Schäffer affair
Encyclopedia
The Schäffer affair was an incident between 1815-1817 when Georg Anton Schäffer
attempted to take the Hawaiian Islands
for Russia
. In 1815 Schäffer sailed to Hawaii
to retrieve the Company goods seized by Kaumualii
, chief of Kauai
island. A simple mission led by an inexperienced but ambitious physician unfolded into a major blunder for the Company. Kaumualii, who sought outside help in his domestic rivalry with king Kamehameha
, invited Schäffer to his island and manipulated him into believing that the Russian-American Company could easily take over and colonize Hawaii. Schäffer, "losing all touch with reality", planned a full-blown naval assault of the rest of Hawaiian islands and sought support for his "conquest" in Saint Petersburg
. Mounting resistance of Native Hawaiians
and American traders forced Schäffer to admit defeat and leave Hawaii in July 1817, before his triumphant reports from Kauai reached the Russian court. The Company recognized a loss of not less than 200,000 roubles but continued entertaining "The Hawaiian project" until 1821. The Company then sued Schäffer for damages, but after an inconclusive legal standoff found it easier to let him go back to Germany.
since 1804. Governor Alexander Baranov arranged an exploratory expedition to the islands in 1808; his deputy Ludwig von Hagemeister proposed purchase or outright takeover of Hawaiian land, but this opportunity was not followed and the business was limited to irregular purchases of foodstuffs, salt
and sandalwood
.
On January 30, 1815 Bering, a Company ship carrying furs worth around 100,000 roubles, dropped anchor near Waimea
. Berings captain, James Bennett, intended to purchase foodstuffs for Russian Alaskan settlers. On the next night Bering ran aground in a storm; two months later the stranded crew was evacuated from Kauai
by Albatross. Bennett reported that the ship and its cargo was seized by chief Kaumualii
(King Tomari in contemporary Russian sources). Bennett and two other American captains employed by the Company pressed Baranov to wage an armed punitive expedition
against Kaumualii. The proposal stirred long discussions between Baranov and his deputies; Baranov clearly favored a peaceful solution.
Baranov dispatched the mission to Hawaii, with Georg Schäffer in full command, in October 1815. The choice of Schäffer, a physician, remains a mystery; quite likely, according to Nikolay Bolkhovitinov, Baranov simply had no one else on hand. He instructed Schäffer to present himself as a harmless explorer, obtain Kamehameha's favor, and then demand compensation for the looted shipwreck, for example, in sandalwood. If this business proceeded smoothly, Schäffer was to seek Kamehameha's patent for a monopoly in sandalwood trading. Baranov's letter politely warned Kamehameha that a failure of Schaffer's mission would leave him no choice but an armed incursion against Kaumualii. According to Peter Mills, the true nature of Schäffer's mission remains disputed but the scholars agree that Baranov wanted it to remain secret.
Schäffer reached Hawaii on board the Isabella in the beginning of November 1815. What happened between Kamehameha and Schäffer is known only through Schaffer's own unreliable narrative. According to Schäffer, at first the king, influenced by John Young
and the American skippers, displayed outright anti-Russian sentiment John Young, the British advisor to Kamehameha, was certain that Schäffer's "naturalist" persona was merely a cover. By the end of December 1815 Schäffer restored Kamehameha's good disposition through medical services to the king and queen Ka'ahumanu
.
. According to Schäffer, his peaceful exploration of Hawaii was interrupted by "agents working for Hunt and Ebbets", who even made attempts against his life. Oahu seemed to be a safer place "where the people are better disposed to foreigners".
