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 Petropavlovsk–Kamchatskiy
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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