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diff --git a/44345-h/44345-h.htm b/44345-h/44345-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..414f230 --- /dev/null +++ b/44345-h/44345-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,783 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Peter the Great’s Pet Projects, by W. Gannon. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; font-weight: normal; +} +.h {visibility: hidden;} +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} +p.center { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: center; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} +p.indent { + margin-top: .51em; margin-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; + text-align: left; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} +p.left { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: left; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} +p.right { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: right; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +blockquote {margin-left: 7%; margin-right: 5%; } + +.padt1 {padding-top: .5em;} +.padb1 {padding-bottom: .5em;} +.padr1 {padding-right: 1em;} +.padr2 {padding-right: 2em;} +.padr3 {padding-right: 3em;} +.padr4 {padding-right: 4em;} +.padl3 {padding-left: 3em;} +.f85 {font-size: .85em;} +.f12 {font-size: 1.2em;} + +.f15 {font-size: 1.5em;} + +hr { + width: 20%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.small {width: 10%; margin-bottom: .5em; margin-top: .5em; } + + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + .tdl {text-align: left;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} + .tdc {text-align: center;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + + + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + + + + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + + </style> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44345 ***</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="center f15">WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT</p> + +<p class="center f85">OF</p> + +<h1>Peter the Great’s Pet Projects,</h1> + +<p class="center f85">ACCORDING TO</p> + +<p class="center">His Last Will and Testament.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="center f12">AMERICAN INVENTION</p> + +<p class="center f85">AS AN</p> + +<p class="center f12">AID TO RUSSIA’S GRASP</p> + +<p class="center f12">ON ASIATIC TERRITORY.<br /><br /></p> + +<hr class="small" /> +<p class="center f85"><span class="smcap">By W. Gannon.</span></p> +<hr class="small" /> + +<p class="center f85"><br /><br />NEW YORK:<br /> +THE MARITIME REPORTER PUBLISHING CO.,<br /> +<span class="smcap">15 Whitehall Street</span>.<br /> +1889.<br /><br /></p> + +<hr /> + + +<h2>PROGRESSIVE RUSSIA</h2> + +<p class="center f85">ON THE</p> + +<p class="center f15">March to Constantinople.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="center">AN AMERICAN INVENTOR THE ALLY OF THE MUSCOVITE.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Peter the Great may justly be credited with having been the greatest civilizer +of his race. To him is due the credit of nationalizing his country and inaugurating +vast industries, through the medium of the Ship. So far in advance +of his time was he that his startling innovations and wonderful discounting +of the arts of diplomacy must have endangered his head had he not been +fortunate enough to have been born a despot.</p> + +<p>Peter’s last will and testament outlined the policy to be pursued by his +successors, looking to the aggrandizement of Russia, and startling though its +terms are in their selfishness, they are so thoroughly diplomatic that his successors +have religiously lived up to their full meaning.</p> + +<p>And so it comes to pass that the ever-advancing and constantly-tightening +grasp of Russia on adjacent territory is alarming the Governments of the +Old World and may, indeed, in the near future, somewhat concern ourselves. +The Canadian Government is now urging Great Britain to erect defences on +the Pacific Coast, for the reason that Russia, in pursuance of her peculiar +policy, is enlarging her works and arsenal at Vladivostock, opposite British<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +Columbia; and the initiative has already been taken by Great Britain in the +erection of batteries in the neighborhood of Esquimault.</p> + +<p>As early as last May the St. Petersburgh correspondent of the New York +<i>Tribune</i> contributed the following report of the progress of the Grand Trunk +Railway through Central Southern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean and China:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">“SIGNS OF RUSSIAN PROGRESS.