At about the same time, in February 1816, Baranov sent reinforcement - the Otkrytie with lieutenant Podushkin in command. If Schäffer's mission fails, instructed Baranov, Podushkin had to take the whole island of Kauai into Russian possession, "avoiding sacrifice of human life if possible". An alternative account, provided by Mills, states that Podushkin's orders were limited to delivery of thirty Aleuts into Schäffer's disposal and then proceeding further on his own business. Podushkin reached Oahu in May 1816; another Russian ship, Ilmen, unexpectedly showed up for repairs at the same time. Schäffer remained in command of all Russian forces in the area, now having the two ships that, according to Hagemeister, were all that was necessary to seize Hawaii. Schäffer and Podushkin arranged the final meeting with Kamehameha who again resisted extortion; the Russians immediately set sail for Kauai and reached their target on .
Five days later Schäffer "apparently achieved the impossible": rebellious Kaumualii humbly pledged allegiance to the Tsar of Russia on behalf of all Hawaiian islands, agreed to reimburse the Company for the losses of 1815 and granted it a monopoly in sandalwood trade. The chief himself, dressed in Podushkin's uniform, hoisted the flag of the Russian-American Company over Kauai. Another treaty, signed in July, provided the Russians with 500 local soldiers for the conquest of Oahu, Lanai
, Maui
and Molokai
: "The King (Kaumualii) provides Doctor Schäffer carte blanche for this expedition and all assistance in constructing the fortresses on all islands... and he will refrain from all trade with citizens of the State (sic) of America".
The treaty also placed Schäffer in charge of constructing the new forts and trading stations. More than three hundred Hawaiians under Schäffer's command laid down and built Fort Elizabeth, a traditional European star-shaped fortress, built of stone and adobe
. By the end of Schäffer's Hawaiian adventure, Fort Elizabeth was practically complete and armed with cannons. Schäffer also laid down two small earthen forts, Alexander and Barclay, this time without Hawaiian assistance.
Enthusiastic Schäffer sent victorious messages to Baranov and to imperial authorities in Saint Petersburg
, requesting a full-blown naval expedition to protect "his fantastic achievements". He provided Kaumualii with two new ships, the larger of these, Avon, was worth twice as much as the merchandise taken by Kuamualii in 1815 (200,000 roubles vs. 100,000). However, Kaumualii had no intention to forfeit his possessions; he manipulated Schäffer into "losing all touch with reality" and used the Russians for his own benefit in his standoff with Kamehameha, planning to conquer more islands. Early historians, starting with Otto von Kotzebue
, suggested that Kaumualii's revolt was prompted or even led by Schäffer but, according to Mills, the chief "sought to align himself with any foreign power that could help him". During the War of 1812
he sided with the Americans, but by 1815 this alliance fell apart and Schäffer's arrival conveniently filled the empty slot in Kaumualii's plans.
Neither was Baranov inclined to finance a war; he denied payment for the purchase of Avon and warned Schäffer against further political and business blunders. The Board of Directors of the Russian-American Company was not informed of the whole affair until the spring of 1817.
valley, in German: Schäfferthal. Breakup of his "empire" began in September 1816 when he had to evacuate the colony in Oahu, yielding to the threat of force.
In December 1816 Schäffer received an unexpected "reinforcement": the Russian military brig
Rurick captained by Otto von Kotzebue
dropped anchor at Hawaii in the middle of a circumnavigation
. Kamehameha, unaware of Kotzebue's true disposition, manned the coast with 400 soldiers (or loyal volunteers, according to Mills) ready to repel the expected landing. Kotzebue managed to persuade the king of his peaceful intentions and made it clear that the Imperial government has nothing to do with Schäffer's delusions; he left without ever visiting his compatriots on Kauai.
The standoff between Kaumualii and Kamehameha continued; the king was now supported by the Americans who allegedly promised him five ships to be used against Kaumualii and his Russian allies. American traders even tried to pull down the Russian flag raised on Kauai and were repelled by Kaumualii's guards. , according to Schaffer's records, all his American employees excluding George Young, the skipper of Kadyak, changed sides and deserted him. Local Hawaiians "bundled Schäffer into a boat" and tried to force him out of Kauai, but he returned and was then forced to board one of his ships. Only then did Schäffer admit his defeat; he dispatched George Young to bring seaworthy Ilmen to Sitka and then sailed to Honolulu on the crippled, leaky Kadyak.
