Korean gunboat armament. Gunboats: description, characteristics, types and history. Young gunboat "Khivinets"

A gunboat (gunboat, gunboat) is a maneuverable warship, which is distinguished by powerful weapons. It is intended to lead fighting coastal areas, lakes and rivers. Most often used to protect harbors.

The advent of gunboats

There are a lot of lakes, long border rivers and shallow coastal waters in Russia. Therefore, the construction of gunboats can be considered traditional, because other warships could not conduct combat operations in such conditions. However, before the start of the First World War, replenishment was not planned. In 1917, there were only 11 gunboats, and some of them were launched at the end of the 19th century.

For most of these gunboats Civil War turned out to be the last one. She survived only 2 gunboats - "Brave" and "Khivinets". Therefore, the designers took them as the basis for the production of more modern artillery ships.

"Brave" is the oldest boat that was part of the royal heritage. She served in the Baltic for 63 years. Initially, for use, it was equipped with three guns (two 203 mm and one 152 mm). However, in 1916 it was modernized. Now there were five guns.

"Khivinets" was created as a hospital, so its firepower was based on only two 120 mm guns. But on this boat there were more comfortable living conditions.

After 1917, both boats were no longer considered for the production of new ones due to their venerable age.

Models

When the flotilla felt the power and endurance of the gunboats, it was decided to build them "for the needs of the Far East." Moreover, despite the fact that before the war, new copies were not ordered. The first prototypes were "Brave" and "Khivinets".

After the modernization of the drawings, boats of the Gilyak type began to be produced. However, they were much weaker, the designers tried to strengthen such parameters as cruising range. But this was not possible. Since there were no high-quality weapons, the gunboats did not continue to be built, nor were they used.

Then "Ardagan" and "Kare" appear. Distinctive features of these gunboats are the use of diesel power plants. Oil products at that time were the most affordable types of fuel, so "Ardagan" and "Kare" were economically viable.

Beginning in 1910, the Naval Ministry decided on a large-scale modernization. Moreover, this happens when the majority of gunboats are already prepared for launching and conducting combat operations. A decision is made to strengthen the protection and All this affects the draft. Therefore, more than half of the gunboats went for reconstruction. This type was called "Buryat".

Thus, the models of gunboats were constantly changing, supplemented by modern types of weapons and defense installations. There is no warship that has been their prototype since Russian Empire and up to the present.

The legendary "Korean"

The gunboat "Korean" was used on Far East to put down the Boxer Rebellion. She was part of the international squadron. During the battles, the gunboat received several serious damages, there were wounded and killed.

Before the Russo-Japanese War, the gunboat "Koreets" was transferred to the Korean port of Chemulpo. The cruiser of the first rank "Varyag" went with her. On February 8, the crew of the boat received the task to go to Port Arthur with a diplomatic report. However, the port was blocked, as a result of which the path of the "Korean" was blocked. The captain of the ship decided to turn back, after which the enemy destroyers attacked with torpedoes. Although today the option is being considered that the Japanese squadron only imitated this.

As a result of a torpedo attack, the "Korean" fires two shots. They are the first in the Russo-Japanese War.

According to the Korean project, many gunboats were built, which are used in modern times.

"Varangian" and "Korean": battle path

In 1904 at noon armored cruiser"Varyag" and the gunboat "Korean" entered into battle with the Japanese squadron, which lasted about an hour. A whole Japanese squadron opposed the two warships. The gunboat took part in the final phase of the battle, repelling torpedo attacks. An hour after the start of the battle, the cruiser began to retreat, and the gunboat "Korean" covered its retreat.

During the battle, 52 shells were fired at the enemy. But at the same time, absolutely no damage and losses were observed on the part of the gunboat. Since the "Korean" was a warship with powerful artillery weapons, it could not be allowed to be captured. Therefore, on the roadstead of Chemulpo, it was decided to blow it up. The crew of the boat moved aboard the French cruiser Pascal. He soon delivered the sailors to Russia.

The crews that fought the battle were awarded orders and insignia. A special medal was also established in their honor. So the cruiser and gunboat went down in history.

Young gunboat "Khivinets"

The gunboat "Khivinets" was the youngest representative of artillery ships in tsarist time. It was meant to be part of Baltic Fleet. The boat is seaworthy, but it was also used in river conditions. Moreover, she steadfastly withstood the test of adverse conditions.

The gunboat "Khivinets" was ordered in 1904-1914, when the strengthening of the Russian fleet began. However, the model itself was focused on 1898. Unfortunately, after the release of the model, there was no modernization, which caused a narrow functionality.

It is impossible not to note the stamina and endurance of the gunboat. The fact is that she withstood such battles where other, younger artillery warships perished. This is probably why it was used as a prototype for the construction of ships for a long time.

Heroic "Sivuch"

The gunboat "Sivuch" died heroically in a battle with German battleships. That is why every year on September 9 the waves receive many flowers and wreaths from Rigans and Russians.

On August 19, 1915, the imperial fleet entered into battle with the German battleships. It is not completely known what exactly happened in those distant and long days for the crew. But the battle near the island of Kihnu forced the German squadron to abandon further attacks in the Gulf of Riga, as well as the bombardment of coastal fortifications. This was the main purpose of the raid of the German fleet.