</p> + +<p>“The completion of the Trans-Caspian Railway to Samarcand marks +another stage in the Russian occupation of Asia. That city was the objective +point of the earlier campaigns from Orenburg and the sea of Aral, +which ended in the conquest of Khiva and Kokan and the establishment of +Tashkend as the military headquarters, with railway connections northward. +Bokhara was reduced to the condition of a protected province and Samarcand +was virtually converted into a Russian centre of trade on the border of China. +An interval of twelve years has elapsed, during which Samarcand, already +within easy reach from Tashkend, has been gradually approached from the +Caspian Sea. The Trans-Caspian Railway is now in operation from Michailovsk +to Samarcand, a distance of 885 miles, by way of Askabad, Merv and +Bokhara. This narrow-gauge system, built at a cost of $21,000,000, gives +Russia control of the commerce of Turkestan and completes the circuit of +conquest on the borders of China, Afghanistan and Persia. In future military +operations in Central Asia this railway, with the northern line running from +Tashkend, will be a most useful base of transportation and supplies. Meanwhile, +it binds together a straggling series of conquests separated by broad +reaches of desert. It is already rumored in St. Petersburg that the Czar intends +to visit during the summer the great Empire in Central Asia which the +valor of his soldiers and the skill of his engineers have created. An imperial +journey to Merv, Bokhara and Samarcand will illustrate the wonderful progress +made by the Russians during the last twenty years in overrunning +Asia.</p> + +<p>“The Russian engineer who has completed the Trans-Caspian system is +now to undertake a new and colossal undertaking. This is the trunk line +through Central and Southern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean. Surveys have +already been made for a railway from Tomsk to Irkutsk, and this line when +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +finished is to be extended to Vladivostock, on the coast. As the Trans-Caspian +now makes a close approach to Western China, the Siberian will complete +the circuit of the Celestial Empire on its northern border. If the consent +of the Chinese Government can be obtained, branches will be built from +Irkutsk to Pekin, Shanghai, and other centres of population. Within five +years it is expected that this gigantic enterprise will be accomplished and St. +Petersburgh brought into direct communication with Vladivostock. The +journey from the capital to the Pacific can then be made in a fortnight; and +if Chinese markets can be opened to Russian traders, a marvelous change in +the conditions of Asian commerce and intercourse will be effected.”</p></blockquote> + +<hr /> + +<p>And only a few weeks ago the same journal printed the following, as a +sequel to the above:</p><blockquote> + +<p>“The announcement that Russia’s Central Asia railroad system is to be +greatly extended was to be expected. At present it reaches to Samarkand +and already more than pays working expenses. Every branch or further extension +of the main line will, of course, add materially to its traffic and its +profits. It is now proposed to build a branch from the main line at Chardjui, +on the Oxus, to Chamiab, and also to continue the main line onward +from Samarcand to Tashkend. The latter would cross the Jaxartes; and +thus the road would give direct communication with both the great rivers +that flow into the Aral Sea, just at the head of navigation on them, and +would connect the commerce of the Aral with that of the Caspian. Just beyond +Tashkend begins a series of steppes adjoining those of Siberia, whither +Russian colonists are flocking. The road thus promises to be of equal +importance to commerce and to military strategy.”</p></blockquote> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">THE FIRST STEP.</p> + +<p>The occupation of Asia, so long determined on by Russia, was a problem +most difficult of solution. Many years were spent in devising ways and +means to navigate the Aral Sea—the first thought being to transport machinery +and material for the construction of steamers over the mountains—a project +which was at length abandoned as impracticable.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> + +<p>But a solution was at hand. In the year 1860 a novel system for the +construction of vessels was introduced in Great Britain by an American, +through whose efforts a Company was formed and an extensive factory established +at Liverpool. This Company, on proof of the value of its system of +construction, secured a contract with the British Government to construct a +number of steamers for the East India Company of Bengal—Moorshedaba.</p> + +<p>As an evidence of the financial solidity of this company, and the class +of men who invested their capital in that concern, it may be mentioned that +Sir Charles Manby, the great English civil engineer, was President, while +such men as Sir Robert Stephenson, President of the Institution of Civil +Engineers, and John Hamilton, also well-known as an eminent engineer, +were members and stockholders. The entire capital and membership of the +Company belonged in London—Liverpool simply being selected as a factory +site.