The Kadyak entered Honolulu harbor under the white flag
of surrender or, according to Daws, under the Russian flag flying upside down, a sign of distress. Kamehameha's chiefs warned the Russians that they will immediately arrest Schäffer but then backed off; according to Schäffer's deputy Taranov, the change in attitude was influenced by the Americans seeking to salvage prized sandalwood from the holds of the sinking Kadyak.
On Schäffer forever left Hawaii for Canton
, courtesy of his former patient captain Isaiah Lewis. Between sixty and one hundred Russians and Aleuts from the Kadyak were left stranded on Oahu until the spring of 1818. Schäffer reached Macau
where he received support from Anders Ljungstedt
, a Swede who occasionally worked for the Russian-American Company. Ljungstedt arranged Schäffer's travel to Rio de Janeiro
, from where he embarked to Europe. During his brief stay in Rio Schäffer obtained an audience with princess Maria Leopoldina
, and presented his unique collection of natural exhibits from the Hawaii. The princess who soon became Queen of Brazil remembered the gift and remained a supporter of Schäffer in his Brazilian ventures.
performed by Doctor Schäffer" cost the Russian-American Company, according to Bolkhovitinov, 200,000 roubles. Mills evaluated Schäffer's direct expenses at 230,000 roubles and noted that the Russians wasted their resources in Hawaii while the Americans profiteered by supplying Alaska from Hawaii. The Company left substantial supplies on Kauai and the managers in Sitka seriously considered sending another armed expedition to repossess them.
The Board of the Company in Saint Petersburg
received the first news of the Hawaiian affair in the spring of 1817. On March 22 (April 3), 1817 the Board instructed Baranov to dismiss Schäffer as soon as he completes his mission; they openly distrusted the German and feared the international complications that could hurt the core business.
Schäffer's victorious reports of his treaty with Kuamualii were delivered to Saint Petersburg in August 1817, more than one year after the event and after Schäffer's flight from Hawaii. At about the same time European newspapers picked up rumors of Russian expansion in the Pacific. The directors of the Company now leaned to supporting Schäffer and requested tsar's approval to proceed. The approval depended on the opinion of foreign minister Karl Nesselrode
who in turn relied on the opinion of Count von Liven, the ambassador in London.
The Board, waiting for Nesselrode, indulged in drafting business plans for Schäffer who was then already on the way to China
. In December 1817 Nesselrode received von Liven's report from London: according to the ambassador, the disadvantages and risks of a Russian protectorate
over Kauai outweighed any possible gains. On Nesselrode finally voiced an unfavorable opinion on "Doctor Schaffer's thoughtless ventures". Tsar Alexander
concurred and denied state support to the Company's operations in Hawaii.
The directors, however, petitioned the government for at least an approval of their limited presence in the Hawaii, which was granted in August 1818. In the same month Kotzebue returned to Saint Petersburg, bringing bad news of the events that happened more than a year before; the directors received letters from Schäffer himself, the most recent dated April 1818, from Rio de Janeiro
.
Georg Anton Schäffer
Georg Anton Schäffer was a German physician in the employ of the Russian-American Company who attempted to conquer Hawaii for the Company and, ultimately, the Russian Empire...
attempted to take the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
for Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In 1815 Schäffer sailed to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to retrieve the Company goods seized by Kaumualii
Kaumualii
Kaumualii was the last independent Alii Aimoku of Kauai and Niihau before becoming a vassal of Kamehameha I of the unified Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810...