The gunboat "Sivuch" then saved Riga from casualties and destruction. The price of such a feat was the death of the ship, as well as the entire crew. At that time, the gunboat was even called the Baltic "Varangian", the heroism of the sailors was so high.

Gunboat "Beaver"

The gunboat "Beaver" belongs to the Gilyak type. Such ships were intended to protect the Amur River up to Khabarovsk. In its lower reaches there were a small number of garrisons, and artillery support should have been provided to them. Since there was a small number of objects, the design of the ships was based on a long cruising range, as well as autonomy. However, seaworthiness in the course of practice turned out to be extremely small.

The value of gunboats of this type was minimal, since little attention was paid to armament during the design. During the First World War, they were used as a swimming base. Naturally, they did not become designs and prototypes. Future ships adopted only combat missions from these boats.

"Beaver" was laid down in 1906, a year later it was launched. In 1908, the gunboat entered the Russian fleet. Throughout the history of its existence, she visited the Germans. She was captured in 1918 and converted into a swimming workshop. In the same year, the boat was transferred to Estonia. Although she was out of order, she was listed in the squadron of this country.

The gunboat served for 21 years, in 1927 it was sent for scrapping.

River (lake) and sea gunboats

Despite the great functionality, virtually all gunboats were used to strike at coastal targets. The purpose of such attacks was to suppress the firepower of the enemy, as well as to reduce manpower. If the boat remained in close proximity to its shore, then its tasks were to protect coastal facilities and protect against enemy warships.

There are sea and river gunboats. Their main difference is in weight. The first reach a mass of 3 thousand tons, the second - 1500. Of course, based on the name, it is logical to assume in what places gunboats will be used.

Functionality and use of gunboats

Gunboats are a variant of the most functional artillery ships. The design made it possible to use them in military operations in the coastal zone, on rivers and near archipelagos with small rocky islands.

Gunboats could perform the following functions:

1. Defense of coasts, ports, estuaries
2. Landing
3. Troop support on the coast
4. Landing your own and fighting enemy landing
5. Ancillary tasks, like cargo delivery

Depending on where exactly the artillery ship will be used, its design could change, special buildings were erected. There are unarmoured, armored and armored boats. The second option was most often used, since it offered relatively good protection, but at the same time it had a small weight, which had a positive effect on maneuverability.

Main characteristics of gunboats

Based on the characteristics, it was determined where the gunboat would be used. There are three main options:

1. Displacement. Ships could be launched to protect and conduct military operations in the seas or on rivers and lakes.
2. Speed. It is 3-15 knots. The speed depends on what kind of design the gunboat is endowed with. It can be unarmored, armored only in vulnerable places, or completely. Naturally, its weight increases, which negatively affects the speed of swimming.
3. Armament.

Since the gunboats were combat, a lot of attention was paid. They could be equipped with 1-4 copies of the main caliber guns (203-356 mm). This design approach was focused on naval gunboats. River boats were most often equipped with medium-caliber guns (76-170).

Also, depending on the purpose on the deck, Zenit automatic guns and machine guns could be installed. The latter were designed extremely rarely due to their short range.

Conclusion

Thus, it is impossible to meet two identical gunboats. Each instance is good in its own way, endowed with its own unique functionality. As history shows, many Russian gunboats could single-handedly oppose entire squadrons. This is a merit not only of the warships themselves and their designers, but also of the crew. Often, only his courage inclined the outcome of the battle in his favor.

In 1646, for the first time in France, combat maneuverable ships with powerful weapons were used. These are gunboats that had several powerful guns on their bows, usually from one to three. The ship was a rather large boat of a sailing and rowing type. In most cases, boats were used to guard harbors, battles in lakes and rivers, as well as the coastal zone.

Appearance in the Russian fleet

Since in Russia at that time there were a huge number of long rivers and water areas, as well as lakes, the construction of gunboats can be called traditional. This is due to the fact that no other ship could fight in such conditions. The first boats of this type appeared during the war with Sweden (1788-1790). Not only was it the basis of the rowing fleet, but the gunboats were a great success and became the most effective tool for firing on rivers and skerries.

In fact, this is an artillery ship that was used both for defense and for attack and support. allied forces. The presence of falconets and large-caliber guns on board provided excellent fire support. Later, the so-called shestakovkas appeared, which were already equipped with a steam engine. They were used during the Crimean War.

Main Models

After the battle boats showed their best side, it was decided to mass production. In particular, gunboats were delivered to the Far East, where they were most needed. The first and most famous models were called "Brave", as well as "Khivinets". Over time, engineers began to make improvements and produce boats of the Gilyak type, but this did not bring success. The design had many flaws and did not allow for effective combat. Due to the lack of normal armament, such gunboats did not receive further distribution.

But there were new models "Ardagan", "Kare" and others. A distinctive feature was that they were equipped with powerful diesel engines. Although this significantly increased the weight and complexity of the design, it made it possible to achieve high power, and, consequently, speed, which often became the determining factor during a naval battle. But soon the cost-effective "Ardagan" and "Kare" decided to improve. And it happened already during their launch. For this reason, almost half of the fleet went for modernization. Appeared new type gunboats - "Buryat".