</p> + +<p>The steamers under course of construction by this Company were +150 and 200 feet long, built on the new system of</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">CORRUGATED GALVANIZED IRON,</p> + +<p>three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness. By this system the weight of hull +of a vessel was reduced one-third and the draft reduced in proportion, while +the strength was increased two-fold by means of the corrugations covering +the entire outer surface of the hull, which corrugations take the place of +<i>frames</i> or <i>timbers</i>, thus increasing the interior capacity of a boat of given +draft while vastly increasing her strength. The great utility and superior +qualities of this mode of construction was fully demonstrated by the building +of several supply boats for the British Navy, as well as military wagons for +the Army, and other constructions on the same principle for miscellaneous +purposes. The steamers built by this company were so constructed that they +could be</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">DISJOINTED AND TRANSPORTED IN SECTIONS,</p> + +<p>being so arranged that they could be set up and taken apart with the utmost +celerity, and without the aid of more than passable shipbuilding or mechani<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>cal +knowledge. This unique and valuable system of ship construction was +invented by Joseph Francis, an American born, and justly celebrated as +founder of the United States Life-Saving Service, for which, at a late day, he +received the</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">THANKS OF CONGRESS AND IS TO RECEIVE A GOLD MEDAL.</p> + +<p>Information of this system of construction reached Russia after its value +had been proved by the American, English, French, Austrian and German +Governments, and Mr. Francis was invited to visit that country, where he +was received by the Emperor.</p> + +<p>In 1860, Admiral Boutakoff, of the Imperial Russian Navy, was ordered +by the Emperor to proceed to Liverpool and examine the system of construction, +with a view to its applicability to service on the Aral Sea, +in Asia, and report as to its utility. From documents placed in possession of +the writer, he is enabled to present a copy of the Admiral’s Report, as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="right padr1 padt1">“<span class="smcap">Liverpool</span>, 15th November, 1860.</p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Honored Sir</span>: I have sent to the Scientific Committee of the +Marine Ministry, with my reports of the 15th and 17th of October, for publication +in a marine journal, a short article concerning the corrugated iron +steamers. In addition to information therein contained, I would state that it +is my conviction that for our rivers, which are from year to year getting more +shallow, there cannot be built a more suitable steamer than the above. In +the discharge of my duty, I communicate to you the result of the trials which +have been made at the Liverpool factory.</p> + +<p>“The corrugation of sheets of iron is effected, as may be known to you, +crosswise and not lengthwise, and the sheets of the hull are riveted together +by lapping one upon the other, corrugation upon corrugation, and a double +row of rivets put in.</p> + +<p>“It was important to ascertain the relative strength of the riveted lap to +a whole sheet before proceeding with the construction of the steamers. For +that purpose we placed upon two blocks a riveted sheet <i>a a</i> (as marked in +the diagram accompanying this), three feet ten inches in length by two feet +six inches wide and three-sixteenths of an inch thick. We then began by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +laying on it, directly over the line of the rivets, zinc slabs, <i>b b</i>, each weighing +thirty-one pounds English.</p> + +<p>“The sheet broke at one row of rivets after having placed upon it 188 +slabs, or 160 poods of fourteen pounds each (nearly three tons); after this +test a whole sheet of the same measure was placed upon the blocks, and it +bent after 199 slabs or 170 poods, (over three tons) had been placed upon it.</p> + +<p>“Finally we took a plain sheet of iron the same measure, not corrugated, +and it bent and fell from the blocks after ten slabs had been placed +upon it. I believe that such results settle the question in regard to the +local strength which corrugation imparts to iron and its adaptation in the +construction of vessels.</p> + +<p class="center">“With sincere regard,</p> + +<p class="right padr2"><span style="margin-right: 5em;">(Signed.)</span><span style="margin-right: 5em;">“ALEXANDER BOUTAKOFF.</span></p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">To Admiral Arkass</span>.”</p> +</blockquote> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/test.jpg" width="500" height="215" alt="TEST OF CORRUGATED IRON LAP MADE IN LIVERPOOL BY +ADMIRAL BOUTAKOFF, R. I. N." /> +<p class="center">TEST OF CORRUGATED IRON LAP MADE IN LIVERPOOL BY<br /> +ADMIRAL BOUTAKOFF, R. I. N.