British-Russian rivalry and the search for the Northwest Passage in the early 19th century

ABSTRACT British-Russian rivalry along the North Pacific littoral after 1815 was at once an extension of 18th century ambitions, commercial and geopolitical, and an enlargement of the interests of both nations in the existence of a Northwest Passage. John Barrow in Britain and Adam John von Krusenst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Author: Gough, Barry M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1986
Subjects:
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Ecology
Geography, Planning and Development
Pacific
Northwest Passage
Barrow
Northwest passage
Polar Record
Alaska
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247400007129
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247400007129
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Summary:ABSTRACT British-Russian rivalry along the North Pacific littoral after 1815 was at once an extension of 18th century ambitions, commercial and geopolitical, and an enlargement of the interests of both nations in the existence of a Northwest Passage. John Barrow in Britain and Adam John von Krusenstern in Russia exhibited the opposing yet complementary interests of the two powers. British Admiralty activities resulted partly from a fear of Russian pre-emption, partly from ambitions for territorial and commercial aggrandizement. The Russian government supported the Russian American Company, and consolidated its overseas empire in Alaska. This paper describes die maritime activities and plans of both nations concerning the North Pacific and Northwest Passage, explaining political and territorial ambitions of the two powers that underlay the exploration, and their expansion of territorial empire and commerce in this area.

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