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The first Russian Naval regulations approved
On January 13 (24), 1720 Peter the Great approved the first Russian Naval regulations that had been developed for several years with participation of the Emperor. In the preface to the Regulations which replaced a range of separate documents that regulated certain aspects of the Naval life, it was explained why they were created: “… Since this affair is quite needed for the state (according to a proverb: “Each sovereign possessing only land forces has one hand. The one possessing also a Navy has two of them), these Military Naval regulations were established so that everyone knew his position and no one would plead ignorant”.
Three months later, on April 13 (24), 1720 the Naval regulations were published as a separate volume under the decree of Tsar in order to inform all the sailors on the new document’s provisions.
The regulations of Peter the Great included five volumes. The first one contained the provisions on the high-ranking officers of the Navy and the articles defining the tactic of the squadron. The second one included the decrees on the ranks seniority, on military honours and outside distinctions of the ships, “on flags and pennants, on lights, on salutes and trade flags…”. The third volume demonstrated the fighting ship organization and the duties of the officials registered on it. The fourth volume consisted of 6 chapters regulating the behavior rules on the ship, the number of officer’s servants according to their ranks, the order of provisions distribution, the ways of defining the compensation for the enemy’s ships capture, battle wounds and long-service benefits, as well as the ways of loot division after the enemy’s ships capture. The fifth volume, “On fines” represented the Navy legal and disciplinary regulations. Enclosed to the Navy regulations were the ship report sheets forms, a book of signals and the rules of patrol service.
The appearance of the Navy regulations in Russia was related to the new stage in the country’s history. In course of struggle for the sea access, in the undertime was created a strong Navy on the Baltic that enabled Russia to become a sea power. By 1725 the Russian Navy was one of the strongest on the Baltic. It included 48 battleships and frigates, 787 galleys and other ships. The total number of crews reached 28 thousand people.
The regulations of 1720 became the most important legislative document of the Russian Navy. By its complete content and the death of description it was the most perfect act for the first half of the 18th century. After the improvement, the Navy regulations of Peter the Great were reissued in 1724 and had been in effect with slight changes until 1797 when they were replaced by the new ones that allowed for the changes in ways of battling.
Lit.: Мудрость морского устава // Дыгало В. А. Российский флот: три века на службе Отечеству. М., 2007.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Морской устав. СПб: тип. Мор. кадет. корп., 1853;
Морской устав. СПб: тип. 2 Отд-ния Собств. е. и. в. канцелярии, 1853;
Морской устав. 1885. СПб., 1885;
Полное собрание законов Российской империи, с 1649 года. СПб., 1830. Т. 6. № 3485;
Проект морского устава, с ссылками и объяснениями. СПб., 1853;
Individual Legislative acts of Peter I. Military Law. Navy: [digital collection];