Perry Collins
Encyclopedia
Perry McDonough Collins was the visionary behind the Russian American Telegraph
of 1865-1867. The failed venture aimed to connect America to Europe by telegraph via the Bering Strait
.
, Matthew Perry (naval officer)
and Thomas MacDonough
. Little is known of his early life, but in his early thirties he left his unrewarding law office job and routine east coast lifestyle. In 1846, he headed south to New Orleans. There he met manifest destiny evangelists William McKendree Gwin and Robert J Walker who fervently believed that America should dominate the North American continent. When news of the California gold rush reached New Orleans, Gwin went west with the aim of becoming California's first (Democract) senator. Collins followed on deciding to mine not gold but the miners. He tried his hand as a lawyer in Sonora. Records reveal that he took part in seven cases, lost six and won the other by default. He turned to business and helped start the American Russian Commercial Company with Gwin. This started with the opportunistic aim of shipping ice from the Arctic to San Francisco.
When Gwin became one of California's first two senators, Collins had a direct line to Washington. He planned to use it to support new and exotic schemes looking beyond the Pacific and into Asia. At that time, Russia had expanded towards the Asian side of the Pacific. In 1847, the appointed Governor, Nikolai Muraviev
, was determined to expand Russian trade and fixed on the Amur River, its boundary with China, as the key geostrategic location.
Gwin together with William Seward
looked on this Russian eastern expansion and convinced themselves that it paralleled America's expansion westward. Financing a survey, Collins, already a fan of Ferdinand von Wrangel
read it eagerly on his return. He later wrote "I had already fixed in my own mind upon the river Amoor as the destined channel by which American commercial enterprise was to penetrate the obscure depths of Northern Asia, and open a new world to trade and civilization."
in 1856 and impressed. As the new Commercial Agent for the Amur, he set sail toward St Petersburg. There, he met Muraviev before travelling to Moscow where he attended the coronation of Tsar Alexander II. On receipt of the relevant permits, he set out to Irkutsk
on the post road. By all accounts, he was impressed by Russia and charmed everyone he met with his enthusiasm for his hosts and their country. After Irkutsk, he met up with Muraviev again and headed to the southern border town of Kyakhta
where many drunken evenings ensued. He crossed over the border to the Chinese frontier town of Maimattschin and related in great detail the Mongol New Year celebration of the Feast of the Lanterns.
The following spring, he headed east to Chita (Chita, Russia) where he began his river journey on the Ingoda River
, a tribuary of the Amur. All the while, he was thinking about business. As Vilhjalmur Stefansson
noted, "Collins the nineteenth-century Marco Polo, and Collins the poet of coal, timber, opals, sables and steamships, railroads and rubies were never allowed to interfere with Collins, the strict man of business."
On July 10, he finally reached Nikolayevsk-na-Amure. He was impressed. He saw this as the center of trade with eastern Siberia, Kamchatka, America, Japan and China. His round the world trip left him convinced that the Russians and Americans had much to achieve together.
In 1859, he approached Hiram Sibley
, head of the Western Union Telegraph Company and promoter of an intercontinental line across the United States. Together, they worked on promoting this overland international line. Indeed, they obtained some considerable support. As California senator Milton Latham
suggested in 1861, through the line "we hold the ball of the earth in our hand, and wind upon it a network of living and thinking wire till the whole is held together and bound with the same wishes, projects and interests."
The Civil War intervened, but in 1863 Collins returned to Russia to represent the scheme. He obtained approval. He then met Lord Palmerston in London to discuss the line in British Columbia and the British Northern Territories. On his side was Paul Reuter
, then head of Reuters
news agency. Making a reasonable though not entirely perfect deal, he returned to Washington, reissued his book on his Russian journey down theAmur and was now able to take a back seat. Sibley recommended to the Western Union board that they buy all of Collins' rights and set up a subsidiary company. He received $100,000 and one tenth of the stock in the new Western Union Extension Company. The remaining stock was snapped up. With US Government support finalised through a bill signed by Abraham Lincoln
and the British Columbia colonial assembly ratifying what had been agreed with London earlier, thus began the Russian American Telegraph
(known in British Columbia as the Collins Overland Telegraph).
