John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

25. I received this Morning from Count Romanzoff the Courier’s Passport for Commodore Bainbridge which I had yesterday requested— I accomplished in the course of the day and Evening the writing of one letter, and received two— Taking my usual round before dinner I met the Emperor upon the Fontanka— He observed I had no gloves on my hands, and asked me if I was not cold without them— I told him I had accustomed myself to going without gloves, and seldom wore any, but in extreme cold weather: he appeared to be much surprized at this, for the wearing of gloves, or of mittens is so universal in this Country, that I suppose it struck him as oddly to see a man with bare hands, as it would have been had he met me bare footed— In general the Emperor is extremely quick, and particular in observing slight peculiarities in dress— He asked me whether there was an Officer of the Navy of the United States now here— I told him there was; but he was on the point of his departure— He enquired what had brought him here— I said his private Affairs— Had he come as Master of a Merchant Vessel?— he had not— Merely as a traveller then?— As a traveller, upon business of his own, and with a permission from the Government.— Was it customary, under the Government of the United States, to allow their naval Officers, to go as Masters of Merchant Vessels?— Sometimes, when they were upon furlough— Most of our naval Officers had been taken, from among the Captains of Vessels in the merchant service— That, he said differed from the English practice— In England Officers of the Navy were some times allowed to sail in merchant Vessels, but he believed they were never taken from Merchant-men, to be Marine-Officers— I said they had an extensive system for the regular education of Officers to the service of the Navy; which on a smaller scale we now had also— But that our navy itself was a recent institution, and in the origin it was necessary to take its Officers, among the persons best qualified for the service, which were obviously mariners experienced in the merchant-service— He said it was his physician (Dr: Wiley) who had told him that there was an American Officer here— I suppose he also knew that I had applied to Count Romanzoff for a Passport for him, but of this he said nothing— I met Dr Wiley the other Evening at Commodore Bainbridge’s lodgings— He was attending him professionally—under an attack of rhumatism— In the course of my walk I met General Pardo, who told me of the Courier arrived last Evening from General Kutuzoff, with advices of a splendid Victory over the Turks— The Chevalier de Bray paid us an evening visit, and gave us the same information.