66 
The majority of the remaining ships were in poor technical condition, 
and many were sailing ships. 
The February 1917 Revolution generated alarm among foreign 
stockholders of Russian steamship companies. There were attempts 
to hold Russian ships in foreign ports under various pretexts. The 
October Revolution just accelerated the process. In order to prevent 
it, the Soviet Government issued the decree of November 24, 1917, 
concerning “prohibition of the sale, hypothecation and chartering of 
Russian merchant ships by foreign citizens and organizations.” All 
transactions concerning the transfer of ships abroad conducted prior 
to November 24, 1917 were declared void, and the sailing of ships 
to foreign ports prohibited.*> The so-called ‘‘workers control’ of 
steamship lines through § specially organized committees was 
established. The decree by the Council of People’s Commissars on 
the 23d of January (February 5) 1918 nationalized the whole Russian 
mercantile fleet. The newly organized Baltic company, Transbalt, in 
1918 handled 160 Soviet and foreign ships in the Port of Petrograd, 
but the civil war interrupted even such modest activity, 
On March 15, 1920, Lenin stated: ‘“‘I repeat that our destiny de- 
pends on the forthcoming water transport campaign perhaps more 
than on the forthcoming war with Poland.’”* In May 1920 the decree 
signed by Lenin gave the Sovnarkom (Council of People’s Commis- 
sars) exclusive right to permit the sale of ships and to enter into 
charter party agreements.’ 
The resumption of foreign trade was badly needed to ease the 
economic dislocation of the country and to start the restoration of 
industry; and at least a small number of operational ships was required 
for that purpose. Because of the civil war, the only area from which 
the ships could operate and carry foreign cargo was the North. In 
May 1920 three sunken ships and, during the summer of 1920, several 
more were raised in the White Sea. The newly organized Directorate 
of Sea Transport for White Sea—Murmansk (Belomortran) collected 
23 steamships (some with the ice-reinforced hulls) and 23 sailing 
vessels. Because of the shortage of coal, the latter were considered 
of special importance.*® The first Belomortran ship, Subbotnik, left 
Archangel on the 16th of August 1920 with foreign trade cargo. 
In 1921 the Belomortran was reorganized into the White Sea District 
of Sea Communications (BOMPS), and in 1922 the Northern State 
Steamship Line Co. was formed. 
In the Black Sea, the salvage of the ships started in the second 
half of 1920. After 1 year of salvage and extensive repair work, 
the Black Sea Steamship Line Co. resumed operation. 
In the Baltic, the Baltic State Steamship Line was organized in 
1922. The company immediately started to carry foreign cargo. Money 
earned by charter permitted the Baltic Co. to repair ships and thus 
to increase their number and total tonnage. After 1 year the company 
had 30 ships with a total tonnage of 89,590 tons.*” After 1922, the 
shipbuilding industry speeded up ship repair and soon began the con- 
struction of new ships. 
*>““Morskoy Flot’, No. 1, 1967, pp. 5-7. 
°°V. I. Lenin, “Complete Works”, Fifth Edition, vol. 40, p. 218. 
*7“Morskoy Flot”, No. 11, 1967, pp. 2-3. 
°*““Morskoy Flot”, No. 3, 1963, pp. 8-10. 
*°““Morskoy Flot”, No. 1, 1967, pp. 5-7. 
