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the boundary between Asia and America. The first
two projects did not survive the Czar, but Bering
clung to the plan proposed for him, and accomplished
his task.
Peter the Great gave no heed to obstacles, and never
weighed the possibilities for the success of an enterprise.
Consequently his plans were on a grand scale, but the
means set aside for carrying them out were often entirely
inadequate, and sometimes even wholly inapplicable. His
instructions were usually imperious and laconic. To his
commander-in-chief in Astrakhan he once wrote: “When
fifteen boats arrive from Kazan, you will sail them to
Baku and sack the town.” His instructions to Bering are
characteristic of his condensed and irregular style. They
were written by himself, in December, 1724, five weeks
before his death, and are substantially as follows : “I. At
Kamchatka or somewhere else two decked boats are to be
built. II. With these you are to sail northward along the
coast, and as the end of the coast is not known this land
is undoubtedly America. III. For this reason you are
to inquire where the American coast begins, and go to
some European colony; and when European ships are seen
you are to ask what the coast is called, note it down, make
a landing, obtain reliable information, and then, after
having charted the coast, return.”
After West Europe for two centuries had wearied itself
with the question of a Northeast passage and made
strenuous efforts to navigate the famed Strait of Anian, Russia
undertook the task in a practical manner and went in
search of the strait, before it started out on a voyage
around the northern part of the old world.
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