Evacuation

View from the Vasilievsky Island on the Admiralty and English Embankment
View from the Vasilievsky Island on the Admiralty and English Embankment

On 15 September, the Minister informed Olenin that 'the Library was provided with a brig belonging to the St. Petersburg merchant Yakov Panshin, on its board is the skipper of Olonets province, state peasant Feodor Alexandrov; the brig will go to Petrozavodsk and is now in readiness at the Neva bank near the St. Isaac's Bridge.' In a few days everything was packed and loading started. 142 boxes were occupied by printed books, of which three were with books in Russian (libri Ruthenici); 36 boxes contained manuscripts, and 11 ones contained papers from the IPL's archives (Acta Cancellariae Imperialis Publicae Bibliothecae); 7 boxes held vases from the IPL and, in addition, 4 boxes comprised things of the Minister of Education A. Razumovsky (labeled as G.A.K.): in total were 189 boxes. The contents of each box were listed carefully. 10

Flow of the Never River from Ladoga Lake to St. Petersburg: [Cartouche] / J. Grimel del. - [Saint Petersburg]: [Academy of Sciences]: [before 1742]
Flow of the Never River from Ladoga Lake to St. Petersburg: [Cartouche] / J. Grimel del. - [Saint Petersburg]: [Academy of Sciences]: [before 1742]

1 sheet: Engraving. Hand-coloured is the border of the Neva River and part of Ladoga Lake; 45х61 (53х70).

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The autumn was not the most favorable for the navigation on the Neva River and Lake Ladoga, but many institutions had to be evacuated. The Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Arts, the students of the Pedagogical Institute, the pupils of the St. Petersburg Grammar School, and others were going to be evacuated to Olonets province at the same time as the IPL. 11 In this connection, Cabinet Administrator P. Molchanov informed all ministers of secret decisions, 'Since navigation on the water won't continue for a long time, and payment to owners for rented vessels at the idle time rate amounted to a considerable sum, why wouldn't those Mrs Ministers, who have something to evacuate, take into account these circumstance and hurry to use the method of shipping for removing papers and things from here to the place of destination.

S. Prokudin-Gorsky. View of Krokhino from the Dam of Empress Maria Feodorovna
S. Prokudin-Gorsky. View of Krokhino from the Dam of Empress Maria Feodorovna
Photograph. 1909

Besides this, I must to point out another circumstance that must to be taken into consideration. Some of vessels bringing papers and things, sometimes, won't able to reach up to the pier of Krokhino at later time 12 and will be forced to stop in the place where they will face the inability to continue on the path, therefore, officials who's in charge of the evacuation of the load need to ... be provided with instructions what they shall do then, and if it is prescribed to unload on some pier in the settlements, then they shall be supplied with money for this extreme case'. 13 For his part, the Minister of War, and at the same time, the commander-in-chief of armed forces in St. Petersburg since March, General of Infantry S. Vyazmitinov ordered that governors and police must give "every assistance" to the officials who presented proper documents issued by the authorities. On 20 September, Razumovsky again asked Olenin to hurry up, because 'things and papers from different parts of the Ministry of Education, intended to remove from the capital, has already been sent away'. 14

On 25 September, Olenin reported to Razumovsky that 'the brig, designated for removal things and papers of Imp[erial] Publ [ic] L[ibra]ry from here into Petrozavodsk, sailed today from St. Petersburg with two officials and five guards of the Library <...> . In reference to successful delivery of them to the designated place, this depends more on a favorable wind, if water ways freeze unusually early, with the consent of the owner of the brig, I plan to leave the load on its board in a place safe from the pressure of the ice until the spring, taking all the necessary measures to keep secure the ship and all things loaded on it'. 15 Together with Sopikov, the valuable load was accompanied by the twenty years old, Collegiate Registrar Alexey Belshchinsky 16 who served for the Library since June 1812, and five men of the guard team: 17- Ivan Ivanov, Stepan Babitsky, Martyn Vasilkevich, Simon Egorov and Egor Mikhailov. To all of them, the third of the annual salary were paid in advance , and beyond that, warm clothes was purchased to the guards at the expense of the Library. By Olenin's request and special order of the commander-in-chief of armed forces in St. Petersburg, to supply the guards with food, the board of St. Petersburg reserve supplies stores allocated one sack of flour to each person at a fixed price. At the same time, Olenin ordered the Library's economist P. Petrov to provide the team with '1) a sufficient supply of mats to cover the boxes from the cold, and 2) the sufficient number of strong ropes to replace those with which the boxes are now packed up, in the event of possible damage, and 3) the required amount of cloth to put on the five sheepskin coats of the guards, if they are not able to wear overcoats on sheepskin coats, and 4) the necessary supply of gunpowder and bullets for five guns with which the team have been provided by me.' 18 To all participants of the expedition, a pass for free travel was issued.