Gunboat "Korean"

This warship immediately after construction was sent to the Far East, where he, in fact, served. "Korean" took an active part in the hostilities of 1900-1905. So, it was used against the Yihetuan uprising, better known as the Boxer uprising, in addition, it took part in the shelling of Fort Taku. During the Russo-Japanese War, "Varyag" and "Koreets" were in the port of Chemulpo and defended Russian interests there.

So, in February 1904, "Varyag" and "Koreets" opposed the whole Japanese squadron of ships. As a result of the battle, there were no losses, since it was fought at a great distance. The gunboat "Koreets" did not reach the enemy, while the Japanese shells for the most part flew over. Since the boat was combat, it was impossible to prevent it from being captured by the enemy. When the crew transferred to the French "Pascal", "Korean" was blown up and, consequently, flooded.

Battle path traveled

During the battle, the Korean was hit by a single Japanese shell. A fire started in the bow, which was extinguished within 15 minutes. There were no casualties among the personnel. When the crew arrived in St. Petersburg, the officers and command were awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree, and the sailors were awarded the corresponding insignia.

In 1905, the Koreans raised the gunboat from the bottom and scrapped it. But we can say that the combat path did not end there, since in 1906 the Korean-2 was launched. The upgraded version was equipped with more powerful weapons and had at least some protection. In 1915, this boat was also blown up to exclude the possibility of capture by enemies. It happened during the battles for the Gulf of Riga.

"Hininets" and "Sivuch"

The composition of the Baltic Fleet in tsarist times included the youngest gunboat - "Khivinets". She passed the preliminary tests successfully. In the process of operation, it withstood various adverse conditions. "Khivinets" was built in 1904-1914, during the strengthening of the Russian fleet. But the design was developed back in 1898. Since no modification was provided, such gunboats, the drawings of which you can see in this article, had a very narrow functionality and were not used everywhere. But for quite a long time it served as a base for the construction of other warships. This is due to the fact that she survived in such battles in which other boats went to the bottom.

"Sivuch" is known for its battle in the Gulf of Riga, where in an unequal battle she was destroyed by German battleships. It happened in 1915 near the island of Kihnu. German ships although they destroyed the Sea Sivuch, they were forced to abandon further hostilities in the bay and retreated. The heroism of the personnel saved Riga from the German invaders. The gunboat was called the Baltic "Varangian" for its feat.

The history of the ship "Borb"

If the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" were intended more for attack, then the "Borb" was created exclusively for defensive purposes. This ship had a Gilyak base and left the shipyard in 1907, and the development project began in 1906. For the most part, it was used to protect the Amur River almost to Khabarovsk itself. The designers put emphasis on autonomy and cruising range. But during the operation, seaworthiness turned out to be at a rather low level.

"Varyag" and the gunboat "Korean" were of great value to the country. These ships possessed high firepower, which cannot be said about the Bobr boat. There were no special weapons on board, so it was often used as a swimming base. After 21 years of service, she was scrapped. Prototypes for this project were not created.

"Varyag" and gunboat "Korean": functionality and features

Data warships were among the most versatile during the fighting. The design was quite competent, which provided a high degree of buoyancy even if the hull was damaged. The functionality of the cruiser and gunboat was very extensive, but most often they were used:

• for the defense of coasts and ports;
• ground forces support;
• landings;
• fight against enemy infantry and navy;
• performance of transport functions.

We can safely say that these were unique vessels.

Ships of such a plan could be reconstructed depending on the purpose of use. So, there are unarmored options, boats with armored decks and battleships. It is quite logical that they were used for various purposes. Armored deck gunboats were the most widely used. With a small mass, they had sufficient protection. "Varyag" (cruiser) and the gunboat "Korean" differed significantly from each other. The second was more maneuverable and mobile, and ensured the operational transfer of troops if necessary. The second was equipped with serious weapons and protection, which made it possible to enter into battle even with several opponents.

About the main characteristics

The designers paid the greatest attention to such an indicator as speed and firepower. The larger the caliber of the gun and the number of guns, the more efficient the use of the vessel was considered. As for speed, it has always been an important characteristic. Usually ranged from 8 to 15 knots. Depending on the purpose of use, the gunboat could be unarmored, which ensured maximum mobility. Protecting the most vulnerable places with armor plates is the most acceptable option. It was possible to achieve optimal speed and survivability. The battleship was protected from all sides, but swam rather slowly. On the one hand, he could survive many direct hits, and on the other hand, he became an easy target for more mobile warships.

Most often, gunboats were equipped with main caliber guns from 200 to 350 mm and auxiliary guns. As the latter, 76-150 mm were often used, but this was more typical of river gunboats. Automatic guns were installed, such as the Zenith. They tried to use machine guns as rarely as possible due to the low firing range.

Unique design solutions

At a time when artillery ships, that is, gunboats, dominated the sea, it was extremely important to constantly develop them specifications. That is why there are a huge number of models. The designers tried to constantly make any changes in terms of weapons or protection. The improvement of power units significantly influenced the cruising range and autonomy of the vessel.

