Many people know that Russia for a long time in the XVIII-XIX centuries. owned a vast territory in North America - Alaska (Russian America), but few people remember that among the other failed territories of the Russian state were the Hawaiian Islands, part of California, Manchuria-Zheltorosiya, Kara region, Island province in the Aegean Sea. Mongolia and Korea could also become part of the Russian Empire.
Russians get to know Hawaii
The Hawaiian (Sandwich) Islands were discovered in 1778 by the 3rd expedition of James Cook. Here he died in February 1779, when he re-entered here after sailing in the North Pacific Ocean (with a visit to Kamchatka). Cook gave them the name Sandwich Islands in honor of the British Lord of the Admiralty. By the time Cook arrived, the Hawaiian Islands had been inhabited by Polynesians for almost one and a half millennia. Since then, the fabulous archipelago has amazed the imagination of any traveler. The pearl of the Pacific Ocean has become the object of attention of foreign sailors.
However, the Hawaiian king Kamehamea (1752-1819), who was sometimes called the "Pacific Napoleon", managed to defend his independence by the end of the 18th century. became the ruler of the entire archipelago, with the exception of the two northern islands - Kauai and Niihau, where his rival - Kaumualii (ruled in 1795-1821) strengthened. Kamehamea showed great interest in sea vessels and even formed his own flotilla, which included not only small ships, but also large three-masted ships. Kamehameah was supported by British and American merchants who supplied him with firearms and ammunition, but he did not live up to their expectations, pursuing an independent policy. True, in 1794 D. Vancouver persuaded him to enlist the protection of the British king and raise the English flag, and for greater "indisputability" of George III's rights to "possession of the Sandwich Islands" he installed a copper plaque with the corresponding inscription. But the British government turned down the Vancouver "gift". There were big wars in Europe and, not having additional forces for active operations in the Hawaii region, Britain focused its attention on Australia and the adjacent part of Polynesia.
Meanwhile, the area began to be developed by "Boston shipbuilders" who gradually turned the islands into the main base of their intermediary trade between Russian America, California and China. Until the 1830s, these were the fiercest competitors of the Russian hunters in Russian America. "Boston shipbuilders" violated the monopoly privileges of the Russian-American Company (RAC), they competed with the Russians in the Chinese market (fur trade), traded arms with Indians, etc. On the other hand, ties with the Americans allowed Russian settlers in America to decide many problems, such as buying food, ships, organizing joint fishing, etc.
The Russians were directly acquainted with the Hawaiian Islands in June 1804, when the "Nadezhda" and "Neva" under the command of IF Kruzenshtern and Yu. F. Lisyansky visited the archipelago during their trip around the world. The members of the expedition not only left valuable observations about the state of the economy, customs and life of the Polynesians, but also replenished the museums of St. Petersburg with numerous exhibits. The most valuable observations were made by the commander of the Neva sloop, Yuri Lisyansky, who devoted more than 70 pages of the first volume of his Voyage to the description of the archipelago. Russian sailors have established good relations with local residents. Then it became clear that the islands could become an excellent food base for Kamchatka and Russian America. VN Berkh, a member of the expedition, noted later that every autumn it would be advisable to send a ship from Kamchatka to the Hawaiian Islands, where it could stay for the whole winter, and return in May with a load of food.
Lisyansky managed to form a very detailed opinion about the state of the economy, trade, customs and life of the islanders, as well as the successful activities of the energetic king Kamehamea I. The Neva also visited Otuvai Island (Kauai), where the local king Kaumualii visited the Russian ship. He was interested in developing trade with the Europeans and wanted protection from his rival Kamehamea. Even then, the king of Kaumualii asked not only for iron, but also for the protection of Russia. "It was desirable for him," wrote the clerk of the RAC N. I. Korobitsyn, "that we moored with our ship to his island to protect him from King Tomiomi, for which reason" he even expressed a desire "to agree to accept his island as a citizen of Russia."
Kamehameah also wanted to improve relations with the Russians. Having learned that the Russian colonies were experiencing a shortage of food, the king let the ruler of Russian America A. A. Baranov know that he was ready to send every year to Novo-Arkhangelsk (the capital of Russian America) a merchant ship with a cargo of food and other goods), if "beaver skins at a reasonable price" are received in exchange.
