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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Barry M. Gough
Barry M. Gough
Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5, Canada
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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.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 23 , Issue 144 , September 1986 , pp. 301 - 317
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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