For example, river gunboats tried to make it as light as possible. This significantly reduced the displacement and allowed the vessel to be in shallow water areas. At the same time, naval warships were more massive and powerful. Special attention was not paid to displacement here, where it was more important to ensure a high cruising range and impressive firepower.

Finally

Russian-made gunboats were famous for engaging in unequal battles with the enemy and often emerged victorious from battle. This is a merit not only of the ship's designers, but also of the crew, who bravely fought for their homeland. In such cases, the Americans or Germans immediately retreated, not wanting to lose equipment and manpower. The Russians stood to the end. It was thanks to this that more than one naval battle was won. Plus, ours often used outdated weapons, which sometimes did not even allow them to penetrate the enemy’s armor. But all this did not stop him from fighting to the last. Vivid examples of this are "Korean" and "Varyag".

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“All Russian military ships should not lower the flag to anyone”.

On August 6, at 20:30, the signalman of the German cruiser Augsburg at a distance of 50 cab. discovered a ship going under the coast of Kyuno Island and reported to the wheelhouse. At this point, the cruiser commander Andreas Fischer made the mistake of identifying the target as the gunboat Brave.

The Augsburg and the accompanying destroyers V-29 and V-100, turning eight points to the right, lay down on the NW course. After 15 minutes, turning to N and approaching a distance of 25 cab. the cruiser illuminated with combat searchlights two Russian gunboats marching in formation bearing a course of NW 10 degrees. And the splashes from the shells that stood in front of the Augsburg, dousing its forecastle, made it clear that this was not at all the Brave with its 130-millimeters. The ensuing blow to the starboard side in the area of ​​​​the sixth frame made the cruiser shudder with the whole hull. The headlamp went out. The explosion killed seven people and tore off the stopper of the right spire. The watch officer reported that the starboard anchor had been released. After a couple of minutes, the anchor entered the ground securely. The entrance to the rope box was jammed by the same explosion. On the bridge, the telegraph was shifted to “full back”, but almost five thousand tons, pushing at a speed of about 20 knots, could not be stopped immediately. When the chain was completely etched, the "Augsburg" pecked with its nose and fell into the right circulation, scooping water with a hole and turning to the Russians with the left side. Very high, and well distinguishable against the sunset sky. Where almost immediately and flew. And it exploded.

The destroyers, trying to cover their flagship, launched a torpedo attack. But having fallen under intense artillery fire, they were forced to turn away. The torpedo fired by the destroyer "V-29" did not hit the target ...

They were built for other areas. But the circumstances were such that the gunboats built for the Far East remained in the Baltic. The first ship intended for operations in the Amur Estuary and the Tatar Strait was the Gilyak.

But as a result of summarizing the experience of the Pacific Squadron’s gunboats in defending the Dalniy naval base on Tsushima Island, where they had to systematically engage in battle in the course of guard duty on external raids, including with enemy light cruisers, the project was finalized in the direction strengthening firepower. Which led to an increase in displacement.

As a result, the Korean, launched in 1908, grew to 83 meters and swelled up to 1,750 tons. The Chinese had the ambition to call something like this a rank II cruiser. With a width of almost 14 meters (13.8 m), the fully loaded draft was 3.2 m, which made it possible to use the ship in the lower reaches of the Amur up to Khabarovsk and most Chinese rivers. When receiving 280 tons of ballast water for sea passages, the maximum draft reached 3.6 m. Main caliber consisted of four 203-mm 45-caliber guns on two two-gun mounts from Armstrong. They were to be assisted by four 120/50-mm Vickers guns and four three-inch Kane. The latter, however, were replaced at the design stage with 122-mm field howitzers on naval mounts - they were better suited for work along the coast. The main armor belt 3.4m wide of fourteen plates 50mm thick stretched for 63 meters, covering the main machines and mechanisms of the boat. The internal protection consisted of a 20mm armored deck, 50mm bevels and, standing at their junction, a 20mm anti-fragmentation bulkhead 1.7m high, the thickness of which in the area of ​​the ship's elevators and machines reached 50mm. The conning tower was made of armored steel 50 mm thick, the roof and filing of the cabin were made of low-magnetic steel 20 mm thick. 8 "guns were covered by shields 50mm thick. All this joy was set in motion by two four-blade propellers with a diameter of 1.8m, which were powered by two low-speed Parson turbines with a total capacity of 7600 hp, fed from four coal-fired Yarrow water-tube boilers. The fleet, having with 1903, the experience of operating a turbine destroyer, decided to practice on larger ships (in 1902, the British Admiralty modernized the power plant of the 15-year-old destroyer "Velox" and, based on the results of the annual operation of the PTU, decided that since 1905 all new ships Great Britain should only be equipped with steam turbine engines.) At 430 rpm, the gunboat confidently kept 20 knots. True, she could not run far. for a ship whose main task was the role of the operational artillery reserve of the naval base and dominance in the river waters, this is not was critical. They simply turned a blind eye to the bad habitation. But the stability of the "Korean" almost put an end to the entire series. Even on a small swell, aimed shooting was difficult, with a wave of 5 points, the pitching reached 30 degrees, and with a wave of more than 6 points, the roll range went beyond 40 degrees. At the same time, the loss of normal controllability led the ship to a wave with a lag, threatening to capsize. “With a wind of 6 points, the boat has a rapid roll, making 24-28 swings per minute from 35 to 40 degrees, as a result of which people cannot stay on their feet.” However, in the end, the problem was solved by installing external keels.

