of Macau, where he again connected with Kruzenshtern and Nadezhda. But as soon as the ships left the port, they lost each other again in the fog. Following independently, Lisyansky, for the first time in the history of world navigation, navigated a ship without calling at ports or stops from the coast of China to Portsmouth in England. On July 22, 1806, his Neva was the first to return to Kronstadt.
Lisyansky and his crew became the first Russian circumnavigators. Only two weeks later the Nadezhda arrived here safely. But the fame of the circumnavigator mainly went to Krusenstern, who was the first to publish a description of the trip. His three-volume book “A Journey Around the World...” and “Atlas for a Journey” was published three years earlier than the works of Lisyansky, who considered assignments of duty more important than the publication of a report for Geographical Society. And Kruzenshtern himself saw in his friend and colleague, first of all, “an impartial, obedient, zealous person.” common benefit", extremely modest. True, Lisyansky’s merits were nevertheless noted: he received the rank of captain of the 2nd rank, the Order of St. Vladimir of the 3rd degree, a cash bonus and a lifelong pension. For him, the main gift was the gratitude of the officers and sailors of the sloop, who endured the hardships of the voyage with him and gave him as a souvenir a golden sword with the inscription: “Gratitude of the crew of the ship “Neva.”
The participants of the first Russian round-the-world expedition made a significant contribution to geographical science by erasing a number of non-existent islands from the map and clarifying the position of existing ones. They discovered inter-trade countercurrents in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, measured water temperature at depths of up to 400 m and determined its specific gravity, transparency and color; found out the reason for the glow of the sea, collected numerous data on atmospheric pressure, ebbs and flows in a number of areas of the World Ocean.
During his travels, Lisyansky collected an extensive natural and ethnographic collection, which later became the property of the Russian Geographical Society (one of the initiators of which was Kruzenshtern).
Three times in his life Lisyansky was the first: the first to perform under the Russian flag trip around the world, the first to pave the way from Russian America to Kronstadt, the first to discover an uninhabited island in the central waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The first Russian round-the-world trip by Kruzenshtern-Lisyansky turned out to be practically a standard in terms of its organization, support and execution. At the same time, the expedition proved the possibility of communication with Russian America.
The enthusiasm after the return of the Nadezhda and Neva to Kronstadt was so great that in the first half of the 19th century, more than 20 circumnavigations were organized and completed, which is more than France and England combined.
Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern became the inspirer and organizer of subsequent expeditions, the leaders of which were, among other things, members of the crew of his sloop Nadezhda.
Midshipman Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen traveled on the Nadezhda, who would later discover Antarctica in 1821 on a circumnavigation of the world in high southern latitudes.
Otto Evstafievich Kotzebue sailed on the same sloop as a volunteer, under whose leadership 2 circumnavigations were carried out.
In 1815-18, Kotzebue led a round-the-world research expedition on the brig Rurik. At Cape Horn, during a storm (January 1816), a wave washed him overboard; he saved himself by grabbing a rope. After an unsuccessful search for the fantastic “Davis Land” west of the coast of Chile, at 27° S. latitude. in April-May 1816 he discovered the inhabited island of Tikei, the atolls of Takapoto, Arutua and Tikehau (all in the Tuamotu archipelago), and in the Ratak chain of the Marshall Islands - the atolls of Utirik and Taka. At the end of July - mid-August, Kotzebue described the coast of Alaska for almost 600 km, discovered Shishmarev Bay, Sarychev Island and the vast Kotzebue Bay, and in it - the Bay of Good Hope (now Goodhope) and Eschscholtz with the Khoris Peninsula and Shamisso Island (all names are given in honor of the participants in the voyage). Thus, he completed the identification of the Seward Peninsula, begun by Mikhail Gvozdyov in 1732. To the northeast of the bay, he noted high mountains (spurs of the Brooks Range).
