On the degree of import dependence of the merchant fleet of the Russian Empire on the eve and at the beginning of the First World War

Abstract

The article analyzes the scale of the influence of foreign capital on the development of the commercial fleet of the Russian Empire on the eve of the First World War and the resulting restrictions on the use of civilian vessels at the beginning of the armed conflict. On the basis of previously published statistical data and archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, various degrees of dependence on the import of spare parts of sea and river merchant fleets, as well as the level of satisfaction of the country’s needs achieved by them, are demonstrated. The main manifestations of the critical dependence of Russian merchant ships on a number of German-made components are highlighted. The author concludes that the seemingly catastrophic situation of the maintenance of foreign-made ships was actually resolved, including thanks to the actions of the Russian government and the establishment of a channel for the supply of foreign equipment to domestic ports.

Keywords

• world war i
• merchant fleet
• foreign trade
• import dependence
• requisition
• naval conscription