The Sivuch and Beaver gunboats, which were built next, received two-gun 203/50-mm turret mounts designed as auxiliary for the Peter the Great heavy cruiser. However, due to the introduction of the English "Dreadnought", such a caliber for the TKR has become irrelevant. The design of the towers was reworked in the direction of reducing the protection to 50mm and successfully entered into the displacement that had grown to 1870 tons. Normal draft increased to 3.3m. And because of the fuller contours, the speed of the boats dropped to just over 19 knots. But on the other hand, it looked like a spitting image of a cruiser.

In early August 1915, the German fleet attempted to break through the Irben Strait into the Gulf of Riga, with the aim of encircling and destroying the naval forces of the Gulf of Riga, as well as mining the Moonsund Strait. At this time, the Russian gunboats "Sivuch" and "Koreets" supported the coastal flank of the Russian troops near Ust-Dvinsk with artillery fire. Fearing that the boats would be cut off from the main forces, the command ordered them to urgently return to Moonsund.

On August 6, at 20:30, off the island of Kyuno (Kihnu), the gunboats met with the German cruiser Augsburg and the destroyers V-29 and V-100. Expecting to break away from the enemy in the advancing twilight and evening fog, the boats increased their speed. At 20 hours 24 minutes, having illuminated the boats with a searchlight, the cruiser began sighting from a distance of 25 cab. "Sivuch", going head, ratier passed the order to the "Korean" and took it steeper to the west. Having rebuilt in the wake and heading NWN, the gunboats from a distance of less than 20 cab., in fact, direct fire, opened fire with their main caliber on the German cruiser. The spotlights weren't on. Of course, the classic "crossing the T" did not work out, but that was enough. Covers went from the second salvo - the cruiser literally flew into columns of water raised by explosions of high-explosive shells. Splashes closed the enemy ship from rangefinders, so the gap on the Augsburg hull of an eight-inch projectile fired by the left gun of the Koreets tank installation was not noticed. And the extinguished searchlight was considered a hit fragment from a close cover. When the cruiser turned sideways, and he dropped the course, they did not begin to think about the reasons, but taking advantage of the moment, they worked on such a chic and almost polygon target. However, such an uncomfortable and critical situation allowed the Germans to use the aft combat searchlight, and seven German 105-millimeter guns concentrated their fire on the Sea Sivuch, achieving three hits in a short period of time. And then the destroyers went on the attack. Having received a shell in the tiller compartment, the Sea Sivuch rolled to the right and, thanks to this, missed the torpedo. "Korean", going the same course, transferred fire to new opponents and forced them to withdraw from the battle. On one of the destroyers, a rupture of a 120mm shell was recorded in the bridge area.

At 21:20, the gunboats, leaving behind the light cruiser Augsburg, burning and having lost its course, headed for the exit from the Gulf of Riga at a speed of 12 knots. And fifteen minutes later, the beams of a dozen searchlights crossed on them - the 4th squadron of the German fleet was approaching from the side of the Moonsund Strait to the battlefield. At 9:42 p.m., the commanders of the leading battleship"Posen" opened fire. The eight-inch gunboats spoke in response.

At the post of the Communications Service of the Baltic Fleet on the island of Kyuno, an artillery battle lasting about an hour and a half was recorded in the area of ​​​​the island, accompanied by intense shooting, the burning of many searchlights and lighting rockets.

There, two small Russian ships fought with two dreadnought battleships, four cruisers, accompanied by thirty destroyers and eight patrol ships. Having lost sight of each other in bursts of many shells, they each fought their own battle, but the St. Andrew's flag was not lowered.

At 2210 hours, the Sivuch, beaten by shells and having lost its course, received two torpedoes on the port side. A strong explosion thundered inside the hull and the heroic ship, rapidly falling on board, sank at a geographical point with approximate coordinates of 58 gr. 08 sec NL, 23 gr. 50 sec. o.d. in view of the coastal village of Linakylä.

At 22 hours 21 minutes, the burning and uncontrollable "Korean", firing from the last surviving gun (122-mm howitzers), carried out on the coastal rocks of Kyuno Island, one and a half miles north of the indicated village. The team left the doomed ship, having exhausted all the possibilities for combat.

Of the 148 people of the Sea Sivuch team, the Germans picked up 2 officers and 48 sailors from the water, of which only 15 were not injured. During the transition to Swinemünde, 8 sailors died of wounds. Together with the gunboat Sivuch, its commander, Pyotr Nilovich Cherkasov, who, even in the Russo-Japanese war, distinguished himself in the battle of destroyers near Liaoteshan on February 26, 1904, died, and in the last days of the defense of Port Arthur served as a senior officer of the battleship Sevastopol. For his last battle, Captain 2nd Rank P.N. Cherkasov was posthumously awarded the order St. George of the 4th degree and promoted to the next rank.