Together with the naturalists of Rurik, for the first time in America, Kotzebue discovered fossil ice with a mammoth tusk and gave the first ethnographic description of the North American Eskimos. In January-March 1817, he again explored the Marshall Islands and discovered seven inhabited atolls in the Ratak chain: Medjit, Votje, Erikub, Maloelap, Aur, Ailuk and Bikar. He also mapped a number of atolls whose coordinates his predecessors had identified incorrectly and “closed” several non-existent islands.
In 1823-26, commanding the sloop Enterprise, Kotzebue completed his third circumnavigation of the world. In March 1824 he discovered the inhabited atoll of Fangahina (in the Tuamotu archipelago) and the island of Motu-One (in the Society archipelago), and in October 1825 - the Rongelap and Bikini atolls (in the Ralik chain, Marshall Islands). Together with naturalists on both voyages, Kotzebue made numerous determinations of the specific gravity, salinity, temperature and transparency of sea water in temperate and hot zones. They were the first to establish four features of near-surface (up to a depth of 200 m) oceanic waters: their salinity is zonal; the waters of the temperate zone are less salty than those of the hot zone; water temperature depends on the latitude of the place; Seasonal temperature fluctuations appear up to a certain limit, below which they do not occur. For the first time in the history of ocean exploration, Kotzebue and his companions made observations of the relative transparency of water and its density.
Another famous navigator was Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin, who, having traveled around the world on the sloop "Diana", in 1817 led an expedition on the sloop "Kamachtka". Many members of the ship's crew in the future became the colors of the Russian fleet: midshipman Fyodor Petrovich Litke (later captain of the circumnavigation), volunteer Fyodor Matyushin (later admiral and senator), junior watch officer Ferdinand Wrangel (admiral and Arctic explorer) and others. In two years, "Kamchatka", having passed the Atlantic Ocean from north to south, rounded Cape Horn, visited Russian America, visited all significant groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean, then passed Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope, across the Atlantic Ocean returned to Kronstadt.
Fyodor Litke two years later was appointed head of the polar expedition on the ship " New Earth" For four years, Litke explored the Arctic, summarizing rich expeditionary materials, and published the book “Four-time voyages to the Arctic Ocean on the military brig “Novaya Zemlya” in 1821-1824.” The work was translated into many languages and received scientific recognition; sailors used the maps of the expedition for a century.
In 1826, when Fyodor Litka was not even 29 years old, he led an expedition around the world on the new ship Senyavin. The Senyavin was accompanied by the sloop Moller under the command of Mikhail Stanyukovich. The ships turned out to be different in their running characteristics (“Moller” is much faster than “Senyavin”) and almost throughout the entire length the ships sailed alone, meeting only at anchorages in ports. The expedition, which lasted three years, turned out to be one of the most successful and richest in history. scientific discoveries travel not only Russian, but also foreign. The Asian coast of the Bering Strait was explored, islands were discovered, materials on ethnography and oceanography were collected, and numerous maps were compiled. During the trip, Litke studied scientific research in the field of physics, experiments with a pendulum allowed the scientist to determine the magnitude of the polar compression of the Earth and make a number of other important discoveries. After the end of the expedition, Litke published “A Voyage Around the World on the Sloop of War “Senyavin” in 1826-1829”, gaining recognition as a scientist, and was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences.
Litke became one of the founders of the Russian Geographical Society, and for many years was its vice-chairman. In 1873, the society established the Great Gold Medal named after. F. P. Litke, awarded for outstanding geographical discoveries.
The names of brave travelers, heroes of Russian round-the-world expeditions are immortalized on maps of the globe:
A bay, peninsula, strait, river and cape on the coast of North America in the area of the Alexandra Archipelago, one of the islands of the Hawaiian archipelago, an underwater island in the Sea of Okhotsk and a peninsula on the northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk are named after Lisyansky.
A number of straits, islands, capes in the Pacific Ocean, a mountain in the Kuril Islands are named after Krusenstern.
The following are named in honor of Litke: a cape, a peninsula, a mountain and a bay on Novaya Zemlya; islands: in the Franz Josef Land archipelago, Baydaratskaya Bay, Nordenskiöld archipelago; strait between Kamchatka and Karaginsky Island.