<br /><br /></p></div> + + +<p>On a call from the Russian Government, the inventor submitted photographs +and drawings of the steamers constructed by the Liverpool Company, +addressed, according to instructions, to the Grand Duke Constantine.</p> + +<p>After some little necessary correspondence, shorn of all diplomatic red +tape, a contract was entered into between the Imperial Government and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +Mr. Francis, for the construction of a fleet of light-draft steamers, to be +pushed to completion rapidly as possible. The result was that, ere the year +1862 had passed, steamers, fully engined, and ready for service, were erected +at the Liverpool factory, and taken apart again for shipment. These vessels +were 150 to 200 feet in length, built on similar lines to vessels already constructed +by the Company. When the steamers had been put together, +tested and again set up at the factory, they were boxed for shipment, in sections, +both hulls, floating dock and machinery, when they were ready for</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">THE STRANGEST ROUTE EVER TRAVERSED BY SHIP.</p> + +<p>From Liverpool they went first to St. Petersburgh—thence to Moscow—on +to Nijni Novgorod—across the Volga—over the Ural Mountains—to the +Aral Sea, in Asia—where they were at length unboxed, the sections once +again put together and, lo, a</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">PROUD FLOTILLA GRACED THE ARAL,</p> + +<p>upreared as if by magic hands. This was the initiative in Russia’s grandest +Dream of Empire. These vessels had crossed the Aral barrier, and swooped +down like things of life on the insulated sea, the inhabitants of whose +shores fondly dreamed they dwelt secure in Nature’s fastness. Impossible +would it have been to transport vessels in their entirety over the rugged +heights, and deadly impracticable would it have been to attempt their +construction on the Aral seaboard, in full view of an alert and suspicious +people.</p> + +<p>Here it may be well to introduce three letters, the originals of which are +in possession of the writer, and which are fully corroborative of the preceding +statements.</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>“<i>To His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Constantine</i>:</p> + +<p>“I beg leave to present to Your Imperial Highness lithographs of the +two corrugated galvanized iron steamers, built at Liverpool for the Syr +Dariah River, under the supervision of Captain A. Boutakoff, of the Russian +Imperial Navy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + + + +<p>“The two steamers, together with one barge and a lifting dock, are +finished, ready for shipment. Captain Boutakoff left Liverpool March +25 (13th).</p> + +<p class="right padr4">“Your Imperial Highness’ humble servant,</p> + +<p class="right padr1">(Signed.)<span style="margin-left: 9em;">“JOSEPH FRANCIS.”</span></p> + +<hr /> + +<table width="100%" summary="address"><tr> +<td class="tdr">“<span class="smcap">Marine Ministry of the Shipbuilding Dep’t.</span></td> +<td class="tdc" rowspan="2"><span style="font-size:200%;font-weight:lighter;margin:0;line-height:1em;text-indent:0;"> } </span></td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="tdr padr2">March 31, 1861—No. 189.</td> +</tr></table> + +<p>“<i>To Mr. Joseph Francis</i>:<br /> +</p> + +<p>“The letter which you addressed to His Imperial Highness the Grand +Duke, General Admiral, on the 25th March, with which you presented to His +Imperial Highness two drawings of corrugated iron steamers, has been sent +to this committee, with a resolution from the Ministry of Marine, stating that +His Imperial Highness desired his thanks to you. The committee has the +honor to inform you thereof.</p> + +<p class="right padr1">“Manager, <span class="smcap">Bellarmsky</span><span style="margin-left: 8em;">“THE PRESIDENT.</span></p> + +<p class="right padr1">(Signed.)<span style="margin-left: 8em;">“Major-General CHERNOFSKY.”</span><br /> +</p></blockquote> + + +<hr /> + +<p class="center">(Letter from Admiral Boutakoff to Mr. Francis.)</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="right padr1"><span class="smcap">“Fort No. 1, Syr Dariah</span>, July 2, 1862.</p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Dear Mr. Francis</span>—The new steamers of my flotilla, built at your +works at Liverpool, are not yet launched, but I hope to accomplish it in +about a month. The boilers, on account of the great difficulty of transporting +them across the Desert, will not arrive before the middle of August, so +that I shall not have sufficient time to employ the new steamers this year, +but will give them a trial upon the Syr Dariah. The parts of the pontoon +dock will be here about the end of August, giving us time to put them together +next winter.