A.S. Pushkin, 1830

If you shoot your past with a gun, the future will answer you with a gun...

Napoleon

In Philadelphia October 19, 1899 was launched on water light cruiser, laid down by order of the Russian government. Its displacement was 6500 tons, the power of the steam engine was about 16,000 liters. with. allowed to develop a speed of 23 knots. The armament of the ship consisted of twelve 152-mm, twelve 75-mm, two 64-mm, eight 47-mm, two 37-mm guns and six single-tube torpedo tubes. But not beautiful appearance and not powerful weapons gained fame for this ship. The cruiser immortalized its proud name "Varyag" thanks to the high skill, courage, fearlessness and heroism of Russian sailors, shown five years after the birth of the ship in a battle with numerically superior enemy forces.

The first test for the cruiser was the passage from Philadelphia to the Baltic Sea, but the sailors passed it with honor. Having successfully passed five thousand miles, on May 3, 1901, the Varyag anchored in the Great Kronstadt roadstead. The ship's stay in native waters was not long. a new order was received - to proceed to the Far East to strengthen the combat strength of the Pacific squadron. Having crossed the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific oceans, several seas, on February 25, 1902, the Varyag approached Port Arthur.

At this time, the situation in the Far East became extremely aggravated. Japan, incited by England and the United States, was actively preparing for war with Russia. An attack could be expected from day to day, so the appearance of each new ship raised the mood and morale of the sailors, instilled confidence in victory.

The command of the cruiser was taken in March 1903 by the captain of the 1st rank V. F. Rudnev. The appointment of Rudnev to the new ship cannot be considered accidental. Vsevolod Fedorovich, the son of a career naval officer, spent a significant part of his life at sea and gained rich sailing experience. He was lucky enough to participate in a round-the-world voyage in 1880-1883. on the cruiser Africa. He honed his commanding qualities by commanding the ships Kotlina, Vyborg, Skat, Thundering, Admiral Greig and Enchantress. Few people could compare with Rudnev in the art of mooring a ship, performing maneuvers, in the ability to find a way out of a difficult situation, to accept independent decision, often not coinciding with the decision of higher authorities. Rudnev loved order and his ship, considered service to be his life's work, and enjoyed authority with the ship's crew.

The new commander faced a difficult task - to ensure the repair of the Varyag, to eliminate a number of malfunctions, mainly in its boilers - these shortcomings were laid down in the design of the ship. The second equally important task was also solved - ensuring the high combat readiness of the ship.

"Varyag" went to sea on December 16. The navigator set a course for the port of Chemulpo. The cruiser commander Rudnev was instructed to ensure reliable communication between Port Arthur and Seoul, as well as to find out the intentions of Japan, which was preparing to occupy Korea.

In the Korean port of Chemulpo, it was "crowded" from the warships and merchant ships of various states stationed there. In the roadstead and in the port itself, the Russian cruiser Boyarin, the gunboat Gilyak, cruisers: the Italian Elba, the English Cressy and Talbot, the Japanese Chiyoda, the German Hansa, the French Admiral de Gaydon”, the French stationer “Pascal”, etc. There was a tense silence over the port of the city, broken only by shots of saluting fireworks. Soon the gunboat "Gilyak" took off and went to Port Arthur. Instead, on January 5, the gunboat "Korean" arrived in Chemulpo.

VF Rudnev felt the approach of the war, the situation was heating up every day. Japanese warehouses were built everywhere, food, coal, explosives were openly purchased, people arrived in civilian clothes in the city. Japanese soldiers and officers, in the port, auxiliary vessels were preparing for a possible landing operation. Rudnev, worried, as he believed, by the unsafe parking of Russian warships in Chemulpo, sent disturbing reports to Port Arthur one after another. However, all these reports were not properly evaluated.

Finally, there was a break in diplomatic relations between Russia and Japan. It became known about him on January 24, 1904. And two days later, the Russo-Japanese war began, which was officially declared on January 28.

"Korean" on January 26 was supposed to leave for Port Arthur. However, at sea, six Japanese cruisers and three transports blocked his path, which finally attacked the Russian boat. The commander of the "Koreyets", captain of the 2nd rank G.P. Belyaev, who was unaware of the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries, did not enter the battle, considering that this was a provocation. Seeing that he could not break through, he decided to return to the port. Much later, it became clear that the Japanese did not want to let a witness of their invasion into the waters of Korea leave the port. Belyaev reported in detail to the commander of the Varyag about everything that had happened. Rudnev gave the order to prepare for battle.

The voltage has reached its highest limit. The torpedo tubes of the Japanese destroyers were turned towards the Russian ships. A volley could follow at any moment. But the Russian sailors did not close their eyes all night, standing at the loaded guns.

