Давыдов, Р. А. Крейсерство военных шхун «Полярная Звезда» и «Бакан» у Мурманского берега в 1881 и 1882 гг. «на случай ограждения русских промышленников от насильственных действий иностранцев» // Международные отношения на Севере Европы и Баренц-регион: история и историография : материалы российско-норвежского семинара, Мурманск, 19-20 мая, 2007 / Мурм. гос. пед. ун-т, Ин-т истории ун-та г. Тромсе, Баренц-ин-т.

connection with the protection of Russian fishermen and hunters from violent actions of foreigners”” Ruslan Davydov writes that in 1881-1882, Russian authorities for the first time tried to promote domestic fishery in the seas of Arctic ocean by means of steam warships. The initiator of this help was Minister of Internal Affairs M.T. Loris-Melikov, he got an active support from grand duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, who was a minister o f the Admiralty at that period. The murder of Alexander II and subsequent resignations o f both people mentioned above were determined by the interest o f St.-Petersburg in running military schooners to the North. But Norway created a completely wrong opinion that the initiator of run of military schooners in 1881- 1882 was an “aggressive” Arkhangelsk governor N.M. Baranov. The Admiralty, Ministries for Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, State Property, in the beginning of 1880s could not develop the mutually acceptable concept of running o f military schooners. Run of military schooners began, which was not so bad but absolutely unprepared in organizational and legal respect. Borders o f Russian maritime belt on Murman at that time were not certain in the Russian legislation; they were not determined, described there were no clear instructions for captains. The crews didn’t know what to do with foreign vessels found trading near the coastal area of Russia. Russian cruisers in 1881 - 1882, did not detain any of foreign vessels found at the Murman coast. During some years they provoked foreign fishermen (from Norway in particular) to continue their crafts at Murman. Out-of-date, low-speed ships with lack o f navigation in the Arctic region, Russian military schooners disredited the Russian fleet and the whole country, on the one hand, and provoked anti-Russian feelings in Scandinavia, on the other hand. They stayed in Norwegian ports for a long time giving ground for political and civil speculations on the theme o f “Russian threat” for Finnmark. Military schooners experience of 1881 - 1882 was indicative and instructive. It showed that formal and inefficient actions o f Russian state authorities in relation to empire suburbs - Russian North in the second half of the 19th century were short-sighted up to the beginning o f 1890th. Specious show of military power was absolutely senseless and even harmful towards foreign states in conditions when this “power” is not obvious to be applied. 128