Before leaving, Olenin gave secret instructions to Sopikov. Detailed paragraphs specified that: 1) Sopikov is charged with keeping all evacuated books, manuscripts, deeds and things of the Library; 2) in addition to the salary paid in advance, ' you will receive 500 rubles for unforeseen expenses on state business, but I will ask you to do a spending report in due time'; 3)' to write papers and watch along with you for the safety of boxes evacuated from the Library and stamps attached to them as well as to perform your duties, in the event of your illness or business trip to another place, there was appointed your assistant Collegiate Registrar Belshchinsky, who is subordinate to you as the Library's clerk'; 4) "there are given five watchmen to guard the Library's things ' to which two special registries signed by me are attached herewith'; 5) since 'the assignment of a safe place to store the Library's things as well as the assignment of comfortable apartments for you with your assistant and guards under your supervision will be determined by the commands of the civil governor of Olonets province', I have written a letter to him. 'However, take special care and attention to obtain the place for storing boxes as safe and dry as possible by requesting His Excellency'; 6) 'at the first opportunity, do not put off to send me a report about your arrival in Petrozavodsk and unloading the Library's things from the brig into the appointed place for them. Similarly, you will inform me weekly of the safety of these things and the state of the guard team given in your charge, and, it is obligatory to inform me about emergency cases, by the first post'; 7) ' as a person entrusted with a task to guard the Library's things, in all doubtful and urgent cases, you shall apply directly to the civil governor of Olonets province or other local authorities for any assistance you need, giving only me know about this every time', 8) without any special oder, not to open the boxes sealed with the stamp of the IPL, 'except if they get wet', 9) 'in case if contrary winds or unusually early winter do not allow you to come to Petrozavodsk, you are required to stop the brig in the water in a place safe from the pressure of the ice and, leaving the cargo on the ship with the required number of attendants, choose for your stay the town or village, nearest to this place, from which you will come to the brig for the inspection of state-owned things as often as possible, keeping the vessel and cargo safe through daily chopping ice and other necessary precautions.' 19 Along with the instructions Olenin gave to Sopikov a letter to the civil governor V. Mertens, requesting to take all members of the expedition under his protection and to help them in every way, 'The honor to present this letter to Your Excellency will be given to the librarian assistant of the Imperial Public Library Sopikov who, by order of the Minister of National Education, sent by me from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk on the merchant Panshin's brig with things belonging to the aforesaid Library. As appointed Director of the Library, I believe it is my duty to humbly request Your Excellency to order to assign a safe place to store the mentioned State property as well as to allot comfortable apartments for Mr. Sopikov and Collegiate Registrar Belshchinsky sent along with him, and for five watchmen given to them by the Library to guard things, and also ask you, my dear sir, to offer to Sopikov any Your Excellency's assistance with his mission, which he would expected from You according to these instructions.' 20

Olenin's anxieties about autumn navigation are largely justified. It was difficult for a sailing ship to go up the Neva River with strong contrary wind, and already on 30 September, the brig stopped against the Alexander Plant. 21 Sopikov sent Belshchinsky with a message to Olenin, and on 3 October, he returned with banknotes in the amount of 200 rubles and a warrant to hire horses to take the brig in tow about 20 miles.

