KOTZEBUE, OTTO VON (1787-1846), Russian naviga tor, second son of the foregoing, was born at Reval on Dec. 3o, 1787. He was educated at the St. Petersburg school of cadets and accompanied Krusenstern on his voyage of 1803-06. Kotze bue was placed in command of an expedition, fitted out at the expense of the imperial chancellor, Count Rumant, in the brig "Rurisevk." In this vessel, with only 27 men, Kotzebue set out (July 3o, 1815) to find a passage across the Arctic ocean and explore Oceania. Proceeding by Cape Horn, he discovered the Romanzov, Rurik and Krusenstern islands, then made for Kam chatka, and in July proceeded northward along the north-west coast of America, and discovered Kotzebue gulf or sound and Krusenstern cape. Returning by the coast of Asia, he again sailed south, and on Jan. 1, 1817, discovered New Year island. He brought home a large collection of previously unknown plants and much new ethnological information. In 1823 Kotzebue, now
a captain, commanded an expedition to take reinforcements to Kamchatka. A staff of scientists on board collected much valuable information and material in geography, ethnography and natural history. The expedition, proceeding by Cape Horn, visited the Radak and Society islands, and reached Petropavlovsk in July 1824. Many positions along the coast were rectified, the Navigator islands visited and several discoveries made. The expedition returned by the Marianna, Philippine, New Caledonia and Hawaiian islands, reaching Kronstadt on July io, 1826. Kotzebue died at Reval on Feb 15, 1846.
There are English translations of both Kotzebue's narratives: A Voy age of Discovery into the South Sea and Bering's Straits for the Pur pose of exploring a North-East Passage, undertaken in the Years 1815-1818 (3 vols. 1821), and A New Voyage Round the World in the Years 1823-1826 (1830)