In circumnavigation of the world in the 19th century, expedition members showed their best qualities: Russian navigators, military men and scientists, many of whom became famous Russian fleet, as well as domestic science. They forever inscribed their names in the glorious chronicle of “Russian civilization.”
TO early XIX V. Russian possessions in the north-west of America occupied vast areas of Alaska. Russian settlements on the western coast of the continent reached the place where San Francisco is now located.
The journey overland from the center of Russia to its Far Eastern outskirts and especially to Russian America was long and difficult. All necessary cargo was then sent along rivers and by horse-drawn cart through the vast expanses of Siberia to Okhotsk, and then by sea on ships. Transporting goods was very expensive. Suffice it to say that a pound of rye flour, which cost 40-50 kopecks in the European part of Russia, brought to Alaska, was valued at 8 rubles.
The difficulty of communication also complicated the management of these territories. It happened that a government order reached Kamchatka or Alaska when it had already lost its force and was canceled in the center as outdated.
There was an urgent need to establish regular flights of Russian ships from the Baltic ports to Russian ports on the Pacific Ocean. And so, in 1802, the Naval Ministry accepted the proposal of the captain-lieutenant of the Russian fleet, Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, to organize the first Russian round-the-world expedition.
Kruzenshtern's whole life was connected with the sea and naval service. He studied at the Naval Cadet Corps. During the Russian-Swedish war, the young man was assigned “as a midshipman” to the ship “Mstislav”. Soon Krusenstern was promoted to midshipman, and then to lieutenant for his courage in taking an enemy ship. In 1793, the capable officer was sent to England among the “excellent young officers.”
During his long voyages on English ships, Ivan Fedorovich visited the coast of North America, India and China.
Appointed head of the round-the-world expedition, Kruzenshtern took as his assistant an old friend with whom he studied in the Naval Corps, Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky.
He was also an experienced and educated officer navy. He began studying in early childhood in the Naval Cadet Corps. Lisyansky participated in all the main battles with the Swedish fleet and was promoted to lieutenant. Like Krusenstern, Lisyansky was sent to England to serve in the navy. He sailed on English ships off the coasts of Africa, Asia and America. Lisyansky returned to his homeland four years later.
For the round-the-world expedition, two small ships with a displacement of 450 and 370 tons were purchased. The larger of them, led by Kruzenshtern himself, was called “Nadezhda”, and the smaller one, commanded by Lisyansky, was called “Neva”.
The Maritime Ministry advised Kruzenshtern to recruit a crew for such a long and responsible voyage from experienced foreign sailors. But Ivan Fedorovich, highly appreciating the Russian sailors, rejected this proposal.
The youngest participants in the voyage were midshipman F. F. Bellingshausen, who later became famous for the discovery of Antarctica, and O. E. Kotzebue, the future circumnavigator.
The Russian ambassador N.P. Rezanov was sent to Japan on the Nadezhda to establish diplomatic ties with this country.
The expedition had important scientific tasks: to explore the Far Eastern coast of Russia, check and clarify nautical charts, along the way, conduct oceanographic observations (measurement of sea depths, water temperature, etc.).
In August 1803, Nadezhda and Neva left Kronstadt. The expedition was accompanied by all residents of the city and the crews of Russian and foreign ships stationed in the roadstead. Such a solemn farewell was not accidental: Russian sailors were setting off on a trip around the world for the first time.
Ten days later the ships reached Copenhagen. Here, foreign scientists were accepted into the expedition: an astronomer, two naturalists and a doctor of medicine.
On their way to England, Nadezhda and Neva encountered a severe storm, during which several foreign ships were lost. But the Russian sailors endured this baptism of fire with honor.
Russian ships, having visited England, entered the vast Atlantic Ocean.
The transition to the Southern Hemisphere was celebrated by raising the flag and firing a cannon salute. The entire crew put on full dress uniform. The sailors staged a performance: mythical sea king Neptune greeted the sailors who arrived in his domain. Sailor Pavel Kurganov, tying a beard of tow, with a crown on his head and a trident in his hands, portrayed a sea king. He ordered that those who crossed the equator for the first time be subjected to sea baptism. With cheerful laughter and jokes, the sailors bathed all participants in the voyage, except for the captains - Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky, who had previously sailed in the Southern Hemisphere.