, chief of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
island. A simple mission led by an inexperienced but ambitious physician unfolded into a major blunder for the Company. Kaumualii, who sought outside help in his domestic rivalry with king Kamehameha
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
, invited Schäffer to his island and manipulated him into believing that the Russian-American Company could easily take over and colonize Hawaii. Schäffer, "losing all touch with reality", planned a full-blown naval assault of the rest of Hawaiian islands and sought support for his "conquest" in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Mounting resistance of Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
and American traders forced Schäffer to admit defeat and leave Hawaii in July 1817, before his triumphant reports from Kauai reached the Russian court. The Company recognized a loss of not less than 200,000 roubles but continued entertaining "The Hawaiian project" until 1821. The Company then sued Schäffer for damages, but after an inconclusive legal standoff found it easier to let him go back to Germany.
Background
The Russian-American Company maintained "more or less regular ties" with Hawaii and its king Kamehameha IKamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
since 1804. Governor Alexander Baranov arranged an exploratory expedition to the islands in 1808; his deputy Ludwig von Hagemeister proposed purchase or outright takeover of Hawaiian land, but this opportunity was not followed and the business was limited to irregular purchases of foodstuffs, salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
and sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
.
On January 30, 1815 Bering, a Company ship carrying furs worth around 100,000 roubles, dropped anchor near Waimea
Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii
Waimea is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 1,787 at the 2000 census...
. Berings captain, James Bennett, intended to purchase foodstuffs for Russian Alaskan settlers. On the next night Bering ran aground in a storm; two months later the stranded crew was evacuated from Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
by Albatross. Bennett reported that the ship and its cargo was seized by chief Kaumualii
Kaumualii
Kaumualii was the last independent Alii Aimoku of Kauai and Niihau before becoming a vassal of Kamehameha I of the unified Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810...
(King Tomari in contemporary Russian sources). Bennett and two other American captains employed by the Company pressed Baranov to wage an armed punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
against Kaumualii. The proposal stirred long discussions between Baranov and his deputies; Baranov clearly favored a peaceful solution.
Arrival at Hawaii
Schäffer reached Hawaii on board the Isabella in the beginning of November 1815. What happened between Kamehameha and Schäffer is known only through Schaffer's own unreliable narrative. According to Schäffer, at first the king, influenced by John Young
John Young (Hawaii)
John Young was a British subject who became an important military advisor to Kamehameha I during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was left behind by Simon Metcalfe, captain of the American ship Eleanora, and along with a Welshmen Isaac Davis became a friend and advisor to Kamehameha...
and the American skippers, displayed outright anti-Russian sentiment John Young, the British advisor to Kamehameha, was certain that Schäffer's "naturalist" persona was merely a cover. By the end of December 1815 Schäffer restored Kamehameha's good disposition through medical services to the king and queen Ka'ahumanu
Ka'ahumanu
Elizabeth Kaahumanu was queen regent of the Kingdom of Hawaii and a wife of Kamehameha I. She was the king's favorite wife and also the most politically powerful, and continued to wield considerable power in the kingdom as the kuhina nui during the reigns of his first two successors.-Early...
.
Failure of diplomacy
The king (or, according to Daws, Ka'ahumanu and her brother) granted Schäffer parcels of land and permission to set up trading stations; Schäffer built a small house but soon left the island of Hawaii for OahuOahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. According to Schäffer, his peaceful exploration of Hawaii was interrupted by "agents working for Hunt and Ebbets", who even made attempts against his life. Oahu seemed to be a safer place "where the people are better disposed to foreigners".
At about the same time, in February 1816, Baranov sent reinforcement - the Otkrytie with lieutenant Podushkin in command. If Schäffer's mission fails, instructed Baranov, Podushkin had to take the whole island of Kauai into Russian possession, "avoiding sacrifice of human life if possible". An alternative account, provided by Mills, states that Podushkin's orders were limited to delivery of thirty Aleuts into Schäffer's disposal and then proceeding further on his own business. Podushkin reached Oahu in May 1816; another Russian ship, Ilmen, unexpectedly showed up for repairs at the same time. Schäffer remained in command of all Russian forces in the area, now having the two ships that, according to Hagemeister, were all that was necessary to seize Hawaii. Schäffer and Podushkin arranged the final meeting with Kamehameha who again resisted extortion; the Russians immediately set sail for Kauai and reached their target on .