The next day, January 27, the commanders of the foreign ships stationed in the port received a notification from the commander of the Japanese squadron, Admiral Uriu, that he intended to attack and destroy the Russian ships if they did not leave Chemulpo before noon. Foreigners were urged to leave the place of the impending battle and to avoid trouble, stay as far away as possible. The audacity and blatant violation of international law, shown by the Japanese admiral, did not receive a proper rebuff from the commanders of foreign ships. And although they sent Uriu an "energetic protest", in which they pointed out to the commander of the Japanese squadron the inadmissibility of such actions, they did nothing to besiege the presumptuous admiral. Under the pretext of the impossibility of violating neutrality, the foreigners refused Rudnev's request to escort the "Varyag" and "Koreets" at the exit from the port of Chemulpo. In addition, in their “protest”, the commanders of foreign ships pledged, in case the Russians refused to leave Chemulpo, to take places in the port that were safe for them.

The Japanese, having a significant superiority in strength, expected that the Russians would not dare to engage in battle with them and would surrender to the mercy of the winner. Uriu has already seen Japanese flags on Russian ships. But in his calculations, he did not take into account one thing - the high morale of Russian sailors, brought up on the wonderful traditions of the Russian navy. From generation to generation, the holy commandment, written down by Peter 1 in the first Naval Charter, is transmitted:

“All Russian military ships should not lower flags in front of anyone ...”

The commander of the "Varyag" V. F. Rudnev decided to join the battle and try to break through the armored formation of the Japanese squadron, in case of failure - to blow up the cruiser. The explosion was entrusted to the auditor of the cruiser, midshipman N. I. Chernilovsky-Sokol.

Having informed the commander of the English cruiser Talbot, the commander of the British cruiser Talbot, about his decision, Rudnev ordered the personnel of the Varyag to be built. The sailors, feeling the importance and solemnity of the moment, put on clean clothes. The commander slowly walked along the line, carefully peering into the serious faces of his subordinates. Not a shadow of fear - only determination and firmness he read on them. Stopping in the middle of the formation, the commander informed the sailors about the Japanese ultimatum:

“Of course, we are going to break through and join the battle with squadron, no matter how strong it may be. no questions about surrender cannot be- we will not surrender the cruiser and ourselves and will fight to the last opportunity and to the last drop of blood. Perform each one of his duties accurately, calmly, without haste, especially gunners, remembering that each shot must harm the enemy. In the event of a fire, extinguish it without publicity, letting me know."

The team's response to the decision of the commander was a loud "cheers" heard over the port. Even the sick did not want to go ashore and part with the ship and friends.

At 11:10 a.m., Rudnev ordered the signal to be raised: "Everything upstairs, to anchor." Slightly shuddering, the cruiser slowly began to pick up speed. On foreign ships, the personnel, led by officers, lined up on the upper deck, the guards saluted. With admiring glances, foreign sailors followed the ships going towards the almost ten times superior enemy. Even at such a dramatic moment, Russian sailors observed the established naval etiquette. On the Varyag, the orchestra played the national anthem of the country whose ship passed the cruiser. The Russian anthem was played on foreign ships. It was a parade of valor and outstanding courage. “We saluted these heroes who marched so proudly to certain death,” the commander of the French station “Pascal” wrote to his superiors.

"Varyag" and "Korean" went to sea. Ahead - fourteen Japanese ships: one armored cruiser, five light cruisers and eight destroyers - two Russian ships were ready to attack. 182 guns of various calibers, capable of throwing 6960 kilograms of deadly cargo from their barrels from only one side within a minute, and 43 torpedo tubes against 60 Russian guns and 7 torpedo tubes made it possible for the Japanese to hope for the surrender of the Varyag and the Koreyets without a fight. Only the Asama cruiser, armored to the waterline, was three times superior to the Varyag in terms of the power of the side salvo, the thickness of its side belt, reaching 178 mm in places, made it practically invulnerable to the Varyag shells. Among other things, Russian ships could not maneuver and turn off course, since any deviation from the narrow fairway was fraught with grounding or stones. The Japanese hoped that the Russians would change their minds and surrender. But soon the commander of the squadron and the Japanese officers realized that there would be no easy battle. Limited in maneuvering, capable of responding at the first stage of the battle to the blows of the entire squadron with only three or four bow guns, the Varyag went towards glory.

The first shot from the Asama cruiser struck at 11:45. Following him, the entire Japanese squadron opened fire. The guns of the Varyag were silent. And only after the distance to the enemy was reduced to 45 kb, a return volley was heard.

Later V. F. Rudnev wrote: “One of the first shells hit the cruiser, destroyed the upper bridge, starting a fire in the navigational cabin, interrupted the forkants ... After this shot, the shells began to hit the cruiser more often, and those that fell nearby, bursting when they hit the water, were showered with fragments and superstructures and boats were destroyed ... A large-caliber shell pierced the port side under water, water gushed into a huge hole, and the third boiler room began to quickly fill with water ... they performed with admirable dedication and composure. Senior officer captain 2 rank Stepanov with the senior boatswain Kharkovsky, under a hail of fragments of shells, brought a patch ... "

In this unequal duel, everyone was a hero. But the gunners acted especially clearly and harmoniously. In the midst of the raging flames of fire, under a hail of fragments, unprotected, carrying their dead comrades aside, they did not stop firing for a minute.