This maritime holiday has become traditional in the Russian fleet since the voyage of the Nadezhda and Neva.
Approaching the shores of Brazil, Russian sailors updated the map.
At the end of December 1803, “Nadezhda” and “Neva” entered the harbor of St. Catherine Island. This small island is separated from the mainland South America narrow strait.
Russian sailors saw a lot of unusual things. The island was covered with luxurious tropical vegetation. Here January is the hottest month.
In the forest, sailors caught unprecedented colorful parrots, monkeys, and once even brought an alligator onto the ship Neva. Naturalists collected rich zoological and botanical collections in the tropical forests.
The ships remained in the harbor for six weeks: two damaged masts were replaced on the Neva.
The expedition then headed to the tip of South America, rounded Cape Horn and entered the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The weather was cloudy. A strong wind blew. It was raining lightly. There were often thick fogs over the sea. Soon the ships lost sight of each other.
"Neva", as agreed earlier, went to Easter Island, and "Nadezhda", changing the route, went to the group of Marquesas Islands.
In mid-May, Nadezhda approached Nukuhiva Island. It was a fertile corner of the earth, covered with coconut palms; Breadfruit grew in the forests.
Three days later, the Neva arrived at the island. Lisyansky told Kruzenshtern that during a three-day stay at Easter Island, he clarified the coordinates of this island and drew up a map of it.
The expedition stayed at Nukuhiva Island for ten days. The most friendly relations were established with the local residents. The islanders helped Russian sailors stock up on fresh water and various products. Krusenstern and Lisyansky made the first geographical description of the island.
Lisyansky compiled short dictionary language of the islanders. He was helped in this by the Englishman Roberts and the Frenchman Carby, shipwrecked sailors; Having lived on the island for many years, they knew perfectly well the customs, life and language of the local residents.
Naturalists collected rich collections, which included many new plants unknown to European scientists. Members of the expedition made sketches of the area, and one of them recorded songs of the island's inhabitants.
At the end of May, the ships crossed the equator for the second time - this time from south to north.
“Nadezhda” went from the Hawaiian Islands to the shores of Kamchatka, and “Neva” - to Alaska.
In mid-July, Nadezhda anchored off Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The ship remained in this harbor for six weeks. During this time, goods were unloaded, provisions were replenished and the ship was put in order.
Fulfilling the task of the Russian government to visit Japan, the ship headed south. The voyage took place in difficult conditions: there was fog and heavy rain. Not far from Japan, the Nadezhda was caught in a terrible typhoon.
“You must have the gift of poetry in order to vividly describe its fury,” Kruzenshtern later wrote.
And in the hour of great danger, when, in the words of the head of the expedition, “the ship was left without sails at the mercy of the fierce waves, which, as it seemed, threatened to engulf it every minute,” the entire crew courageously helped to lead the ship out of the area where the hurricane was raging.
In October, Nadezhda arrived at the Japanese port of Nagasaki. Local authorities did not greet the Russian sailors in a friendly manner. First of all, they invited the sailors to surrender their cannons and, in general, all firearms and gunpowder. Only when this condition was met was the ship allowed to enter the harbor. I had to stay here for more than six months. The Japanese forbade sailors not only to go ashore, but even to travel around the bay. The Russian ship was surrounded by patrol boats.
During this period, Japan lived in isolation, isolated from the whole world and did not want to have any relations with other states. She traded only with China and a group of Dutch merchants. The Russian envoy failed to reach an agreement with the Japanese government on the establishment of diplomatic relations.
From Japanese Emperor The Russian envoy Rezanov was given a letter stating that Russian ships were prohibited from even approaching the shores of Japan.
