First edition. Small Octavo (ca. 19x11 cm). [2 – t.p.], [2], 150 pp. Original publisher’s wrappers with printed decorative borders on both sides and a woodcut vignette on the back wrapper. Wrappers slightly soiled, expert repair of minor tears on extremities, paper slightly age toned, but overall a very good clean copy in its original state.

Very rare Russian imprint with only one paper copy found in Worldcat (Yale University). “Of the 1847 edition, including gratis copies, less than 200 reached the public…” (Lada-Mocarski 128). Only five paper copies of the second edition (1854) were found in Western libraries (University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Michigan, New York Public Library, Yale University, University of Cambridge).

Rare first publication of the project of exploration of the Northeast Passage compiled in 1764 by a prominent 18th century Russian scientist and writer Mikhail Lomonosov (1711-1765). “Lomonosov, the versatile scientist and member of the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences, was much interested in an attempt to find the Northeast Passage, over the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific. The present work has five chapters, the first entitled: History of various sea voyages, undertaken to find the passage to East India, over the northwestern seas. The second: History of attempts to find a sea passage to India, from the northeastern approach, over the Arctic (“Siberian”) Ocean. The third: Possibility of a sea passage over the Arctic (“Siberian”) Ocean to East India, recognizable by natural phenomena. The fourth: Preparations necessary for a sea voyage over the Siberian Ocean. The fifth: Project of undertaking the northern sea route and of confirming and extending the Russian power in the East. In Appendix One, Lomonosov suggests the best point from which to start the expedition and the preparations necessary for it, etc. In Appendix Two are recited the latest reports of the Russian promyshlenniki regarding discoveries of islands belonging to the Aleutian chain which confirmed Lomonosov in his belief of the feasibility of his project.

Some of Lomonosov’s notions and ideas were quite correct, others were disproved by subsequent explorations. To the latter belong two highly secret expeditions of Captain Chichagov [in 1765-66], to whom were given very detailed instructions, with numerous corrections by Lomonosov. These expeditions are recorded in another book, entitled (in translation) Lomonosov’s Project and Chichagov’s expedition, published by the Hydrographic Department in 1854 <…> Lomonosov’s original work, herein described, is reprinted in the 1854 edition, augmented by the story of Chichagov’s unsuccessful voyages and by the detailed instructions issued to him, which are not in the present work. Of the 1847 edition, including gratis copies, less than 200 reached the public, which remained indifferent to Lomonosov’s project until the appearance of the 1854 edition” (Lada-Mocarski 128).

The book is based on two period copies of Lomonosov’s manuscript dated 24 April 1764 which were discovered in the Chief Naval Archive of the Russian Empire only in the 1840s and were promptly prepared for publication by a noted historian of the Russian fleet Alexander Petrovich Sokolov (1816-1858).

“The second part consists of Lomonosov's important memorandum on the Northeast Passage, in which he tied Russia's development to the opening of new naval trade routes, and asserted the feasibility of passage through the Arctic into to Pacific Ocean. Lomonosov succeeded in persuading the Admiralty College to launch two voyages under the command of Vasilii Chichagov. Both attempts were halted by pack ice. Introduction by A. Sokolov. See: Russia Engages the World, p. 99” (Christies).

The author of the preface, Alexander Sokolov is known for his works “Bering and Chirikov” (1849), “Northern Expedition of 1733-1743” (1851), “Chronicle of wrecks and fires on the vessels of the Russian fleet” (1854), “Russian Maritime Library” - the first comprehensive attempt of Russian bibliography on naval and maritime topics (first published in parts in the “Zapiski of the Hydrographical Department,” 1847-1852; first separate edition in 1883), and others.

Lada-Mocarski 128.