The founding of a Russian merchant navy according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 19 February 1917

An item dated St. Petersburg 18 February reported that the minister for commerce and industry came with a bill for founding a Russian merchant navy. To realize this were advances needed for docks, yards and of course the building of ships. The technical education was to be improved to deliver the necessary schooled labourers. The cabinet made advance of more as 100.000.000 rubles available.