Interesting considerations about the prospects for the development of ties between the Kingdom of Hawaii and Russian America were expressed by NP Rezanov in a letter to NP Rumyantsev dated June 17 (29), 1806. “The King of the Sandwich Islands Toome-Ome-o offered Mr. Baranov his friendship … I bought up to 15 single-masted ships … and now I bought a three-masted ship from the Americans. Navigator Clarke … two years ago he settled on the Sandwich family and has a wife, children and various institutions there. He visited these places several times, was treated kindly by Alexander Andreevich and, knowing the needs of the local land, said so much to his king that he sent him to interpret about trade, and if it would be allowed … Toome-Ome-o wants to be in Novo-Arkhangelsk, having laid the foundation bargaining … . The Hawaiian king Kamehamea promised to carry food and wanted to receive industrial and shipbuilding goods from the Russians.
In 1806, on his own initiative, a daring journey from California to the Sandwich Islands aboard the schooner St. Nikolay”was undertaken by an employee of the RAC Sysoi Slobodchikov. Kamehamea received the Russians very favorably and sent gifts to Baranov. Slobodchikov also acquired the necessary food in exchange for furs and returned safely to Russian America.
The first project to develop the Hawaiian Islands
In the fall of 1808, taking advantage of the presence in Novo-Arkhangelsk of the sloop "Neva" under the command of Lieutenant L. A. Gagemeister (Gagenmeister), the ruler of Russian America, Baranov decided to conduct a more serious study of the Hawaiian Islands. Lieutenant Gagemeister was supposed to get acquainted with the archipelago, establish relations with the local king, learn the latest news from Europe from the Americans and try to find islands north-west of Hawaii, which were allegedly discovered by the Spaniards in the 17th century. In Baranov's instructions, the commander of the Neva was instructed to "first turn to the Sandwich Islands to provide sufficient supplies of life, not only for the crew, but also for the local region, if there is an opportunity, provisions, where to delay the stormy season." The lieutenant was supposed to collect detailed information about the political situation in the kingdom, and then pay all attention to "the most important subject of the search for islands not discovered by anyone until now" between Hawaii, Japan and Kamchatka.
Gagemeister collected information about the situation in the Hawaiian Islands and their potential importance for the supply of food to the Russian possessions. The lieutenant concluded that it was possible to buy a land plot on the islands or even seize it, for which it was necessary to allocate two ships.
Later, while in Kamchatka, Gagemeister sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs N. P. Rumyantsev, the project of founding an agricultural colony in the Hawaiian Islands. At the first stage, it was supposed to send two dozen workers and about the same number of soldiers with one cannon, as well as build a blockhouse fortification. Gagemeister's project received the support of the General Board of the Russian-American Company. However, he did not find any response in the Russian government. Petersburg did not see the need to expand its possessions, and in the conditions of a break with Great Britain (the Russian-English war of 1807-1812), the establishment of a colony on distant islands could become an obvious gamble. In addition, in St. Petersburg there were strong pro-Western sentiments and any efforts of Russian ascetics to expand our lands anywhere and especially in the east were perceived with hostility, and they immediately began to talk about the threat of deteriorating relations with the West - England, France or America.
Schaeffer's mission
An attempt to gain a foothold on the islands took place only in 1816. The reason was the incident with the ship "Bering". At the end of January 1815, off the coast of Kauai, Captain James Bennett's ship "Bering", which was there on behalf of Baranov to buy food, was wrecked. The ship thrown ashore together with the cargo, which was estimated at 100 thousand rubles, was captured by the king of Kaumualia and local residents.
This was the reason for sending to Hawaii in the fall of 1815 Dr. Georg Schaeffer (the Russians called him Yegor Nikolaevich), a German by birth. Schaeffer received his medical education in Germany. Moved to Russia. In addition to medical practice, he devoted a lot of time to the study of botany and minerals, participated in an experiment on the construction of a combat controlled balloon in Vorontsovo. For his services he was awarded the title of Baron. The loss of property during the fire in Moscow, and the illness of his wife forced him in 1813 to take part in a sea expedition to Alaska. There he stayed.
Returning to Novo-Arkhangelsk in the summer of 1815, Captain Bennett insisted on the need to send an armed expedition to the Hawaiian Islands. Two other American captains also convinced Baranov of a military response. However, apparently, Baranov doubted this step and decided to use Schaeffer for intelligence and diplomacy. According to Schaeffer, Baranov repeatedly consulted with him on this matter and they decided that it would be best to try to reach a friendly agreement with the Hawaiians. Schaeffer, apparently, at this time was the only person in Alaska who could carry out such a delicate mission.