Illusion of a conquest
Lanai
Lānai or Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lānai City, a small settlement....
, Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
and Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
: "The King (Kaumualii) provides Doctor Schäffer carte blanche for this expedition and all assistance in constructing the fortresses on all islands... and he will refrain from all trade with citizens of the State (sic) of America".
The treaty also placed Schäffer in charge of constructing the new forts and trading stations. More than three hundred Hawaiians under Schäffer's command laid down and built Fort Elizabeth, a traditional European star-shaped fortress, built of stone and adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
. By the end of Schäffer's Hawaiian adventure, Fort Elizabeth was practically complete and armed with cannons. Schäffer also laid down two small earthen forts, Alexander and Barclay, this time without Hawaiian assistance.
Enthusiastic Schäffer sent victorious messages to Baranov and to imperial authorities in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, requesting a full-blown naval expedition to protect "his fantastic achievements". He provided Kaumualii with two new ships, the larger of these, Avon, was worth twice as much as the merchandise taken by Kuamualii in 1815 (200,000 roubles vs. 100,000). However, Kaumualii had no intention to forfeit his possessions; he manipulated Schäffer into "losing all touch with reality" and used the Russians for his own benefit in his standoff with Kamehameha, planning to conquer more islands. Early historians, starting with Otto von Kotzebue
Otto von Kotzebue
Otto von Kotzebue was a Baltic German navigator in Russian service....
, suggested that Kaumualii's revolt was prompted or even led by Schäffer but, according to Mills, the chief "sought to align himself with any foreign power that could help him". During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
he sided with the Americans, but by 1815 this alliance fell apart and Schäffer's arrival conveniently filled the empty slot in Kaumualii's plans.
Neither was Baranov inclined to finance a war; he denied payment for the purchase of Avon and warned Schäffer against further political and business blunders. The Board of Directors of the Russian-American Company was not informed of the whole affair until the spring of 1817.
Defeat and surrender
Schäffer spent the summer of 1816 exploring Kauai; he invented Russian names to local landforms but named the finest of them, the Hanalei RiverHanalei River
The Hanalei River on the island of Kauai in Hawaii flows north from the eastern slopes Mount Waialeale for until entering the Pacific Ocean at Hanalei Bay as an estuary...
valley, in German: Schäfferthal. Breakup of his "empire" began in September 1816 when he had to evacuate the colony in Oahu, yielding to the threat of force.
In December 1816 Schäffer received an unexpected "reinforcement": the Russian military brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Rurick captained by Otto von Kotzebue
Otto von Kotzebue
Otto von Kotzebue was a Baltic German navigator in Russian service....
dropped anchor at Hawaii in the middle of a circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
. Kamehameha, unaware of Kotzebue's true disposition, manned the coast with 400 soldiers (or loyal volunteers, according to Mills) ready to repel the expected landing. Kotzebue managed to persuade the king of his peaceful intentions and made it clear that the Imperial government has nothing to do with Schäffer's delusions; he left without ever visiting his compatriots on Kauai.
The standoff between Kaumualii and Kamehameha continued; the king was now supported by the Americans who allegedly promised him five ships to be used against Kaumualii and his Russian allies. American traders even tried to pull down the Russian flag raised on Kauai and were repelled by Kaumualii's guards. , according to Schaffer's records, all his American employees excluding George Young, the skipper of Kadyak, changed sides and deserted him. Local Hawaiians "bundled Schäffer into a boat" and tried to force him out of Kauai, but he returned and was then forced to board one of his ships. Only then did Schäffer admit his defeat; he dispatched George Young to bring seaworthy Ilmen to Sitka and then sailed to Honolulu on the crippled, leaky Kadyak.
