Autograph letter signed : "Sternhoff" [near Reval Russia], 1818 Nov. 29.
Address panel with seal and postmarks and addressed to "James Burney Esq.re / Capt. R.N. F.R.S. / N-26 James Street / London / Westminster."
Captain Kotzebue was a Russian naval officer; Mr. Arrowsmith was an English cartographer and map publisher.
Part of a collection of correspondence and papers of Rear Admiral James Burney. Items in this collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information.
Apologizing for the length of time since his last letter; saying that he would reply to the questions that he [Burney] posed to Captain Kotzebue when he was in London; providing details of observations from Russian expeditions; saying that "You may think of me what you please, but I do not yet give up on the idea of the existence of a NW passage...provided there is an opening left in Baffin's Bay. It is a great pity that Capt. Kotzebue by going too early towards the N. was disabled from going at all, & so could not according to his instructions explore the interior of America...;" saying that he hopes to fill a new expedition for the South Seas but that there is "a great deal to be done yet, in order to perfect the geography of Northern Asia; saying that Capt. Kotzebue had seen some charts while he was in England visiting Mr. Arrowsmith and it that would be very helpful to him and if he [Burney] could help in securing a copy.