Returning from Nagasaki to Kamchatka, Kruzenshtern navigated the ship through the Sea of Japan, then little known to Europeans. On the way, he explored and described the island of Tsushima, as well as the strait between this island and Japan. In addition, navigators explored the entire coastline of the island of Hokkaido, which was shown as a dotted line on maps of that time.
The identification of astronomical points and cartographic work of Russian sailors off the western coast of Japan made it possible to create a map of these unknown places.
In the Kuril Islands group, Kruzenshtern discovered four rocks, near which the ship almost died. He called them "Rock Traps."
From the Kuril Islands "Nadezhda" went to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Having replenished the supply of water and provisions, Kruzenshtern also made a scientific voyage to the shores of Sakhalin. He described the eastern coast of Sakhalin and for the first time accurately mapped it.
When trying to pass between Sakhalin and the mainland, Kruzenshtern encountered an extensive shoal on the way. Here he came to the erroneous conclusion that Sakhalin is a peninsula and is connected to the mainland by an isthmus.
Only 44 years later this mistake was corrected by another Russian traveler - G.I. Nevelskoy.
In late autumn, Nadezhda arrived in Macau, a Portuguese colony near Canton (Guangzhou). The Neva arrived there at the beginning of December, which spent almost a year and a half - about seventeen months - on its independent voyage.
During this time, Lisyansky explored the nature of the Havana Islands, became acquainted with the way of life of the islanders, and visited the coast of Alaska and Kodiak Bay. With great joy and triumph, the Russian people in Alaska greeted the first ship from their homeland that had traveled such a long sea route from Kronstadt.
Just these days, on Sitkha Island (Baranova Island), the Indians, incited by the Americans and the British, attacked the Russian settlement. Lisyansky, together with the entire crew, had to come to the defense of his compatriots.
For more than a year, the Neva was off the coast of Alaska and performed security duty. Lisyansky, without wasting time, explored the islands of Sitkha, Kodiak and the American coast. He made a map of these bridges.
In September 1805, the Neva, loaded with valuable furs, departed from the shores of Russian America and headed to China.
To the west of the Hawaiian Islands, sailors began to notice floating algae, fish and birds appeared here - signs of nearby land, which at these latitudes was not listed on the map.
Lisyansky carefully steered the ship, and yet the Neva unexpectedly ran aground near an unknown island. It turned out to be uninhabited. There were many seals and birds on it, which were not at all afraid of people. At the insistence of the Neva’s crew, the island was named after the ship’s commander, Lisyansky, and the shoal on which the ship ran aground was named Nevskaya. The ship was safely refloated and arrived in China.
In February 1806, Nadezhda and Neva, loaded with various Chinese goods - tea, silk fabrics, porcelain, etc., left Canton (Guangzhou) on their way back.
The ships traveled together to the coast of South Africa. At the Cape of Good Hope, during the fog, they lost sight of each other.
Kruzenshtern rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived at St. Helena Island. Here he learned that Russia, in alliance with England and Austria, was at war with France. Fearing a meeting with French military vessels, Kruzenshtern took the ship away from the shores of Europe.
In August 1806, Nadezhda dropped anchor in the Kronstadt port. The Russian voyage around the world, which lasted three years and twelve days, ended successfully. Lisyansky was the first to greet the sailors on the Nadezhda ship: he brought the Neva to Kronstadt two weeks earlier.
The first circumnavigation of Russian sailors was a new page in the history of geographical science. Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky clarified the world map, added new islands to it and removed the non-existent lands marked there from the old maps. The collections collected by the expedition were of great scientific value.
During the voyage, observations were made of the temperature and density of water at different depths (up to 400 m), sea currents, etc. As a result of the journey, the sea route from Kronstadt to the shores of Russian America was mastered.
In honor of the first Russian circumnavigation, a medal was struck with the inscription: “For a trip around the world. 1803-1806".
Kruzenshtern wrote a book about the expedition - “Journey around the world in 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1806 on the ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva”, with an atlas on 104 sheets. In addition, I. F. Kruzenshtern compiled an atlas of maps of the southern seas, which was the most accurate and complete at that time; it was used by sailors and geographers all over the world.