</p> + +<p>“With a hearty shake hands, and my sincere sympathies with your +northern countrymen, of whose victories I congratulate you.</p> + +<p class="right padr3">“I remain, yours most truly,</p> + +<p class="right padr1">(Signed.)<span style="margin-left: 9em;">“A. BOUTAKOFF.”</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>On the launching of the steamers, the Emperor congratulated Mr. +Francis on the success of the invention by which the first obstacle that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +barred the way to the conquest of a vast territory was removed, opening an +avenue to increased Empire.</p> + +<p>After the survey of the Aral, only rendered possible by the construction +of these vessels, fortifications were constructed on the shores of +that sea, and the long-deferred conquest of that section of Asia was, to all intents +and purposes, accomplished.</p> + +<p>In order to still further emphasize his gratitude, the Emperor caused +Mr. Francis to be created a Knight of the Royal Order of Saint Stanislaus, +one of the richest decorations in the gift of royalty. Following is a copy +of the parchment:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="indent">“We, by the grace of God, Alexander the Second, Emperor and Autocrat of +all the Russians, Czar of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland, etc., +etc., etc.</p> + +<p> +“<i>To Joseph Francis, Citizen of the United States of North America</i>: +</p> + +<p>“The Ministry of Marine having testified to your particular services, we +have graciously been pleased to nominate you a Knight of our Imperial and +Royal Order of Saint Stanislaus by an Ukaz of 7th November, 1860, given to +our Chapter of Orders, to the end that they do sign and seal this Diploma in +witness thereof, and forward to you the insignia of the Order.</p> + +<p class="left padl3">“<span class="smcap">St. Petersburg</span>, this 10th day of November, 1860.</p> + +<table summary="signatures"><tr> +<td class="tdc padr1" rowspan="4">[<span class="smcap">SEAL.</span>]</td> +<td class="tdl"><i>The Vice-President</i>,</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Count Borch</span>.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Lieut.-General</i>,</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">L’Ecesujsecetz</span>.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="tdl padr1"><i>Grand Master of Ceremonies</i>,</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Rhitrovo</span>.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="tdl"><i>Member</i>,</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Ku, uyey5Eyuivel</span>.,</td> +</tr></table> + +<p>No. 5,756.”</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Shortly after the securing of his patents in Russia Mr. Francis disposed +of a portion of his corrugated system patent to Baron Rumin, Chamberlain +to the Emperor, covering Moscow and the Rivers Volga and Don.</p> + +<p>After the contract was drawn, a request was made on the part of the +Baron to include the Caspian Sea, and to which no objection was made, as +little value was placed on the Caspian at that time, on account of its shallow +water and isolated position, no one supposing that a</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">RAILWAY WOULD EVER CROSS THE JAXARTES</p> + +<p>and join both the great rivers that flow into the Aral Sea, connecting commerce +with the Aral and Caspian, as well as China, and so onward to the +Pacific Coast.</p> + +<p>A factory was eventually established by Baron Rumin, on the Banks of +the Volga, for the construction of steamers, and practical workmen were +sent to this factory from the establishment of Mr. Francis, at Greenpoint, +Brooklyn, New York.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>This brief account of Russia’s struggle for supremacy among the +family of nations, so intimately interwoven with the history of one of +America’s foremost inventors in the life-saving field, is another instance of +the Providence that rules the destinies of the world, through the lives of +unassuming and patient workers.</p> + +<p>From experiment came invention. The Life-Car, in this instance the +outcome of extended experiment on the part of Joseph Francis, proved the +value of the corrugating system, the fame of which, within a few years, spread +all over the world. The Life-Car, the first construction under the corrugated +system, was merely the germ of the widespread uses to which the system +was and is applicable, as has been shown. Steamships, floating docks, pontoon +bridges, military wagons and railway cars are only a few among the many constructions +to which the Francis system of corrugated iron was applied by him +and those to whom he sold the right to manufacture. The Life-Car, then, +was the suggestion that led to the construction of the portable, strong, light-draft +ship, which proved the most powerful implement, in Russia’s hands, of +working out the vastest scheme of empire ever conceived in the brain of man. +Mr. Francis, successful in all his inventions, has been honored beyond +most men by foreign potentates, and now is about to receive what he +holds to be the crowning honor, the bestowal of the gold medal awarded +him by two Congresses, with the double thanks of this chosen body of +representatives of the people.