77 
visaged the accelerated construction of new river vessels and also 
the reconstruction of ports and a number of important waterways. 
The directives of the fifth 5 Year Plan approved by the 20th Party 
Congress (1956) considerably increased the appropriations for river 
transport and allocated a greater portion of the domestic shipbuilding 
facilities for the construction of river vessels. The most rapid develop- 
ment of Soviet river transport would take place in the 1960’s when 
the river fleets received thousands of new vessles. Up to 1956, Soviet 
river transport was controlled either by the Ministry of the merchant 
marine or by the Ministry of the River Fleet of the U.S.S.R. In 
1956, in conjunction with Khrushchev’s experiments with 
“decentralizaton,” the Ministry was abolished and instead organiza- 
tions to control the river fleet were created in the individual republics. 
NORTHERN SEA ROUTE 
The Arctic Ocean differs sharply from all the other regions of 
the world ocean with respect to its climatic and especially its ice 
conditions. The Soviets consider the development of the Polar Regions 
and the northern sea route as one of the brightest pages in the 
history of Russia. Recognizing the important contribution by 
foreigners, historically Russia, and by succession, the Soviet Union 
was the major discoverer of most of the Arctic Islands and lands, 
and first to achieve practical mastery of navigation along the northern 
sea route. The first complete passage of the northern sea route from 
east to west was made in 1915 by two Russian ships. The expeditions 
of 1910-14 established a number of routes to the northern regions 
of Russia from its Pacific coast. 
In September of 1916 a note by the Russian Foreign Ministry was 
sent to all nations asserting the Russian claim to all territories explored 
and unexplored, discovered and undiscovered between the Russian 
coast on the Arctic Ocean and the North Pole, with the exception 
of previously recognized territories of other nations.°° Thus, the recog- 
nition of economic and strategic value of the region was clearly 
demonstrated by the Russian Government. Practically from the very 
beginning of its existence, the Soviet Government has recognized the 
economic and strategic value of the northern region. On November 4, 
1924, following unsuccessful attempts of Canada to lay claim to 
Wrangel Island®' a memorandum to all states was sent by Soviet 
Government reiterating the 1916 notification from the Russian 
Minister of Foreign Affairs and calling attention to the eastern boun- 
daries between Russia and the United States established by the conven- 
tion of 1867.” 
The Soviet Government has issued a series of legal acts related 
to the status of Soviet Arctic and to the exploitation and organization 
of the route. In addition to the above mentioned reinforcement of 
the Tsarist government acts concerning Arctic possessions, the resolu- 
tion of April 15, 1926 by the Presidium of the Central Executive 
Committee of the U.S.S.R. proclaimed the establishment of the geo- 
WW Fomthe details of this diplomatic move see: Constantine Krypton, ““The Northern Sea Route and 
the Economy of the Soviet North”, (Praeger, New York, 1956, and “Ostrov Vrangelya” (Wrangel 
Island), Moscow, Glavsevmorput, 1946, pp. 35-36. 
*'C. Krypton, p. 38. 
* Ibid., p. 46. 