Lisyansky also described his voyage - in the book “Journey around the world in 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1806 on the ship “Neva”. Both books have been translated into foreign languages and published abroad. They are still read with interest.
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Russian voyages around the world were mainly equipped to visit Alaska, where Russian settlements were located. The purpose of the expeditions was to deliver the necessary products and goods to the Russian colonies and remove valuables from the colonies. Thus, the history of Russian geographical expeditions is closely connected with Russian colonization on the northwestern coast of America. The Russian-American Company played a huge role in the development of this colonization, which took a major part in organizing the first Russian circumnavigations and financing long-distance voyages.
The first voyage of Russian ships around the world was under the command of captain-lieutenants I. F. Krusenstern and Yu. F. Lisyansky. It lasted three years. It is worth noting that most voyages around the world lasted three years, apparently due to limited food supplies and diseases on the ship. The journey of Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky begins the era of grandiose Russian exploration. From 1815, geographical expeditions were carried out almost annually until 1849. In total, during this period, 36 Russian circumnavigations were organized and completed.
In 1803, on the instructions of Alexander I, an expedition was undertaken on two ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva” to explore the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. This was the first Russian round the world expedition. The expedition was headed by Ivan Fedorovich Krusenstern. He was the largest navigator and geographer of the Russian Empire. For the post of captain of the ship "Neva", Kruzenshtern chooses Yu. F. Lisyansky, with whom they once served together 2.
Since the Russian-American company did not have its own ships intended for such a long voyage, it was decided to buy two ships for the expedition in England. Yu. F. Lisyansky received orders to go to England to purchase two ships suitable for circumnavigation of the world.
Lisyansky finds suitable vessels in London; they turned out to be “Nadezhda” and “Neva”. The price for "Nadezhda" and "Neva" was 17,000 pounds sterling, but for the additions that Lisyansky wanted to make, he had to pay an additional 5,000 pounds. The ship "Nadezhda" was not new, it had already been sailing the seas under the English flag for three years, and the "Neva" was only fifteen months old. "Neva" had a displacement of 350 tons, and "Nadezhda" - 450 tons. Also, before the expedition, Lisyansky buys equipment in England, which will be useful during the voyage. These were: various measuring instruments, compasses, a magnet, and more.
In addition to the sailors, the team included: scientists, artists, doctors, and merchants. Since at that time there were no cameras as usual for us, and the emperor wanted to see the “distant shores” for himself, an artist was hired on board to provide a realistic description of the islands.
The ceremonial departure of the sloops from Kronstadt took place on July 26, 1803. Before sailing, Emperor Alexander I personally inspected the new sloops. The Emperor ordered military flags to be raised. He took the costs of maintaining one sloop at his own expense, and the other was paid for by the Russian-American Trading Company and one of the main inspirers of the expedition, Count Rumyantsev.
"Nadezhda" was in a very risky position several times during its voyage, while "Neva" only landed once. coral reef and, moreover, in a place where it could not be expected from the maps. All this leads to the assumption that the generally accepted idea about the leading role of Kruzenshtern in the first Russian trip around the world is not entirely correct.
Yu. F. Lisyansky played the most important role during the expedition, but he still remains less famous than Kruzenshtern because of his modesty, because Kruzenshtern published his description of the trip three years earlier than Lisyansky.
Lisyansky’s significant role can be seen from the very beginning of equipping the expedition. Lisyansky, during a business trip to England, very skillfully acquired suitable ships, and in addition, ensured that the entire material part of the expedition was in excellent condition. This alone was part of the success of swimming.
