Training Command Personnel for the Merchant Marine in the Second Half of the 19th Century (Based on the Materials from the Arkhangelsk Province)

Abstract

The article dwells on the establishment and activities of maritime educational institutions in the Arkhangelsk Province that trained personnel for the merchant fleet. In the mid-19th century, Russia had no system in place for the professional training of navigators for the merchant marine. They were trained in six navigation schools, which was not enough for the entire country. Therefore, the government approved a number of documents that laid the foundation for opening a large number of maritime classes throughout Russia and organizing the work of state examining boards that administered exams for navigational ranks. Due to the favourable location of the Arkhangelsk Province and the interest of the central and local authorities in training navigators for merchant shipping, a number of navigation schools in the region that trained skilled personnel for northern seafaring were opened. The paper examines the process of implementing government initiatives, taking the work of skipper courses and maritime classes in the province as an example. Considerable attention is given to the legislation concerning maritime educational institutions; documents regulating their activities are analysed. Further, the article shows the process of establishing navigation schools, their financing, daily activities, and organization of the educational process. Challenges facing maritime classes are also expanded on. The problems typical of the majority of maritime educational institutions in the country indicated that maritime education required close attention from the authorities and further serious improvement. It should be noted that, in spite of all the difficulties, a considerable number of command personnel for the northern fleet were trained in the maritime educational institutions of the Arkhangelsk Province.