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<h2>Appendix.</h2> + +<hr /> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">WILL OF PETER THE GREAT, FATHER OF RUSSIAN SHIP-BUILDING.</p> + + +<p>The following is an authentic copy of the Will of Peter the Great, the +first Emperor of Russia. This will is the supreme foundation and law of +Russian politics, since his time, and was confidentially deposited in the hands +of the Abbe de Bervis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in 1757, and also in those +of Louis XV. A copy is also to be found in the diplomatic archives of +France, from which this translation is derived:</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">THE WILL.</p> + +<p class="center f85 padb1">PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS.</p> + +<p>In the name of the most Holy and Indivisible Trinity, we, Peter, the +First Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, etc., to all our descendants +and successors to the throne and government of the Russian nation:</p> + +<p>God, from whom we derive our existence, and to whom we owe our +crown, having constantly enlightened us by His spirit, and sustained us by +His Divine help, allow us to look on the Russian people as called upon hereafter +to hold sway over Europe. My reason for thus thinking is, that the +European nations have mostly reached a state of old age, bordering upon +imbecility, or they are rapidly approaching it: naturally, then, they will be +easily and indubitably conquered by a people strong in youth and vigor, +especially when this latter shall have attained its full strength and power. +I look on the future invasion of the Eastern and Western countries by the +North as a periodical movement ordained by Providence, who, in a like +manner, regenerated the Russian nation by barbarian invasion. These emigrations +of men from the North are as the reflux of the Nile, which, at certain +periods comes to fertilize the impoverished lands of Egypt by its deposit. +I found Russia as a rivulet, I leave it a river: my successors will make of it a +large sea, destined to fertilize the impoverished lands of Europe, and its +waters will overflow, in spite of imposing dams erected by weak hands, if our +descendants only know how to direct its course. This is the reason I leave +them the following instructions. I give those countries to their watchfulness +and care, as Moses gave the Tables of the Law to the Jewish people.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">I.</p> + +<p>Keep the Russian nation in a <span class="smcap">STATE OF CONTINUAL WAR</span>: so as to +have the soldier always under arms, and ready for action, excepting when +the finances of the State will not allow it. Keep up the forces; choose the +best moments for attack. By these means you will be ready for war even +in time of peace. This is for the interest of the future aggrandizement of +Russia.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">II.</p> + +<p>Endeavor by every possible means to bring in from the neighboring +civilized countries of Europe officers in times of war, and learned men in times +of peace; thus giving the Russian people the advanges enjoyed by other +countries, without allowing them to lose any of their own self-respect.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">III.</p> + +<p>On every occasion take a part in the affairs and quarrels of Europe; +above all, in those of Germany, which country, being the nearest, more immediately +concerns us.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">IV.</p> + +<p>Divide Poland, exciting civil discord there; win over the nobility by +bribery, corrupt the diets, so as to have influence on the election of Kings, +get partisans into office, protect them, bring to sojourn there Muscovite +troops, until such time as they can be permanently established there. If the +neighboring powers start difficulties, appease them for a time by parceling +out the country, until you can retake in detail all that has been ceded.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">V.</p> + +<p>Take as much as you can from Sweden, and cause yourself to be attacked +by her, so as to have a pretext for subduing her. To accomplish this, +sever Denmark from Sweden, and Sweden from Denmark, carefully keeping +up their rivalries.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">VI.</p> + +<p>Always choose, as wives for the Russian princes, German princesses, so +as to increase family alliances, to draw mutual interests closer, and, by propagating +our principles in Germany, to enlist her in our cause.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">VII.