In the instructions that Baranov gave Schaeffer in early October 1815, the doctor was instructed to win the favor of King Kamehamea and initially engage only in scientific research. Only after that Schaeffer had to raise the issue of compensation for the damage caused. It was planned to receive sandalwood as compensation. If successful, Schaeffer would also have achieved trade privileges and a monopoly on the export of sandalwood, similar to that which the Americans had previously received. At the same time, Baranov sent special gifts, a silver medal and a personal letter addressed to Kamehamea, in which the question of compensation for losses in connection with the seizure of Bering's cargo was raised and Schaeffer's authority as a representative of the company was confirmed. Baranov noted that Russian America and the Kingdom of Hawaii are geographically closest to each other and therefore they are especially interested in establishing friendly relations.
At the end of the letter, there was a latent threat to take his own measures against Kaumualia if he refused to compensate for the damage. In this case, Baranov gave instructions to the commander of the Otkrytie ship, Lieutenant Ya. A. Podushkin. After all peaceful means have been exhausted, the king of Kaumualia was to give a lesson and show military strength in the form of an "exacerbation", whenever possible, however, avoiding human casualties. In case of victory, then in this “opportunity” Baranov recommended “to take the island of Atuvai in the name of our sovereign im. all-Russian in possession under his power. " Taking such a serious step, the ruler of Russian America, Baranov, apparently acted at his own peril and risk, hoping for the old rule that the winner is not judged.
In early October 1815, on board the American ship Isabella, Dr. Schaeffer went to Hawaii, where he arrived about a month later. Judging by the notes of Schaeffer himself, at the very beginning he had to face serious opposition from the Americans, who were actively trying to persuade the Hawaiian king to their side and were afraid of the penetration of foreign influence into Hawaii. American captains and among them the "governor" D. Jung, who had lived on the island for a long time, had a great influence on the king. They assured Kamehameah and other Hawaiian nobles that the arrival of Schaeffer and the expected Russian ships expressed the hostile intentions of the Russians. Therefore, Baranov's letter was returned without being printed.
However, Schaeffer showed resourcefulness and infiltrated the circle of the Hawaiian king. Apparently, his medical education helped. Schaeffer was a M. D. In early 1816, he reported to the company: “I have already managed to win the friendship and trust of the great King Kamehamea, whom I am currently treating for heart disease. I also managed to cure his beloved wife, Queen Kaaumana, from a severe fever."
The doctor clearly wanted to extol his services. On the other hand, Schaeffer made several important observations. He noted the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants with the existing situation and the policies of the king. Schaeffer's extraordinary delight was caused by the natural conditions of Hawaii, especially the island of Oahu. He called it "paradise". The islands could become an excellent food base for Russian America and our fleet in the Pacific Ocean. Baranov's envoy noted that bread on the islands "was born on trees and on earth", everyone can cook any food - pineapples, bananas, sugarcane, oranges, lemons grow everywhere, there are many wild and livestock on the islands, there is an abundance of fish in the ocean etc.
Having received permission to set up a trading post, as well as land plots on the islands of Hawaii and Oahu, Schaeffer "examined them and found them capable of cultivating many items, abundant in various timber and sandalwood, water, fish, wild bulls and others." He built a house and started building a farm. However, Schaeffer's activity increased the suspicion of foreigners. They began to call him a "Russian spy". According to the doctor, an attempt was even organized on him. As a result, Schaeffer chose to go to the island of Oahu, where there was more food, "and the inhabitants are better disposed towards foreigners."
In May 1816, Russian ships arrived in Hawaii: first the Otkritie under the command of Ya. A. Podushkin, and then the Ilmen, commanded by Captain W. Wadsworth, which was returning from California and entered the islands for urgent repairs. On board this ship was a party of Aleuts, headed by T. Tarakanov. Thus, the enterprising doctor had powers that could be used to establish himself in Hawaii.
On his own initiative, Schaeffer detained Ilmena in Honolulu. He entrusted the factory to P. Kicherov, and he himself, together with Podushkin, set off on the Otkritie ship to the island of Hawaii to negotiate with Kamehamea about the Bering. The Hawaiian king was still in no hurry to meet the demands of Dr. Schaeffer. He shied away from the meeting, and did not make any concessions on trade issues.
German traveler, Dr. Georg Schaeffer
Russian Hawaii
Seeing that it was not possible to get along with the king of Kameamey, Schaeffer decided not to waste time to follow to the island of Kauai. On May 16 (28), 1816, the Otkritie ship dropped anchor off the coast of this island. The most interesting and important part of Dr. Schaeffer's Hawaiian expedition began. May 21 (June 2) 1816the Russian envoy seemed to have achieved incredible results. In a solemn atmosphere Kaumualii - "the king of the Sandwich Islands, lying in the Pacific North Ocean, Atuvai and Nigau, the born prince of the islands of Owagu and Mauvi" - humbly asked "e. v. Sovereign Emperor Alexander Pavlovich … to take his aforementioned islands under his protection”and promised to be forever loyal to the“Russian scepter”. On the same day, another agreement was signed, according to which Kaumualii pledged not only to return the salvaged part of Bering's cargo, but also to provide the Russian-American Company with a monopoly on the sandalwood trade. The company also received the right to freely establish its trading posts in the domain of Kaumualia.
