Presidential Library marking the 250th anniversary of the famous navigator Ivan Krusenstern

November 19, 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Fyodorovich Krusenstern (1770-1846) - a talented navigator, head of the first Russian round-the-world expedition, later director of the Naval Cadet Corps, author of the first scientific papers on maritime affairs. The Presidential Library’s portal features his detailed report “Traveling around the world in 1803, 4, 5 and 1806 on the ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva”, as well as publications spotlighting Krusenstern's contribution to the history of Russian navigation.

One of the books is “Russian round-the-world travels. From Krusenstern to "Sedov" "- was written by a descendant of the famous admiral Alexei Krusenstern. The narration is preceded by the words of Ivan Krusenstern: "An enlightened one cannot have difficulties in enhancing the good and glory of the nation". And below there is an inscription in Latin "Navigare necesse est", which means "It is necessary to navigate" - a phrase from an ancient Roman saying about the importance of going forward, courageously overcoming difficulties, about fidelity to duty.

Born on the family estate in Estland in the vicinity of Tallinn (formerly Reval), Ivan Krusenstern (at birth Adam Johan von Krusenstern) came from the Eastsee Germans who had long been in the Russian service. He was educated at home, then at school at the Revel Church. At the age of 15, Ivan Krusenstern was assigned to the Kronstadt Naval Corps, but due to the outbreak of the war with Sweden, he was released ahead of schedule to participate in hostilities. For the courage shown in one of the battles, he was promoted to lieutenant.  

In 1793, Ivan Krusenstern went to "study naval affairs in a real way" to England among the best young officers. Among them were Yuri Lisyansky, Vasily Golovnin, Faddey Bellingshausen and others, who later became famous seafarers and brought many benefits to their Fatherland. On British ships, sailed to the shores of North America and the Antilles, to India and China, but more and more often thought about his own expedition. “Fortunately”, - says the Naval Digest. Vol. 102, No. 6 - he was generously endowed by nature with what distinguishes high talents from ordinary ones - precisely an inquiring mind, constantly, by virtue of his own motivation, striving to expand the circle of his knowledge and constantly increase the scope of his activity". 

The first draft of the circumnavigation of the world (or "tracing", according to Krusenstern's definition) was drawn up upon his return to his homeland in 1799. The navigator suggested regularly sending ships to the northern part of the Pacific Ocean to protect our colonies and supply them with everything they need by water, and not by land, which promised considerable benefits. At the same time, there was an active trade with China, and Krusenstern proposed to organize it in a more profitable way, without overpaying England, Denmark and Sweden for Chinese and Indian goods.

Meanwhile, attempts to implement this long-term plan for a long time did not lead to anything. Famous naval commanders in the past (for example, the admiral of the Catherine era Vasily Chichagov) opposed, as they were distrustful of the "projects" of young sailors.

The case got under way only at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Alexander I in 1802. Ivan Krusenstern and his assistant Yuri Lisyansky were given two sailing sloops: "Nadezhda" and "Neva". Detailed requirements, routes and expectations of seafarers are described in the handwritten document "Instruction of the Main Board of the Russian-American Company to the chief of the first Russian round-the-world expedition, Lieutenant-Commander Ivan Krusenstern" available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

“In 1803, the ships hoisted their sails and left Kronstadt exactly 100 years after the founding of St. Petersburg and its harbor Kronstadt by Peter. <...> It could hardly have been more worthy to celebrate the centenary existence of the capital, transferred to the shores of the sea with a deeply deliberate intention. Could anything have honored the memory of the great founder as much as this casual, quiet celebration did? ”- we read in the publication “Admiral Ivan Krusenstern. The first Russian navigator around the world”.  

During the expedition, the sailors had to endure a lot: the storm that overtook the "Nadezhda" off the coast of Japan tore the sails of the ship to shreds, the sailors experienced a shortage of products that could prevent scurvy. “The longer the voyage lasted, - we learn in the publication “Russian round-the-world travels. From Krusenstern to "Sedov", - the food became scarcer. They ate corned beef three times a week. Sometimes got tuna or mackerel…".

In such harsh conditions, it was necessary not only to survive, but also to work. The officers stood watch in any weather, conducted trigonometric surveys, made entries in their personal observation diaries. Naturalists made stuffed fish, birds, alcoholized and dried sea animals, made herbariums. Kruzenshtern was responsible for the entire ship and crew, supervised navigation and astronomical observations, and did a lot of scientific work. Cabins on ships were only shared, and Ivan Fyodorovich was forced to keep his notes in the wardroom on the edge of the table ... All this is spotlighted in the publication “Admiral Ivan Krusenstern. The first Russian navigator around the world”. 

Three years after, Krusenstern returned from a voyage around the world "with a rich booty of scientific information". New islands, straits, reefs, bays and capes were plotted on the world map, inaccuracies in the maps of the Pacific Ocean were corrected. Both in Russia and abroad, Krusenstern was deservedly considered the best hydrographer of the Pacific Ocean. The report of the head of the expedition by Krusenstern, was translated into all European languages ​​and became the property of the educated world.

In 1827, Ivan Fyodorovich Krusenstern was appointed director of the Naval Cadet Corps. The training of naval officers was considered the most difficult task in the development of the fleet, and for many years Russia was forced to invite specialists from abroad for this purpose. Having received the opportunity to educate cadets, to develop maritime science, Krusenstern glorified the Russian fleet with a whole series of methodological works that are used in our time.

“Leafing through the “Naval Atlas”, the authors drew attention to the map of the routes of Russian voyages around the world in the 19th century, - we read in the collection “Russian round-the-world travels. From Krusenstern to "Sedov". - They penetrate the Pacific Ocean like capillaries. It is these two centuries of efforts by Russian seamen-pioneers <...> that allow Russia to remain an ocean power, supporting the unique geostrategic quality of our great country formed by our ancestors".