Russian American Telegraph
The Russian–American Telegraph, also known as the Western Union Telegraph Expedition and the Collins Overland Telegraph, was a $3,000,000 undertaking by the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1865-1867, to lay an electric telegraph line from San Francisco, California to Moscow, Russia.The route was...
of 1865-1867. The failed venture aimed to connect America to Europe by telegraph via the Bering Strait
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait , known to natives as Imakpik, is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point of the North American continent, with latitude of about 65°40'N,...
.
The early years
Born in Hyde Park, New York, in 1813, he was named after American naval heroes, Commodores Oliver Hazard PerryOliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
, Matthew Perry (naval officer)
Matthew Perry (naval officer)
Matthew Calbraith Perry was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy and served commanding a number of US naval ships. He served several wars, most notably in the Mexican-American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854...
and Thomas MacDonough
Thomas MacDonough
Thomas Macdonough was an early-19th-century American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War, and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Sr. who lived close to Middleton, Delaware. Being the sixth child born, he came from a large family of ten...
. Little is known of his early life, but in his early thirties he left his unrewarding law office job and routine east coast lifestyle. In 1846, he headed south to New Orleans. There he met manifest destiny evangelists William McKendree Gwin and Robert J Walker who fervently believed that America should dominate the North American continent. When news of the California gold rush reached New Orleans, Gwin went west with the aim of becoming California's first (Democract) senator. Collins followed on deciding to mine not gold but the miners. He tried his hand as a lawyer in Sonora. Records reveal that he took part in seven cases, lost six and won the other by default. He turned to business and helped start the American Russian Commercial Company with Gwin. This started with the opportunistic aim of shipping ice from the Arctic to San Francisco.
When Gwin became one of California's first two senators, Collins had a direct line to Washington. He planned to use it to support new and exotic schemes looking beyond the Pacific and into Asia. At that time, Russia had expanded towards the Asian side of the Pacific. In 1847, the appointed Governor, Nikolai Muraviev
Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky
Nikolay Nikolayevich Muravyov-Amursky was a Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in the expansion of the Russian Empire into the Amur River basin and to the shores of the Sea of Japan.-Surname spelling:The surname Muravyov has also been transcribed as Muravyev or Murav'ev.-Early...
, was determined to expand Russian trade and fixed on the Amur River, its boundary with China, as the key geostrategic location.
Gwin together with William Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
looked on this Russian eastern expansion and convinced themselves that it paralleled America's expansion westward. Financing a survey, Collins, already a fan of Ferdinand von Wrangel
Ferdinand von Wrangel
Baron Ferdinand Friedrich Georg Ludwig von Wrangel – May 25 , 1870) was a Russian explorer and seaman, Honorable Member of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences, a founder of the Russian Geographic Society...
read it eagerly on his return. He later wrote "I had already fixed in my own mind upon the river Amoor as the destined channel by which American commercial enterprise was to penetrate the obscure depths of Northern Asia, and open a new world to trade and civilization."
In Russia
With the help of Gwin and Russian Ambassador Edward de Stoekl, he received an audience with President Franklin PierceFranklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
in 1856 and impressed. As the new Commercial Agent for the Amur, he set sail toward St Petersburg. There, he met Muraviev before travelling to Moscow where he attended the coronation of Tsar Alexander II. On receipt of the relevant permits, he set out to Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
on the post road. By all accounts, he was impressed by Russia and charmed everyone he met with his enthusiasm for his hosts and their country. After Irkutsk, he met up with Muraviev again and headed to the southern border town of Kyakhta
Kyakhta
Kyakhta is a town in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located on the Kyakhta River near the Russian-Mongolian border. Population: The town stands directly opposite the Mongolian border town of Altanbulag.-History:...
where many drunken evenings ensued. He crossed over the border to the Chinese frontier town of Maimattschin and related in great detail the Mongol New Year celebration of the Feast of the Lanterns.