Both ships were bound by a plan of action, but in reality they carried out the expedition on their own, since in the ocean they were repeatedly caught in severe storms, under such circumstances it is simply impossible to stay together. The ships had to make the first part of the journey to England, and then across the Atlantic Ocean, bypassing Cape Horn, together, and only then at the Sandwich Islands they had to separate. "Nadezhda", according to the expedition plan, should have gone to Kamchatka. Then it was necessary to go to Japan and deliver there the Russian ambassador N.P. Rezanov and his retinue. After this, Nadezhda had to return to Kamchatka again, take a cargo of furs and take it to Canton for sale. The path of the Neva, starting from the Hawaiian Islands, was completely different. Lisyansky was supposed to go northwest, to Kodiak Island, where the main office of the Russian-American Company was located at that time. The Neva was supposed to spend the winter here, and then it was supposed to take a cargo of furs and deliver it to Canton, where a meeting was scheduled for both ships - the Neva and the Nadezhda. And from Canton both ships were supposed to head to Russia together. But this plan was implemented with digressions.
On the way to Kamchatka, Krusenstern made a description of the Marquesas Islands, and on the way from Kamchatka to Japan - a description of the coasts of Japan and Sakhalin. He compiled a detailed map of this island, and identified 105 astronomical points. The scientists present on the sloop collected valuable botanical and zoological collections. On the Nadezhda ship, observations were made of sea currents, water temperature and its density at depths of up to 400 m; the equipment did not allow deeper. Similar observations were made on the Neva by Lisyansky. He systematically made astronomical observations, determined the coordinates of a number of visited points, including all the harbors and islands where the Neva stopped. The measurements he made were highly accurate and closely coincide with modern data.
During the round-the-world expedition, thousands of kilometers of previously unknown coastlines were mapped. The participants of the trip left many interesting observations, and the commander of the Neva, Lisyansky Yu.F. discovered one of the islands of the Hawaiian archipelago, which was named after him - Lisyansky Island.
A lot of interesting data was collected by the expedition members about the Aleutian Islands and Alaska, the islands of the Pacific and Arctic oceans. The results of the observations were reported to the Academy of Sciences. They were so significant that I. F. Kruzenshtern was awarded the title of academician. His materials were the basis for what was published in the early 20s. "Atlas of the South Seas". In 1845, Admiral Kruzenshtern became one of the founding members of the Russian Geographical Society and trained a whole galaxy of Russian navigators and explorers. Lisyansky was the first to describe Hawaii in his book “A Journey Around the World” (1812). Here is what Lisyansky writes: “The inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands, as far as one can see, are quite smart and respect European customs. Many of them speak English quite well. Yet, without exception, they know several words and pronounce them in their own way, that is, very incorrectly. Apparently they are great travelers. Many asked me to take them with me, not only without demanding any payment, but giving away all their movable property. Jung assured me that the ships of the United States often take people from here who, over time, become good sailors.” 3
Lisyansky also studied in great detail the entire route he took. The description of the trip he later compiled contains a number of tips that are practically important for captains of ships on future long voyages. In these notes, Lisyansky describes in great detail the most advantageous ways to enter and exit the harbors and warns future travelers about possible dangers. In addition, Lisyansky took depth measurements off the coast where he visited, this became useful for subsequent voyages. In addition, Lisyansky checked old maps, after which the maps of Kodiak and adjacent islands to the northwestern coast of Alaska were updated.
It is interesting to note that one of the participants in the first Russian circumnavigation of the world, Kotzebue, who sailed as a cadet on the ship "Nadezhda", subsequently himself carried out an equally interesting circumnavigation on the ship "Rurik", equipped at the expense of Count Rumyantsev.
On August 7, 1803, two sloops left the port of Kronstadt. On their sides were the names “Nadezhda” and “Neva”, although more recently they bore other names - “Leander” and “Thames”. It was under new names that these ships, purchased by Emperor Alexander I in England, were to go down in history as the first Russian ships, circumnavigating the entire globe. The idea of a round-the-world expedition belonged to Alexander I and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Nikolai Rumyantsev. It was assumed that its participants would collect as much information as possible about the countries that would be on their way - about their nature and about the life of their people. And in addition, it was planned to establish diplomatic relations with Japan, through which the travelers’ route also passed. 
