40

THE RUSSIAN FLEET

ordered to winter there, the haven being nowesteemed a place of sufficient security.

This summer’s expedition thus prosperouslyended, the Rear-Admiral Peter Alexeievitz, on hisarrival at St. Petersburg, was advanced to the rankof Vice-Admiral, having modestly refused this prefer-ment before, whilst as yet he had not merited thisdignity by any distinguishing action at sea. Severalother officers were also promoted this winter, andmedals struck in memory of the victory at HangoHead distributed to the principal Commandersconcerned therein. Rear-Admiral Tressel arrivedfrom Holland, but dying before the next campaignthis mention of him may suffice. Commissarieswere established in the Navy with particular in-structions, having also the charge of the victuallingpart heretofore managed by the officers of the sol-diers on board each ship. Vice-Admiral Cruys wasrecalled, restored, and made Vice-President of theCollege of Admiralty 1 ; but not to go to sea. Thisgentleman, a native of Norway, bred a sailor inHolland and advanced there, had in the last Dutchwar been pretty active in privateering upon theEnglish. Some little prejudices imbibed in his youth,through the ill understanding betwixt the two nations,did not easily wear off, and might probably renderhim less a friend to the English than otherwisehe would have been. However, he is a man ofsobriety, and a good seaman ; and, notwithstandingsome errors in judgment, has been of excellentservice to the Tsar, indefatigably studying to improvethe maritime affairs in opposition to the many diffi-culties industriously thrown in his way, out of envyto him as a foreigner, by the malevolent Russians.

1 Or, as we should say, Board of Admiralty. Kollegium wasthe official term in Sweden for a Board, e.g. Amiralitets-Kollegium.(See note, post, p. 62).