Kruzenshtern Ivan (Adam) Fedorovich (born November 19, 1770 - died August 24, 1846) Russian navigator, admiral, corresponding member, honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. The leader of the first Russian round-the-world expedition (the voyage lasted more than 3 years), one of the founders of Russian oceanology.
He was the first to map most of the coast of Sakhalin Island. One of the founders of the Russian Geographical Society. Author of the Atlas of the South Sea. Named after him: the strait in the northern part of the Kuril Islands, the passage between Tsushima and the Iki and Okinoshima islands in the Korean Strait, islands in the Bering Strait and the Tuamotu archipelago, a mountain on Novaya Zemlya.
Origin. Training
The first Russian navigator to make a round-the-world voyage, Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, left a deep mark on the history of geographical discoveries. He was born in 1770 in the Estland (Estonian) province near Revel (present-day Tallinn) on the family estate. His father, Johann Friedrich, and mother, Christina Frederika, were from poor nobility. When Ivan was 15 years old, his parents sent him to the Marine Corps in Kronstadt. Cadet life was not easy: they lived from hand to mouth, the block buildings were poorly heated, the windows were broken in the bedrooms, firewood had to be dragged from neighboring warehouses. Many years later, the admiral, who dreamed of the maritime future of his sons, still did not dare to send them to the Marine Corps, and they became students of the famous Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.
Military service
Because of the beginning of the Russian-Swedish war, the graduation of cadets took place ahead of schedule. 1788 - Ivan Fedorovich was sent to the ship "Mstislav", but he was not given the rank of midshipman in such cases, like the rest of the graduates. In his documents there was an entry: "for the midshipman." The rank, however, he soon received: the young man took part in four battles and for the displayed valor already in 1790 became a lieutenant.
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Study in England
The brave, energetic and determined officer was noticed. At the end of hostilities, he was sent to continue his studies in England. On British ships, Kruzenshtern was able to visit America, Africa, Bermuda, India and China. It was then that he had the idea of the need for Russians to make round-the-world voyages for research and exploration of trade routes for Russia.
Returning to Russia in 1800, Kruzenshtern, who received the rank of Lieutenant-Commander, submitted to the government notes: "On raising the Russian fleet by long voyage to the level of the best foreign fleets" and "On the development of colonial trade and the most profitable supply of Russian-American colonies with everything they need." Both notes remained unanswered, but after the palace coup, under Alexander I, N. S. became the head of the naval department. Mordvinov, who together with the Minister of Commerce N. P. Rumyantsev was able to obtain permission from the emperor for an expedition to organize sea trade with China and Japan. Kruzenshtern was appointed the commander of the expedition.
Circumnavigation
The expedition ships bought in England were named "Neva" and "Hope". The best instruments and instruments for navigation at that time were also purchased there. Kruzenshtern went on the "Nadezhda", and his best friend and comrade Yu. F. was appointed captain of the "Neva". Lisyansky. The total number of crews was 129 people. The team consisted of Russians, only the scientists who took part in the expedition were foreigners. On board the "Nadezhda" was also the Russian ambassador N. P. Rezanov, who sailed with his retinue to Japan.
1803, June 26 - the expedition left Kronstadt and headed for the shores of Brazil. This was the first passage of Russian ships to the southern hemisphere. As an antiscorbutic agent, a large stock of the best wine was purchased on the island of Tenerife, each sailor was entitled to a bottle a day. Kruzenshtern personally examined the sailors. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the commander, scurvy was avoided on this journey.
After a month of repairs on the Brazilian island of St. Catherine, the expedition moved to Cape Horn. There, during the fog, the ships lost each other. Kruzenshtern went to the Marquesas Islands, and Lisyansky approached Easter Island and corrected Cook's mistake in determining its geographic coordinates. Sailors met at Nukagiva Island (Marquesas Islands).
Then the ships headed for the South Sandwich Islands, and there they split again. Ivan Fedorovich went to Kamchatka without stopping, and Lisyansky went to the Sandwich Islands in order to replenish food supplies and from there went to the Aleutian Islands.
From Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka, Kruzenshtern went to Nagasaki. During this crossing, the ship fell into a terrible typhoon and almost lost its mast. They were forced to stand in Nagasaki for 6 months. The Japanese did not want to accept Rezanov; Having achieved nothing, the embassy had no choice but to return to Kamchatka. The Japanese authorities did not even give permission to purchase food. True, the emperor provided the expedition with the necessary food for two months.
On the way back, the travelers mapped the western coast of Hondo Island (Nippon), Honshu and Hokkaido, as well as the southern part of Sakhalin. In the Kuril chain, they discovered several previously unknown islands, very low and therefore dangerous for navigation. Kruzenshtern called them Stone Traps. After dropping off the embassy, Kruzenshtern continued his voyage. He explored the eastern and northern coasts of Sakhalin to the mouth of the Amur, and from there went to Macau (Aomin) to meet with Lisyansky. Having taken on board a large cargo of Chinese goods, the expedition on February 9, 1806 set off on its way back to its homeland.