</p> + +<p>England—requiring us for her navy, and she being the only power that +can aid in the development of ours, seek a commercial alliance with her, in +preference to any other. Exchange our wood, and the productions of our +land for her gold, and establish between her merchants, her sailors and ours +a continual intercourse; this will aid in perfecting the Russian fleet for navigation +and commerce.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">VIII.</p> + +<p>Extend your possessions toward the North, along the Baltic, and toward +the South by the Black Sea.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">IX.</p> + +<p>Approach as near as possible to Constantinople and its outskirts. He +who shall reign there will be the true sovereign of the world. Consequently, +be continually at war—sometimes with the Turks, sometimes with Persia. +Establish dock yards on the Black Sea, get entire possession of it by degrees, +also of the Baltic Sea; this being necessary to the accomplishment of the +plan. Hasten the decline of Persia; penetrate to the Persian Gulf; re-establish, +if possible, the ancient commerce of the Levant through Syria, and +make your way to the Indies—they are the emporium of the world. Once +there, you can do without the gold of England.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">X.</p> + +<p>Seek, and carefully keep up an alliance with Austria; acquiesce, apparently, +in her ideas of dominating over Germany, at the same time clandestinely +exciting against her the jealousy of the neighboring provinces. Endeavor +that the aid of Russia should be called for, by one and the other, so +that by exercising a kind of guardianship over the country, you prepare a +way for governing hereafter.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">XI.</p> + +<p>Give the House of Austria an interest, for joining in banishing the +Turks from Europe; defraud her of her share of the booty, at the conquest +of Constantinople, either by raising a war for her with the ancient states of +Europe, or by giving her a portion, which you will take back at a future +period.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">XII.</p> + +<p>Attach to yourselves, and assemble around you, all the united Greeks, as +also the disunited or schismatics, who are scattered either in Hungary, +Turkey, or the south of Poland. Make yourselves their centres, their chief +support, and lay the foundation for universal supremacy, by establishing a +kind of royalty or sacerdotal government; the Slavonic Greeks will be so +many friends that you will have scattered amongst your enemies.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">XIII.</p> + +<p>Sweden severed, Persia and Turkey conquered, Poland subjugated, our +armies united, the Black and Baltic Seas guarded by our vessels, you must +make propositions separately and discreetly—first to the Court of Versailles, +then to that of Vienna, to share with them the Empire of the Universe.</p> + +<p>If one of them accept—and it cannot be otherwise, so as you flatter +their pride and ambition—make use of it to crush the other—then crush, in +its turn, the surviving one, by engaging with it in a death-struggle; the issue +of which cannot be doubtful, Russia possessing already all the East and a +great part of Europe.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">XIV.</p> + +<p>If—which is not likely—both refuse the propositions of Russia, you must +manage to raise quarrels for them, and make them exhaust one another; then +profiting by a decisive moment, Russia will bring down her assembled troops +on Germany; at the same time, two considerable fleets will set out—the one +from the Sea of Azov, the other from the port of Archangel—loaded with +Asiatic hordes, under the convoy of the armed fleets from the Black Sea and +the Baltic; advancing by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, they +will invade France on one side, whilst Germany will already have been invaded +on the other. These countries conquered, the rest of Europe will +easily pass under the yoke, without striking a single blow.</p> + + +<p class="center padb1 padt1">XV.</p> + +<p>Thus Europe can, and ought, to be subdued.</p> + +<p class="center">PETER I.,</p> +<p class="right padr1"><span class="smcap">Autocrat of All the Russias</span>.<br /> +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Lest the reader of this <span class="smcap">WILL</span> may form an opinion antagonistic to its +author, it may be well to state that while Peter the Great was a Despot he +was also a Patriot—and while a Tyrant he was yet a Humanitarian. This +man, who could icily command death by the knout was the same man who +yielded up his own life in rescuing a sailor who had fallen overboard in the +ice-laden waters of the Neva. And Peter was, above and beyond all, +a Statesman, an Inventor, a finished Mechanic and Progenerator of the +Russian Life-Saving Service.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44345 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |