Golovnin, Vasili Mikhailovich (1776-1831)

Russian vice-admiral and navigator who explored the coasts of Kamchatka and Alaska. In 1811 he was captured by the Japanese and held prisoner until 1813. In 1817-19 he circumnavigated the globe. His works include Narrative of my Captivity in Japan (1816; English edition, in 3 volumes, 1824), and Journey Round the World (1822).

In 1801-06 he served as a volunteer in the British navy. During a voyage to the Far East in 1807-09 his ship was detained by the British at Cape Town for over a year. From 1823 he was intendant-general of the Russian navy, building over 200 warships, including the first 10 Russian steamships.