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Manifesto of Emperor Alexander I on the rescue of Russia from the enemy. 25 December 1812
Manifesto of Emperor Alexander I on the rescue of Russia from the enemy. 25 December 1812
On 2 December, Olenin sent to Sopikov an order to immediately go back, but still try to bargain and reduce the cost of the fare. He replied, '... I hired peasants who had required number of horses to transport to St. Petersburg all 189 boxes of things of the Imperial Public Library, ..., at the price of 90 kopecks per pound, and gave them earnest money to make both sides to be sure. I have already sent the list of names of the peasants, drawn up by me, by courier to the civil governor of Olonets province'.

On 11 December, Sopikov reported, 'On 10 December, afternoon, we began to load the boxes onto horses and managed to stow 41 boxes weighing 648 pounds in a short time. All boxes would have been stowed and dispatch very soon, if we had not met some difficulties because of the recruitment to the army, going on now, and improper assistance fom the local authorities, despite strict orders from Olonets provincial government and the governor. Details of other circumstances that hinder our departure, in my opinion, are unworthy of Your Excellency's attention. Regardless of anything, I hope to start on my journey in a week. This day, loading will continue as soon as horses are brought in. The mentioned things and people, appointed to guard them, are in good condition'.

Soon, the caravan departed and, on 19 December, arrived in St. Petersburg. Reporting to Olenin, Sopikov wrote in the last account dating 23 December, 'The boxes with the things of the Imperial Public Library, that had been sent by me on the brig to Olonets province, listed in the two enclosed registers, by oder no. 205 of Your Excellency dating 2 December, on 19 December have been brought under my supervision into St. Petersburg safely and in good condition by 108 horses, and, by order of Your Excellency, have been already taken from me to the Imperial Public Library. These boxes now weigh 3219 pounds. For their transportation, carriers were paid the agreed price of 90 kopecks per pound that is 2897 rubles in total, and in addition, 91 rubles. 20 kopecks for 3 carts for me and my assistant and soldiers' property, that can be seen from the bill I herewith attached. How much money I have received from the IPL for the transportation of the mentioned boxes and on what it was spent, I showed in the attached bill.

And then, I dare to present to Your Excellency my assistant Belshchinsky who served me with special diligence and eagerness, as well as our military guard team consisting of 5 members: Ivan Ivanov, Stepan Babitsk,y Martin Vasilkevich, Senen Egorov and Egor Mikhailov who, being under my command, behaved decently and fulfiled their duties well, about which, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency.' To his report, he attached a bill, which indicated how many boxes, were put onto every wagon of each peasant and under what numbers, how much weight was on each wagon and how much was paid for each. A list of all 97 peasants who drove the caravan, indicating how much horses were owned by each of them, was attached. He scrupulously summed up all costs related with the return.

Imperial Public Library. Front of the Building Facing Nevsky Prospect and Sadovaya Street
Imperial Public Library. Front of the Building Facing Nevsky Prospect and Sadovaya Street

Aquatint by Benjamin Patersen. 1800s

 

The delivered boxes were transferred into the Library building, and the economist of the IPL Popov also carefully calculated all the costs. The total amount that the IPL spent on the evacuation was 5639 rubles 57 kopecks. This, as Olenin wrote to Minister Razumovsky, 'led to the strained financial situation in the Library.' In 1812, the Treasury was unable to allocate financial resources to remove the books and manuscripts outside of St. Petersburg, and all expenses were covered from the funds of the IPL. To tell the truth, on the last day of 1812, 31 December, Razumovsky promised Olenin to 'apply to the appropriate authorities for reimbursement of the Library's expenses.'

The difficult mission ended successfully. All evacuated things returned back. Olenin highly appreciated the dedication of his staff and, on 28 December, wrote to Sopikov the last order for 1812, 'Upon receiving from you to the Library the 189 boxes of its belongings sent in the autumn from St. Petersburg to Olonets province and brought back here by the current winter road under your supervision, I consider it my duty to express now my and the Library's gratitude for your diligent execution of our order, and assure you that, for your efforts, I will not fail to recommend you as well as your assistant...Belshchinsky for an honour to His Excellency, the Minister of Education, Count Alexey Razumovsky'.

The year of 1812, which began high hopes and plans, has become one of the most difficult in the history of the Imperial Public Library. Unexpected ordeals eventually ended, but it took another year to classify and arrange books and manuscripts in proper order, to get the entire library in readiness for the opening which took place on 2 January 1814.