On April 15, in cloudy weather, the ships parted again. Kruzenshtern made attempts to find the "Neva", but in vain. Lisyansky was not present at the agreed meeting place on about. St. Helena.
Later it turned out that the captain of the Neva decided to go to Kronstadt without stopping in the name of the glory of Russian seafarers. He managed to safely make this transition, which before him had not been possible for any of such ships. And the delayed due to the search and entry to the island. St. Helena "Nadezhda" arrived in Kronstadt two weeks later, on August 19, 1806. While staying in Copenhagen, the Russian ship was visited by a Danish prince, who wished to meet with Russian sailors and listen to their stories.
1) Kruzenshtern Ivan Fedorovich; 2) Lisyansky Yuri Fedorovich.
The value of the expedition
The first Russian round-the-world expedition was of great scientific and practical importance and attracted the attention of the whole world. Russian sailors corrected in many points the English maps, which were considered the most accurate at that time. Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky discovered many new islands and excluded those that did not exist, but were marked on the maps. They carried out observations of the temperature of the deep sea layers and currents.
For the first time in history, professional meteorological research was carried out, which has retained its scientific significance to this day. During the entire voyage, studies of currents, their direction and strength were carried out, ethnographic observations were carried out, especially valuable in relation to the Nukagives, Kamchadals and Ainu. These materials are considered classic. In addition to geographical research, botanical, zoological and ethnographic collections were collected. Kruzenshtern's round-the-world expedition introduced mysterious Japan not only to Russia, but also to world science. In addition, the seafarers for the first time sailed from the European part of Russia to Kamchatka and Alaska, in connection with which a special medal was engraved.
These works received well-deserved recognition. The leader of the expedition received the rank of captain of the 2nd rank, was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences and the Admiralty Department.
Scientific, organizational activity
After his return, Kruzenshtern Ivan Fedorovich worked for a long time on theoretical issues of maritime affairs and hydrographic measurements. The famous navigator tried to determine the role and place of geography in the system of sciences, was interested in its connection with physics, chemistry, philosophy and history, sought to determine the influence of economics and commerce on geographical research and geographical discoveries. The opinion of Ivan Fedorovich was taken into account and was in correspondence with the indisputable authority in the field of geographical research, the Englishman John Barrow. In particular, he asked a Russian colleague what he thinks about the northwest passage.
The navigator also corresponded with Humboldt, the cartographer Espinoza and other famous scientists of that era.
The war of 1812 once again showed the patriotism of the naval commander: he donated a third of his fortune to the people's militia. During this difficult time, Kruzenshtern turned into a diplomat, was a member of the mission in London, but even here he did not cease to be interested in innovations in the field of shipbuilding, the achievements of the British fleet, and examined the most important ports and docks.
The issues of organizing Russian navigation continued to interest the scientist. 1815 - after the end of the Napoleonic wars, he took part in organizing the expedition of O. Kotzebue in search of the north-western passage. Later, the sailor scientist did a lot to organize other voyages, primarily for the expedition of Bellingshausen and Lazarev, which ended with the discovery of Antarctica.
Monument to I. F. Kruzenshtern.
Indefinite vacation. Publication of a book, atlas
But intense scientific activity greatly affected the health of the captain. Due to eye disease, he was forced to apply for indefinite leave to improve his health. However, this was not the main reason: the new naval minister, the Marquis Traversay, a mediocre and proud man, did not favor the favorite of the Minister of Commerce Rumyantsev and in every way obstructed his proposals to improve the fleet and activities in the field of geographical research.
On his estate, Kruzenshtern continued his scientific studies. He finished work on a book on the voyage around the world, presented several notes to the Admiralty, including the need to compile a "general maritime atlas". But his ideas were ignored. Only after Traversay was replaced by Admiral A. V. Moller, who understood the importance of such a publication, accepted the project. Alexander I agreed to give out 2,500 rubles for the publication of the book of Kruzenshtern Ivan Fedorovich and the atlas. After the publication of the atlas of Kruzenshtern, both in Russia and in Europe they began to be considered the first hydrographer of the Pacific Ocean. The atlas itself went far beyond the scope of hydrography: together with the materials of the round-the-world expedition, it greatly contributed to the further development of earth sciences.
1827 - the famous traveler, by that time promoted to vice admiral, was the director of the Naval Corps and, thus, got the opportunity to correct the problems that tormented him in his youth. At the same time, he worked in many scientific institutions. With the active participation of the admiral, the Geographical Society was organized in Russia, which became one of the most powerful and authoritative in the world.
Death. Heritage
Ivan Fyodorovich Kruzenshtern died on August 24, 1846 in his estate Ass and was buried in Revel in the Vyshgorod (Dome) church. His work was continued by his son, Pavel Ivanovich, and his grandson, Pavel Pavlovich. Both became famous travelers who explored the northeastern coasts of Asia, the Karolinsky and other islands of the Pechersk Territory and the Ob North.
The scientist-navigator left behind a number of serious scientific works, including the "Atlas of the South Sea" already known to the reader with an explanatory text. And the trip around the world was described by him in the essay “Travel around the world in 1803–1806. on the ships "Nadezhda" and "Neva" ". The book was reprinted in an abridged version in 1950.