The following spring, he headed east to Chita (Chita, Russia) where he began his river journey on the Ingoda River
Ingoda River
Ingoda River is a river in Zabaykalsky Krai of Russia. The length of the river is 439 miles . The area of its basin is 37,200 km². Together with the Onon River, it forms the Shilka River. Unlike the nearby Yazanrifai river, the Ingoda River freezes up in early November and stays under the ice...
, a tribuary of the Amur. All the while, he was thinking about business. As Vilhjalmur Stefansson
Vilhjalmur Stefansson
Vilhjalmur Stefansson was a Canadian Arctic explorer and ethnologist.-Early life:Stefansson, born William Stephenson, was born at Gimli, Manitoba, Canada, in 1879. His parents had emigrated from Iceland to Manitoba two years earlier...
noted, "Collins the nineteenth-century Marco Polo, and Collins the poet of coal, timber, opals, sables and steamships, railroads and rubies were never allowed to interfere with Collins, the strict man of business."
On July 10, he finally reached Nikolayevsk-na-Amure. He was impressed. He saw this as the center of trade with eastern Siberia, Kamchatka, America, Japan and China. His round the world trip left him convinced that the Russians and Americans had much to achieve together.
The origins of Russian American Telegraph
Arriving back in America, he decided on a Pacific network of railroads and steamships as being the means to make his fortune and develop western trade. Returning briefly to St Petersburg in 1858, he was warned his scheme was premature. Instead and coincident with the failure of the telegraph line across the Atlantic, he proposed an intercontinental telegraph line. This line would run through either Canada or the western United States, into British Columbia, the northern British territories, into Russian America (Alaska), over the Bering Strait to Siberia and then along the Amur to Irkutsh and thence Europe. Success of such a scheme, Collins anticipated, would deliver all intercontinental communication into the hands of the Americans.In 1859, he approached Hiram Sibley
Hiram Sibley
Hiram Sibley , was an industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.Sibley was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, and later resided in Rochester, New York. He became interested in the work of Samuel Morse involving the telegraph.In 1840, he joined with Morse and Ezra Cornell to create a...
, head of the Western Union Telegraph Company and promoter of an intercontinental line across the United States. Together, they worked on promoting this overland international line. Indeed, they obtained some considerable support. As California senator Milton Latham
Milton Latham
Milton Slocum Latham was an American politician, and served as the sixth Governor of California and as a member of the federal U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Latham holds the distinction of having the shortest governorship in California history, lasting for five days between...
suggested in 1861, through the line "we hold the ball of the earth in our hand, and wind upon it a network of living and thinking wire till the whole is held together and bound with the same wishes, projects and interests."
The Civil War intervened, but in 1863 Collins returned to Russia to represent the scheme. He obtained approval. He then met Lord Palmerston in London to discuss the line in British Columbia and the British Northern Territories. On his side was Paul Reuter
Paul Reuter
Paul Julius Freiherr von Reuter was a German entrepreneur and later naturalized British citizen...
, then head of Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news agency. Making a reasonable though not entirely perfect deal, he returned to Washington, reissued his book on his Russian journey down theAmur and was now able to take a back seat. Sibley recommended to the Western Union board that they buy all of Collins' rights and set up a subsidiary company. He received $100,000 and one tenth of the stock in the new Western Union Extension Company. The remaining stock was snapped up. With US Government support finalised through a bill signed by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and the British Columbia colonial assembly ratifying what had been agreed with London earlier, thus began the Russian American Telegraph
Russian American Telegraph
The Russian–American Telegraph, also known as the Western Union Telegraph Expedition and the Collins Overland Telegraph, was a $3,000,000 undertaking by the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1865-1867, to lay an electric telegraph line from San Francisco, California to Moscow, Russia.The route was...
(known in British Columbia as the Collins Overland Telegraph).