Karelin, V. Russian business interests on Spitsbergen in the early twentieth century: Pavel Weymarn and Russian Spitsbergen Company // Norway and Russia in the Arctic : conference proceeding from international conference «Norway and Russia in the Arctic», Longyearbyen, 25-28 August 2009 / S. Bones, P. Mankova. – Tromso, 2010. – S. 19-27. – (Speculum boreale. The Publication Series of the Department of History and Religious Studies University of Tromso ; № 12).

However, this unsuccessful attempt did not discourage the young businessman. He developed a new business idea of establishing a coal mining company on the Spitsbergen archipelago and put all his energies into realizing this. Before the First World War, Russia had a great need of coal and prices on the coal market were high. The Russian North and the Baltic region had to cover their needs with coal imported from British mines, delivered by sea from England to Russia. In total, Russian industry, the Baltic Fleet and the railways imported 7.5 million tons of coal in 1913, at a total cost of 76 million roubles.15 There was lively discussion in Russian newspapers about the problem of “coal hunger”. English and Norwegian businessmen had grasped the market situation and made business proposals to the Russian Naval Ministry concerning the purchase of coal mines on Spitsbergen. But due to its international law status as terra nullius the archipelago was open only to private economic activity. Von Weymam wanted to take advantage of this fact. He arranged a geological expedition to Spitsbergen in the spring of 1913. Its aim was to examine the coal deposits that were proposed for sale by the Norwegian owners. The well-known Russian geologist, Professor L. I. Lutugin, agreed to provide academic supervision for the expedition and professional consultation.16 In late May 1913, the Russian Consul in Kristiania informed the Foreign Ministry in Petersburg that von Weymam had rented an excellently-equipped English ship and left Tromso for Spitsbergen. The expedition returned in the middle of August with very promising results. Hundreds of boxes of coal specimens were transported for analysis to St. Petersburg, where the high quality of the coal was subsequently confirmed.17 Von Weymam and his Russian partners concluded a bargain with the Norwegian Stavanger Spistbergen kul kompani and obtained three sections of territory at Green Harbour (about 1,000 sq. km) with coal deposits estimated at 10 billion “pudov/pood” (approx. 163.8 billion kg).18Stavanger Spitsbergen kul kompani was at the head of a syndicate of Norwegian owners. Their property rights were legal and recognized by the Norwegian government. Von Weymam was concerned with the legal aspects of the transaction, which turned out to be very well-timed. 15Rossiya 1913 godStatistiko-dokumental'nyy spravochnik, Sankt Pctcrburg 1995p. 213 16 Leonid Ivanovich Lutugin (1864-1915) was a well-known geologist, scientist and public figure, closely connected with the Saint Petersburg Mineral Resources Higher Educational Institute 17 Russian imperial foreign policy archive in Moscow. Fond 155 (Vtoroy departament, 1-5). Opis 930. File № 13, pp. 2-3 18Russian Navy Archive in Saint-Petersburg. Fond 418. Opis 2. File № 70., pp. 45-48 reverse side 22