VIII.

The board of administration of the Russian American Company is to be recognized in all courts of law as being intrusted with the management of the Company's affairs, and if suits are brought in courts of justice in connection with its business it must not be done in the name of any individual partner of the company, but in that of the board of ad ministration.

IX.

Having intrusted to the management of the Company so vast an extent of country, with considerable numbers of inhabitants, in order to enable it to carry out more effectively the object of the Government the following special privileges are granted to its employés in all its interior and coast stations and agencies, whether managers, bookkeepers, cashiers and their assistants, supercargoes, ship's clerks, or others: (1) To the chief manager, on his assumption of the duties of the post, are extended the privileges granted by the ukase of March 21, 1810. defining the status of officials in the government of Siberia, provided he hold rank in the military or civil service of the Empire.

(2) All officials who are entitled to enter the service of the Company under the provisions of the ukase of April 9, 1802, are considered as in active service in regard to reward and promotions, with the exception of such grades as are conferred only by reason of seniority or continued service with a special command. They are also entitled to half pay and to military servants under the provisions of the same requirement.

(3) Officers or officials who have been retired prior to entering the Company's service retain their original rank and are to be considered in every respect as in active service. This right is also extended to those who, since the grant of highest privileges in the year 1799, have entered the Company's service in various capacities. All individuals belonging to classes entitled to enter the Imperial service, but who have not previously held any rank, will, after two years' service with the Company, receive the rank of collegiate registrar upon due application by the board of administration; the succeeding grades to be obtained by continued service under the provisions of general laws. On leaving the service these individuals will retain their rank only when they have served five years and have been recommended by the board of administration as worthy and efficient.1

XVII.

The Russian American Company is most graciously permitted to load the ships dispatched from Kronstadt around the world, and from Okhotsk to our colonies, both with Russian products and with foreign goods upon which duty has been paid; also to unload the ships returning from the colonies with cargoes of furs and other products without detention, upon declarations made at the custom-house at Kronstadt by the board of administration and at Okhotsk by the agent stationed there. On shipping such cargoes from one Russian port to another no duties shall be collected unless a special internal tax on furs be estab lished hereafter by law.

1 Sections X-XVI contain regulations relating only to internal management, and have therefore been omitted in this translation.

XVIII.

Although it is prohibited by highest ukase to cut Government timber without the permission of the forestry officials, the Company is permitted, in view of the remoteness of the Okhotsk district, where much timber is needed for repairs and sometimes for the construction of new ships, to take timber from this district from the most convenient localities. It must, however, immediately inform the local forestry authorities of the place where the timber was cut, and of its quantity and quality.

XIX.

For shooting animals, for marine signals, and for cases of unforeseen necessity on the mainland of America and on the islands, the Company may purchase annually for cash, at established prices, from the Irkutsk Imperial Artillery Arsenal, from 40 to 80 pouds of powder, and from the Nerchinsk Lead Works 200 pouds of lead.

XX.

In order to secure freedom of action and safety to the operations of the Company within its lawful sphere, all buildings occupied as its offices or stations are exempt from the quartering of soldiers.

In conclusion of these privileges granted to the Russian American Company, all civil and military authorities and courts of justice are hereby enjoined not only not to hinder or restrain, but in case of any event from which loss or injury may result to the Company, to give to it every assistance and protection upon the simple request of the board of administration or its subagents.

COUNT D. GURIEF,
Minister of Finance.

CONFIRMATION OF CHARTER OF 1821.

Imperial charter granted to the Russian American Company,-Confirmation of its rights and privileges.

By the helping grace of God, we, Nicholas the First, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, etc., etc., etc.

As we regard as an object of our particular care the development in our Empire of every kind of industry and commerce, we have turned our Imperial attention to the Russian American Company. Since its very foundation it has been favored with the protection of our most august late father and brother, and during the twenty-eight years of its existence it has steadily pursued its object, has coöperated in the progress of navigation, has opened to our subjects new and rich sources of commerce and industry, and has brought to its shareholders considerable profits.

