Russia in Pacific Waters, 1715-1825: A Survey of the Origins of Russia's Naval Presence in the North and South Pacific

This is the first study in Russian or Western literature of the rise and fall of Russian naval influence in the North Pacific Ocean from the time of Peter the Great to Tsar Nicholas I. The author deals with a neglected area: inherent tension between Russian naval and mercantile interests and the origins of international rivalry in the North Pacific at large.

Barratt shows that Russia's motives for early expeditions to the Pacific were to promote science, exploration, and trade. But when imperialist powers vied for territory and resources in the area, military confrontation became a possibility. Rivalries within Russia, and government caution curbed the build-up of any effective counterforce and dealt the final blow to Russia's naval ambitions. Her hopes for hegemony in the North Pacific and in Russian North America collapsed in 1825, marking the end of an enterprising era for the Russian navy in Pacific waters. The navy learned from these early experiences that it was incapable of a "great power" role in the Pacific without an independent, self-sufficient, Pacific-based fleet.

This book is a major original contribution to its subject. An impressive list of sources includes accounts in Russian and valuable materials from Russian archives.