Alexander Massov

THE THE NAVAL TRANSPORT "AMERICA" IN SYDNEY IN 1832 and 1835

 

 

In the early 30-ties of the XIX century the naval transport "America" visited Australia twice - in 1832 captained by V.S.Hromchenko' and in 1835 captained by I.I.Shantz. As well as other Russian ships in the past, the transport was on her way to Kamchatka and to the Russian America. A friendly reception awaited the Russian seamen in both cases.  V.S.Hromchenko wrote in his diary about "kindliness" of the New South Wales Governor R. Bourke which "offered every possible grants”. A participant of the 1835 navigation lieutenant V.S. Zavoiko (future admiral,  hero of the defense of PetropavlovskKamchatskiy during the Crimean war) also referred warmly about the reception provided to the Russian seamen by the administration of the colony. As before, the dialogue with the people of Sydney was accompanied by balls, dinners, and receptions onboard of the ship. About one of these  receptions organized V.S. Hromchenko on June,  17, 1832, was benevolently mentioned by the "Sydney Gazett". V.S.Zavojko, in turn, wrote later that "the officers of the local regiment and wealthy citizens treated us hospitably and with a big respect".

 

Visits of "America" were marred by desertion of sailors, which had already become customary. In 1832 a sailor called V. Paramonov jumped the ship. "America" left Sydney without him, however he was soon caught by police and put behind the bars. In 1835 two seamen - sailors of the 1st class F. Sushkov and M. Kareev deserted. They were never heard off again.

 

In the beginning of the 30-ties of the XIX century the attitude of the Australian public to the visitors from  Russia was already far from being unequivocally friendly. It was symptomatic, for example, that either in 1832 or in 1835 the independent Australian newspapers published almost no information about the visits of "America". Meanwhile the official "Sydney Gazett" began a discussion on the issue, if the gun forts of Sydney were in a condition to salute (the newspaper informed, that when greeting "America" on the 19th of March 1832 the forts had saluted incorrectly) and if it had been suitable for representatives of England - a great  sea-power - to return salute to representatives of  other states with a smaller number of shots.

 

The anti-Russian mood was amplified by the events in Poland. The Polish revolt of 1830-31 had caused sympathy in the Anglo-Saxon world and pro-Polish and anti-Russian comments in the Australian press. In February 1832 the "Sydney Gazett" wrote about the anger in the connection with "mournful news about the defeat" of Poles in their struggle against the iron scepter of the "Russian King”. By 1835 the animosity of the Anglo-Saxons towards Russia had reached even a larger proportion. In 1833 England (as other European powers) was extremely dissatisfied with the conclusion of the favorable for Russia Unkjar-Iskelless peace agreement between Russia and Turkey. It is no wonder, that in 1835 one of few responses to the visit of "America” began with a publication in "Sydney Gerald” of a poetic product written with hotly anti-Russian intonation. In the review placed in the same issue the newspaper advertised a concert of a Polish singer G. Gordonowicz. It was stressed that he was a political refugee and recommended to take into consideration during the assessment of his artistic qualities, that he was "one of the victims of the most brutal crimes ever having a place”.

 

After 1835 the Russian round-the-world seafarers did not visit Australia. They mastered a shorter way to the Pacific with a call in Singapore. Besides, in the 40-ties the overland connection of the center of Russia with her Far East had somewhat improved. The financial problems of the Russian state had also played their role in the reduction of number of the distant sea campaigns as well as the economic decline in the Russian colonies in Alaska which was becoming a burden for the empire, what, finally, had resulted in their sale to America in 1867.

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