Wishing to show our august benevolence towards this institution of common profit and to give it a firm and stable basis, we take the Russian American Company under our immediate protection, and confirming by the force of this, our imperial charter, the rules, rights, and privileges granted to the Company by the supreme ukase of September 13, 1821, we order:

(1) That the Company which was founded for industry on the main

land of North America, on the Aleutian Islands, and on the Kurile Islands and in all parts of the Northeastern Sea shall, under our supreme patronage, be called, as before the Russian American Company.,

(2) The limits of navigation and industry of the Company are determined by the treaties concluded with the United States of America April 5, (17) 1824, and with England February 16, (28) 1825.

(3) In all the places allotted to Russia by these treaties there shall be reserved to the Company the right to profit by all the fur and fish industries, to the exclusion of all other Russian subjects.

(4) The part that neighboring nations may take in these industries, as well as the nature of the coast relations with the Russian American Company, shall remain on the basis of these same treaties until new rules shall be published on this subject.

(5) All the advantages and rights conceded to Russia by these treaties are granted to the Company, on which is also imposed the strict fulfillment of all the mutual obligations of Russia stipulated in these treaties. (6) The internal administration of the affairs of the Company, its relations to the Government, the personnel and the duties of the supreme council of the chief administration of the directors of the Colonies, of the local agencies, and of the shareholders shall remain on the basis of the rules of September 13, 1821.

(7) All the articles of these rules and of the privileges published together with them, which are not limited by the aforesaid treaties, and which are not contrary to the ukase of October 14, 1827, concerning entrance into service, shall remain in full force and vigor in their full extent and for the whole time for which they were granted to the Rus sian American Company by our most august brother, the late Empreror Alexander the First.

In conclusion of this our Imperial charter, we order all our military and civil authorities and all our Government officers not only not to prevent the Russian American Company from availing itself of these rules and privileges granted to it by us, but in case of need to forewarn it of any damage or harm which may come to it, and to render all legal assistance and protection to its board of administration.

For the greater force of this charter which we have granted, we have signed it with our own hand and have ordered it to be strengthened by the affixing of our seal of the Empire.

Published by the Senate, March 29 (April 10), 1829.

CHARTER OF 1844.1

Third Charter of the Russian American Company.

On the original is written in His Imperial Majesty's own hand: "Be it thus."

Gatchina, October 10, 1844.

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF THE COMPANY.

SEC. 1. The Russian American Company, established for trading on the continent of Northwestern America and on the Aleutian and Kuriles Islands as in every part of the Northeastern Sea, stands under the Highest protection of His Imperial Majesty.

1 Related back to the year 1842. For Russian text see Tikhmenief, vol. II, first appendix, p. 11.

SEC. 2. The limits of the navigation and trade of the Company on the shore of the continent and on the islands of Northwestern America, are within the following line of demarcation between Russia, England, and America: Commencing with the southernmost point of the Island of Prince of Wales, which point is situated at 54° 40′ north latitude and between 131° and 133° west longitude (reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich), the above line runs northward along the straits named Portland Channel to that point of the mainland where it touches the 56th degree of north latitude. Hence the line of demarcation follows the crest of the mountains which stretch in a direction parallel with the coast to the crossing at the 141st degree of west longitude (from the same meridian), and finally, from this point of intersection, the same meridian of the 141st degree constitutes in its extension to the Arctic Sea the boundary of the Russian Possessions on the continent of Northwestern America.

SEC. 3. In all places annexed to Russia by the above-mentioned delimitation there is granted to the Company the right to carry on the fur and fishing industries to the exclusion of all Russian subjects.

SEC. 4. The Company is permitted to hold and use all things heretofore found and hereafter to be found in those places, as well on the surface as in the bowels of the earth, without regard for any claim thereto on the part of others.