Yuri Lisyansky, captain of the sloop "Neva"
Conflicts on board
Ivan Krusenstern was appointed captain of the Nadezhda, and Yuri Lisyansky became the captain of the Neva - both at that time were already quite famous sailors who had been trained in England and participated in naval battles. However, another co-leader was “attached” to Kruzenshtern on the ship - Count Nikolai Rezanov, appointed ambassador to Japan and endowed with very great power, which the captain, naturally, did not like. And after the sloops left Kronstadt, it turned out that Rezanov was not Kruzenshtern’s only problem. As it turned out, among the members of the Nadezhda team was Fyodor Tolstoy, a well-known brawler, duelist and lover of eccentric antics in those years. He never served in the navy and did not have the necessary education for this, and got on the ship illegally, replacing his cousin, who bore the same first and last name and did not want to go on a long journey. And the brawler Tolstoy, on the contrary, was eager to set sail - he was interested in seeing the world, and even more wanted to escape from the capital, where he was facing punishment for another drunken brawl.
Fyodor Tolstoy, the most restless member of the expedition During the journey, Fyodor Tolstoy had fun as best he could: he quarreled with other members of the crew and pitted them against each other, made fun, sometimes very cruelly, of the sailors and even of the priest accompanying them. Kruzenshtern put him under arrest several times, but as soon as Fedor’s imprisonment ended, he returned to his old ways. During one of his stops on an island in the Pacific Ocean, Tolstoy bought a tame orangutan and taught him various pranks. In the end, he let the monkey into Kruzenshtern’s own cabin and gave it ink, with which it ruined travel notes captain. This was the last straw, and in the next port, Kamchatka, Kruzenshtern put Tolstoy ashore. 
Sloop "Nadezhda" By that time he had finally fallen out with Count Rezanov, who refused to recognize his captain's authority. The rivalry between them began from the very first days of the voyage, and now it is impossible to say who initiated the conflict. In the surviving letters and diaries of these two, directly opposite versions are expressed: each of them blames the other for everything. Only one thing is known for sure - Nikolai Rezanov and Ivan Kruzenshtern first argued about which of them was in charge on the ship, then they stopped talking to each other and communicated using notes passed by the sailors, and then Rezanov completely locked himself in his cabin and stopped answering even notes to the captain. 
Nikolai Rezanov, who never made peace with Krusenstern Reinforcements for the Colonists
Autumn 1804 "Neva" and "Nadezhda" separated. Krusenstern's ship went to Japan, and Lisyansky's ship went to Alaska. Rezanov's mission in the Japanese city of Nagasaki was unsuccessful, and this was the end of his participation in the round-the-world expedition. "Neva" at this time arrived in Russian America - a settlement of Russian colonists in Alaska - and its crew took part in the battle with the Tlingit Indians. Two years earlier, the Indians had driven the Russians out of the island of Sitka, and now the governor of Russian America, Alexander Baranov, was trying to return this island. Yuri Lisyansky and his team provided them with very important assistance in this.
Alexander Baranov, founder of Russian America in Alaska Later, “Nadezhda” and “Neva” met off the coast of Japan and moved on. "Neva" went ahead along the eastern coast of China, and "Nadezhda" explored the islands in the Sea of Japan in more detail, and then set off to catch up with the second ship. Later, the ships met again in the port of Macau in southern China, for some time they sailed together along the coasts of Asia and Africa, and then the Nadezhda fell behind again. 
Sloop "Neva", drawing by Yuri Lisyansky Triumphant return
The ships returned to Russia at different times: the Neva on July 22, 1806, and the Nadezhda on August 5. The expedition members collected a huge amount of information about many islands, created maps and atlases of these lands, and even discovered a new island, called Lisyansky Island. The previously almost unexplored Aniva Bay in the Sea of Okhotsk was described in detail and the exact coordinates of Ascension Island were established, about which it was only known that it was located “somewhere between Africa and South America.”
Thaddeus Bellingshausen All participants in this circumnavigation, from captains to ordinary sailors, were generously rewarded, and most of them continued to pursue a maritime career. Among them was midshipman Thaddeus Bellingshausen, who traveled on the Nadezhda, and 13 years later led the first Russian Antarctic expedition.