The Kadyak entered Honolulu harbor under the white flag
White flag
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.-Flag of temporary truce in order to parley :...
of surrender or, according to Daws, under the Russian flag flying upside down, a sign of distress. Kamehameha's chiefs warned the Russians that they will immediately arrest Schäffer but then backed off; according to Schäffer's deputy Taranov, the change in attitude was influenced by the Americans seeking to salvage prized sandalwood from the holds of the sinking Kadyak.
On Schäffer forever left Hawaii for Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, courtesy of his former patient captain Isaiah Lewis. Between sixty and one hundred Russians and Aleuts from the Kadyak were left stranded on Oahu until the spring of 1818. Schäffer reached Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
where he received support from Anders Ljungstedt
Anders Ljungstedt
Anders Ljungstedt Swedish merchant and historian.-Early career:Ljungstedt was born to a poor family in Linköping and attended Uppsala University for a time, but was forced to withdraw for lack of funds. In 1784, he went to Russia, where he worked as a teacher for ten years...
, a Swede who occasionally worked for the Russian-American Company. Ljungstedt arranged Schäffer's travel to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, from where he embarked to Europe. During his brief stay in Rio Schäffer obtained an audience with princess Maria Leopoldina
Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Maria Leopoldina of Austria was an archduchess of Austria, Empress consort of Brazil and queen consort of Portugal....
, and presented his unique collection of natural exhibits from the Hawaii. The princess who soon became Queen of Brazil remembered the gift and remained a supporter of Schäffer in his Brazilian ventures.
Immediate aftermath
The "Hawaiian spectacularRestoration spectacular
The Restoration spectacular, or elaborately staged "machine play", hit the London public stage in the late 17th-century Restoration period, enthralling audiences with action, music, dance, moveable scenery, baroque illusionistic painting, gorgeous costumes, and special effects such as trapdoor...
performed by Doctor Schäffer" cost the Russian-American Company, according to Bolkhovitinov, 200,000 roubles. Mills evaluated Schäffer's direct expenses at 230,000 roubles and noted that the Russians wasted their resources in Hawaii while the Americans profiteered by supplying Alaska from Hawaii. The Company left substantial supplies on Kauai and the managers in Sitka seriously considered sending another armed expedition to repossess them.
The Board of the Company in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
received the first news of the Hawaiian affair in the spring of 1817. On March 22 (April 3), 1817 the Board instructed Baranov to dismiss Schäffer as soon as he completes his mission; they openly distrusted the German and feared the international complications that could hurt the core business.
Schäffer's victorious reports of his treaty with Kuamualii were delivered to Saint Petersburg in August 1817, more than one year after the event and after Schäffer's flight from Hawaii. At about the same time European newspapers picked up rumors of Russian expansion in the Pacific. The directors of the Company now leaned to supporting Schäffer and requested tsar's approval to proceed. The approval depended on the opinion of foreign minister Karl Nesselrode
Karl Nesselrode
Baltic-German Count Karl Robert Nesselrode, also known as Charles de Nesselrode, was a Russian diplomat and a leading European conservative statesman of the Holy Alliance...
who in turn relied on the opinion of Count von Liven, the ambassador in London.
The Board, waiting for Nesselrode, indulged in drafting business plans for Schäffer who was then already on the way to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In December 1817 Nesselrode received von Liven's report from London: according to the ambassador, the disadvantages and risks of a Russian protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
over Kauai outweighed any possible gains. On Nesselrode finally voiced an unfavorable opinion on "Doctor Schaffer's thoughtless ventures". Tsar Alexander
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
concurred and denied state support to the Company's operations in Hawaii.
The directors, however, petitioned the government for at least an approval of their limited presence in the Hawaii, which was granted in August 1818. In the same month Kotzebue returned to Saint Petersburg, bringing bad news of the events that happened more than a year before; the directors received letters from Schäffer himself, the most recent dated April 1818, from Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
.