Map of Ladoga Lake
Map of Ladoga Lake
Produced on the basis of the astronomical points determined by Captain of the Navy Navigators Corps P. Korguev в 1859 and hydrographic surveys undertaken by the expedition under Captain of the Navy Navigators Corps A. Andreev. St.Petersburg, 1865. Fragment

On 6 October, at the Cape of Koshkin, 22 Sopikov wrote in a report to Olenin, ' the brig with the things of the Imperial Public Library, given in my charge, this day at 7 am, weighing anchor at the Neva rapids, run this rapids quite rapidly and successfully with fresh west wind, between noon and one o'clock, we went out to the Cape of Koshkin which located at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga, 4 miles above the Shlisselburg Fortress. In this place, we plan to spend the night, and if the current fair wind is favorable to us, we will start on a voyage through Lake Ladoga at 3 o'clock after midnight. On 4th day, on receipt of Your Excellency's warrant, at 10 o'clock, we hired 60 horses to take the ship in tow, but because of the strong afternoon wind that drifted the ship to the right bank of the Neva River, this was impossible to fulfill. The next day, ie, on the 5th day, at 8 o'clock, taking again the horses to haul the ship, and, with great difficulty, we dragged it about 2 miles away and set all sails with weak tail wind at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, at 12 o'clock, droped anchor at the Neva rapids. However, I with my assistant, the military team, and all the members of the ship's crew are healthy and in good condition.' 23

After three days, from the village Sermovka, Sopikov reported in St. Petersburg,
'The vessel spent the night on the Cape of Koshkin, and early on the 7 day, at 3-o'clock after midnight, as planned, stood at the ready, and, with the fresh west-north wind and the weak moonlight, [the ship] start on its journey. At 6 o'clock, the sky began to cover with gray clouds running around in different directions; the wind suddenly became very gusty and strong; meanwhile, there was a heavy rain. The ship, despite the fact that it took in the sails leaving only 2 of them, rushed at such a rate that it managed to cover 60 miles in only 9 hours; roughness was terrible; the rocking of the ship, due to the small number of the sails set, was extremely. We all, including some experienced sailors, paid tribute to raging elemental forces: severely fell ill and took to ours beds. But fortunately, this restless situation did not last more than 2 hours in the afternoon. At three o'clock, the wind calmed down, the rain stopped, all sails were set, and the ship was moving ahead at top speed, meanwile, the rocking noticeably slowed down; person who were ill, recorvered themselves on deck. At about half to 7-o'clock, the wind died down completely, and the ship dropped anchor at 7 miles distance from the mouth of the Svir River. For no wind flying, we stayed in this place up to the 9th day, when at 2-o'clock after midnight, entered the estuary and anchored. At 8 o'clock in the afternoon, with a light wester wind, the ship weighed anchor and, passing through the estuary of the Svir River, at 10 o'clock stopped at the large settlement Sermovki at the junction of two rivers of Svir and Sermovki where is the outpost keeping a register of all crafts navigating the Svir River. In this place, we satisfied our needs, and, with fair wind, without the slightest hesitation, we embarked upon a road. After passing the main dangers, the ship and everything on it are in good condition. The weather is quite warm for this time of year, so we hope to sail up to the designated place with favorable wind before the water is frozen.' 24

'The next day after my report to Your Excellency dating the 9th day of this month from the village of Sermovki, the brig with things of Imp[erial] Publ[ic] Library, given in my charge, sailed in the Svir River with a tail wind, and on the 19th day, reached safely the village Uslanka located 30 miles up this river above the town of Lodeynoye Pole, and stayed to winter in the most convenient and secure location, which only can be found around the Svir River. Because the beginning of calm and clear weather with a hard frost did not allow us to continue our voyage, and all the vessels having state's property on board, departed at the same time with us, which gathered here in a large number, evenly spaced out in different locations of the mentioned river for a winter's stay. I with my assistant and the military crew from the ship occupied two peasant houses in the mentioned village, at a distance of no more than 100 yards from our ship which, besides its ever-present military guards, I visited daily. The load on board of the ship and the people given in my charge are in good condition.' 25

S. Prokudin-Gorsky. View of the Svir River from Mount Uslanka
S. Prokudin-Gorsky. View of the Svir River from Mount Uslanka
Photograph. 1909

Sopikov constantly kept Olenin informed of all events and send messages to him as soon as an opportunity occured. A week after settling down in the village Ustlanka, he wrote that the brig with the things of the Imperial Public Library and all the members of the expedition were in good condition. Sopikov failed to find suitable accommodation for evacuated values and decided to left them on board, as long as they were always under the guard, and two men from the ship's crew constantly stayed with the vessel 'to bail water out of it and chop ice around it'. 26 Still, Olenin worried about moisture from which it was impossible to get rid, and he asked to check packing safety and reliability all the time.