SEC. 5. The Company is allowed in future according to necessity and its best judgment within the limits designated in Sec. 2, wherever it may be found necessary to establish new settlements and fortifications for safe habitation; and those formerly established may be extended and improved, the Company being allowed to send to those regions vessels carrying merchandise and laborers without any let or hindrance. SEC. 6. The Company is authorized to send its vessels to all neighboring nations and to trade with them with the consent of their respective Governments. The Company is also authorized, if it so desires, to send its vessels for commercial intercourse to the Chinese ports of Canton, Amoy, Fouchow fou, Nynpofou, and Shanghai, on condition, however, that these vessels, in view of Section 2393 of the Customs Laws (Code of Laws, Volume 6, edition 1842), will in no case carry opium to China for sale.

SEC. 7. All Government institutions shall recognize the board of administration of the Russian American Company as an institution established for the management of the Company's affairs, and any demands of Government institutions relating to matters within the jurisdiction of the Company shall be addressed, not to any person or member of the Company, but to the said board.

SEC. 8. With a view of affording to the Company the greatest possible assistance in carrying out the aims of the Government which intrusted to the Company so vast an extent of territory with a considerable population, the employés of the Company, of the ranks specified in the table hereto annexed, are most graciously granted the following privileges:

1. Those of the employés who belong to the States having the right of entering into Goverment service while employed exclusively in the service of the Company, are considered as being actually in the Government service, and enjoy the right of being promoted to ranks and wearing the uniform of the Ministry of Finance. The order of promotion for them is the general civil order according to the rank and right of each of the employés: The promotion in rank is made on the recommendation of the board of administration to the Minister of

land of North America, on the Aleutian Islands, and on the Kurile Islands and in all parts of the Northeastern Sea shall, under our supreme patronage, be called, as before the Russian American Company.,

(2) The limits of navigation and industry of the Company are determined by the treaties concluded with the United States of America April 5, (17) 1824, and with England February 16, (28) 1825.

(3) In all the places allotted to Russia by these treaties there shall be reserved to the Company the right to profit by all the fur and fish industries, to the exclusion of all other Russian subjects.

(4) The part that neighboring nations may take in these industries, as well as the nature of the coast relations with the Russian American Company, shall remain on the basis of these same treaties until new rules shall be published on this subject.

(5) All the advantages and rights conceded to Russia by these treaties are granted to the Company, on which is also imposed the strict fulfillment of all the mutual obligations of Russia stipulated in these treaties. (6) The internal administration of the affairs of the Company, its relations to the Government, the personnel and the duties of the supreme council of the chief administration of the directors of the Colonies, of the local agencies, and of the shareholders shall remain on the basis of the rules of September 13, 1821.

(7) All the articles of these rules and of the privileges published together with them, which are not limited by the aforesaid treaties, and which are not contrary to the ukase of October 14, 1827, concerning entrance into service, shall remain in full force and vigor in their full extent and for the whole time for which they were granted to the Russian American Company by our most august brother, the late Empreror Alexander the First.

In conclusion of this our Imperial charter, we order all our military and civil authorities and all our Government officers not only not to prevent the Russian American Company from availing itself of these rules and privileges granted to it by us, but in case of need to forewarn it of any damage or harm which may come to it, and to render all legal assistance and protection to its board of administration.

For the greater force of this charter which we have granted, we have signed it with our own hand and have ordered it to be strengthened by the affixing of our seal of the Empire.

Published by the Senate, March 29 (April 10), 1829.

CHARTER OF 1844.1

Third Charter of the Russian American Company.

On the original is written in His Imperial Majesty's own hand: "Be it thus."

Gatchina, October 10, 1844.

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF THE COMPANY.

SEC. 1. The Russian American Company, established for trading on the continent of Northwestern America and on the Aleutian and Kuriles Islands as in every part of the Northeastern Sea, stands under the Highest protection of His Imperial Majesty.

Related back to the year 1842. For Russian text see Tikhmenief, vol. II, first appendix, p. 11.