Lesson 17. The Activities of the Governor - General Nikolay Nikolaevich Muravyov- Amursky during His Reign in the Far East

1. Study the key vocabulary:

aide-de-camp - адьютант

to promote in rank - повышать в чине/звании

willingness to improve – готовность улучшить что-то

motion - предложение (вносимое в парламенте, на конференции и т.п.)

controversy - предмет спора

to put in charge of - поручать (кому-л. что-л.) , вверять (что-л.)

embezzlement of public funds -растрата (хищение) государственных средств

to utilize help –пользоваться помощью

political exile – политический заключенный

to claim (for) - заявлять о своих правах на что-л.

2. Replace the word-combinations by the key vocabulary:

•to use somebody’s help _____________________________________________________

•to desire to make something better ______________________________________________

•to peculate the public money___________________________________________________

•point to discuss ______________________________________________________________

•to convict for policy __________________________________________________________

•to pretend for something ______________________________________________________

•something what people argue about ____________________________________________

•to improve career ____________________________________________________________

•assistant in the tzarist Army ________________________________________________

•to order somebody to be responsible for something _______________________________

3. Match the following columns:

aide-de-camp to promote in rank willingness to improve motion controversy to put in charge of embezzlement of public funds to utilize help political exile to claim

to abolish serfdom of its Excellency to judge (for) newly discovered lands to release life of people to general political situation parents to eliminate

4. Make up sentences with the phrases from ex.3.

5. Scan the text. Nikolay Nikolaevich Muravyov-Amursky* - a Great Reformer of the Russian Far East

Nikolay Muravyov was born in St. Petersburg on August 23^rd, 1809. He graduated from the Page Corps* in 1827. In 1828–1829 he participated in the Siege of Varna in the Russo-Turkish War* and later in the suppression of Uprising in Poland in 1831.

Due to health reasons, he retired from the military service in 1833 and returned home to manage his father's estate. However in 1838 he decided to return to active duty and served in the Caucasus in the rank of General Golovin's aide-de-camp. During one of campaigns against the mountain-dwellers Muravyov was wounded.

In 1840, Muravyov was assigned to command one of the sections of the Black Sea coast defense lines, during which he participated in the suppression of the Ubykh people*.

Muravyov was promoted to rank of major-general in 1841, but had to retire from the military service due to malaria. He transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was appointed the military and civil governor of Tula province in 1846.

Eager in his willingness to improve the state of affairs in this province, he proposed to establish the Governorate agricultural society. Muravyov was the first governor to propose Emperor Nikolay I abolishment of serfdom; a motion signed by nine local land-owners of Tula province. While the Emperor did nothing about the petition, from then he always called Muravyov as a "liberal" and a "democrat".

On September 5, 1847 Muravyov was appointed a Governor-General of Irkutsk and Yeniseysk (Eastern Siberia) and took up this post during 1847-1861. His appointment was a subject of much controversy, as it was unusual for a person of his age (only 38) to be put in charge of such a vast territory.

Contrary to the views of Karl Nesselrode, the Russian Foreign Minister, Muravyov was personally instructed by Tzar Nicholay I to press for an advantage against Manchuria. Muravyov's first actions as the Governor-General were to put end to the embezzlement of public funds. He also mandated the study of the Russian language at schools for native Siberian and Far Eastern peoples. He organized the exploration and settlement of the territories north to the Amur River, often using help of political exiles.

Many of his actions were aimed to expand commerce in the Far Eastern region. Seeing religion as a powerful form of control over the local population, he favored building of new Christian churches and promoted the local religious beliefs such as shamanism and Buddhism.

After the Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689), Russia lost the right to navigate the Amur River. However, Manchurians never claimed the lower courses of the river. Muravyov insisted on conducting an aggressive policy with this country despite strong resistance from St. Petersburg officials, who feared a breakup of relations between the two countries. Nevertheless, soon the lower reaches of the Amur River were in fact claimed by the Russians.

In 1851–1853, several expeditions were sent to explore the Amur Liman and Sakhalin, and to establish Russian settlements in those areas.