Thus, part of Hawaii came under the protectorate of the Russian Empire. Russia could get a strategic foothold in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. It was important as a food base and could become an excellent naval base, and in the distant future, and air. Taking into account the fact that Russia owned the Far East, Kuriles, Kamchatka, Aleuts, Alaska and part of California, the Russian Empire could gain control over the entire northern part of the Pacific Ocean.
In the best traditions of colonialism, Schaeffer did not stop there and decided to consolidate his success. On July 1 (13), 1816, a "secret treatise" was also concluded, according to the terms of which the king of Kaumualia allocated several hundred warriors to conquer the islands of Oahu, Lanai, Naui, Malokai "and others" that belonged to him and were taken away by force. The general management of the expedition was entrusted to an overly active "doctor of medicine". "The king gives Dr. Schaeffer, - stated in the treatise, - a form for this expedition and any help for the construction of fortresses on all the islands, in which fortresses will be Russian commanders, as in the harbor of Ganarua (Honolulu) on the island of Wagu" (Oahu) … Separately, it was stipulated that the Russian-American company receives from the king half of Oahu, which belonged to him, as well as all the sandalwood on this island. The Hawaiian king Kaumualiya pledged to pay for all the goods that he received and still receive (iron, ship accessories, etc.) - "sandalwood". The King of Kaumualia also refused any trade with the Americans. And Schaeffer promised "to start factories and better economy, through which the local residents would enlighten and enrich themselves."
Thus, the Hawaiian king Kaumualii decided to use Russian patronage to strengthen his position with his rival - "Pacific Napoleon". He hoped not only to keep the western islands, but also to expand his possessions. In accordance with this promise, Schaeffer bought the schooner "Lydia" for Kaumualia, and also agreed to purchase a large armed ship "Avon", which belonged to the American I. Vittimore, for 200 thousand piastres. The ship was to be paid for by A. A. Baranov. For his part, the king of Kaumualii gave “his royal word that the Russian American company in excess of three cargoes of sandalwood, that the king owes for the goods received and the ship, according to the first treaty concluded this year on May 21, undertakes to pay five years in a row as much as possible to the Russian companies: chopping sandalwood every year to recompense the company without any other payment."
In September 1816 I. Whitmore sailed to Novo-Arkhangelsk on the ship "Avon". On board the ship was Baranov's son Antipater, with whom Schaeffer sent the originals of the agreements concluded with the Hawaiian king. Trying to notify St. Petersburg of his successes as soon as possible, Dr. Schaeffer sent copies of the agreements on another American ship to China and further through Western Europe to Russia. Describing his amazing adventures in the Hawaiian Islands, Schaeffer simultaneously asked for two well-armed ships with a reliable crew to be sent from Russia. In his opinion, this was enough to protect and consolidate the interests of the Russian Empire off the northwestern shores of America.
Awaiting support from Russia, Dr. Schaeffer continued his tireless efforts to establish Russian positions on the islands. Continuing to use the location of the local king, Schaeffer, with the help of the Hawaiians, in 14 months built several houses for the trading post, set up gardens, “laid fortresses on three heights, calling one Alexander, the other Elizabethan and the third the name of Barclay, and at the request of the king he named the Gannarei valley by his own name. Shefferova … The king gave his people to the construction of these fortresses. This province is abundant in small rivers, rich in fish, fields, mountains and in general the location is captivating, the soil of the earth is most reliable for planting grapes, cotton paper, sugar cane, which he planted several, planting gardens and vegetable gardens for many delicate fruits. The harvest of these confirmed Schaeffer of the great benefits that this place and all the islands in general can bring to Russia, and even calculated the interest from the harvest that he saw from his planting."
However, Scheffer's calculations to support Baranov, and most importantly the Russian government, did not come true. When in the fall of 1816 I. Whitmore arrived in Novo-Arkhangelsk, the ruler of the Russian possessions in America, Baranov, “did not test the purchase of the Avon and refused to pay.” Having received the originals of the agreements of an enterprising German doctor and familiarized himself with his reports, “A. A. Baranov immediately wrote to him that he could not approve the conditions he had concluded without the permission of the main board, "and forbade him to" enter into any further speculations."
