▁Empire ; ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Ok hot sk ▁as ▁the ▁gateway ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ; ▁the ▁search ▁for ▁a ▁sea ▁route ▁to ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁Japan ; ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁access ▁to ▁Si ber ian ▁natural ▁resources ; ▁and ▁finally , ▁the ▁se cur ing ▁of ▁Russian ▁so vere ig nt y ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁parts ▁of ▁Asia . ▁The ▁conditions ▁for ▁this ▁gig antic ▁project ▁proved ▁to ▁very ▁fav ou rable . ▁Em press ▁Anna ▁( 1 6 9 3 – 1 7 4 0 ), ▁reign ing ▁from ▁ 1 7 3 0 , ▁wanted ▁to ▁continue ▁Peter ▁the ▁Great ' s ▁territorial ▁and ▁economic ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁emp ire . ▁The ▁em press ▁issued ▁an ▁Uk ase ▁issued ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 7 3 2 , ▁ordering ▁a ▁new ▁expedition . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 7 3 2 ▁by ▁two ▁further ▁Uk ases ▁from ▁the ▁Russian ▁Senate ▁to ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁ordering ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁the ▁undert aking , ▁and ▁the ▁commission ing ▁of ▁Vit us ▁Ber ing ▁as ▁its ▁commander . ▁Another ▁Uk ase ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 7 3 2 ▁oblig ated ▁the ▁Russian ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences ▁to ▁prepare ▁instructions ▁for ▁the ▁scientific ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁journey . ▁A ▁further ▁Uk ase ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 7 3 2 ▁concerned ▁the ▁organization ▁and ▁the ▁formal ▁commission ing ▁of ▁the ▁expedition . ▁