From the well-aimed shots of the gunners, the aft artillery tower on the Asam caught fire, and the commander's bridge was shot down. One destroyer, trying to hit the Varyag with a torpedo, went to the bottom. Two Japanese cruisers were seriously damaged. But even on the Varyag, enemy shells began to burst more and more often. Broken steering gear. Some of the guns and a rangefinder post were put out of action. Fires broke out. There was a leak in the coal pit. But the flags are proudly fluttering. Suddenly, in front of the signalmen I. Medvedev and I. Kazartsev, the stern flag falls. Files broken. The signalmen immediately get a new one. The sentry at the flag, standing under the fragments at attention, boatswain P. Olenin raised the flag of the ship. The cruiser commander was wounded by a shell fragment. The news of this immediately spread around the ship. Overcoming the pain, pale from loss of blood, without a cap, bloodied, Rudnev found the strength to go to the bridge of the ship. Seeing the commander alive, the sailors continued to fight with renewed vigor.

Here's what was recorded 27 January 1904 in the logbook of the cruiser: with these fragments of another shell that exploded at the foremast and flew into the armored wheelhouse through the passage were: the cruiser commander was shell-shocked in the head, the staff bugler and drummer standing near him on both sides were killed on the spot, the steering foreman Snegirev, who was at the helm, was seriously wounded in the back and the orderly of the commander of Chibisov was slightly wounded in the arm.

In this situation, Rudnev decided to return to the port of Chemulpo, fix the malfunctions and try to break through again. The entire wounded, but undefeated "Varyag" made a turn. The "Korean", who fought no less bravely, took the blow on himself, giving the cruiser the opportunity to complete the maneuver. After some time, the Varyag dropped anchor in the place where it left.

For 2 hours of battle, the cruiser fired 1105 shells at the enemy, many of which reached the target. As the inspection showed, the ship could no longer withstand the second such battle. Shocked by what they saw, sympathizing with the Russian sailors, foreign sailors on boats under the flag of the Red Cross hurried to the cruiser to help the wounded. A terrible picture was revealed to the eyes of doctors. Burnt, shrapnel-scarred, blood-stained bodies lay on the warped deck...

The military council that gathered on the upper deck made a decision - due to the irreparable damage, large losses of personnel, failure a large number guns to sink a cruiser. The same was to be done with the "Korean". After the sailors switched to foreign ships, a powerful explosion was heard over the port on the Korean. The gunboat, torn into several pieces, went under water. At the request of foreigners, who were afraid of damage to their nearby ships, not to blow up the Varyag, Rudnev ordered all valves and kingstones to be opened, and, making sure that his order had been carried out, he was the last to leave the cruiser. Soon the icy water closed over the ship. So "Varyag" remained undefeated.

Medal for the battle "Varangian" and "Korean" at Chemulpo

Monument to the Varangians in Vladivostok

In 1905, the Japanese raised the cruiser, repaired it and gave it the name Soya. For more than ten years, the ship was listed as part of the Japanese Navy. The Russian government bought the cruiser on March 22, 1916. With excitement, its new crew boarded the famous ship. She was to increase the glory of her predecessors. Seven months later, on November 17, 1916, the Varyag arrived from Vladivostok to the city and port of Aleksandrovsk (now the city of Polyarny) - the far northern outskirts of Russia and was included in the Arctic Ocean Flotilla. But the cruiser did not have to swim much. He needed a major overhaul.

To this end, the ship went to sea on February 25, 1917 and headed for England. The Varyag was in Liverpool when the news reached the crew that the Great October Revolution had taken place in Russia. socialist revolution. The cruiser's crew raised the red flag. The British took over the ship. Long time about future fate"Varyag" went a variety of legends. It was claimed that the ship exploded on a mine, then a version arose that it was torpedoed.

In fact, sold for scrapping by one of the firms, the cruiser, during the transition to the company's plant in the Irish Sea near Lendalfoot in 1918, ran into rocks and sank 500 m from the Scottish coast (about 55 north latitude and 50 west d.),

The ship was lost, but its glory, courage and steadfastness of the cruiser's crew continue to live in the memory of the people. And the waters of the seas and oceans are cut with its powerful bow by the modern missile cruiser "Varyag", which inherited the name of the hero of the Russian-Japanese war.

Guards missile cruiser "Varyag" 1970s	Guards missile cruiser "Varyag" 2000s

Research conducted by R. M. Melnikov and N. A. Zalessky, the authors of numerous works on the history of Russian Navy and domestic military shipbuilding, made it possible to find out many interesting details of the fate of the legendary ship.

According to the German magazine "Schiffbau" ("Schiffbau") dated September 23, 1925, No. 18, active attempts were made to remove the ship from the stones, but they were not successful. For several years, the cruiser was given over to the elements. The waves crashing against the steel hull of the ship turned the once formidable and beautiful ship into a heap of metal. In the summer of 1923, the British company that bought the ship, and two German companies that entered into a share with it, decided to dismantle the ship at the place of its death. Only in 1925 the work at sea was completed.

The purpose of this publication is to educate young people to be proud of their people and country - world history does not know such a feat! More information about this historical event- a magnificent film by Alexei Denisov "Cruiser" Varyag ". VGTRK Russia 2005.

The text of the description of the feat of the cruiser "Varyag" - the book "On the points of naval glory", Razdolgin A.A., Fateev M.A. Publishing house "Sudostroenie" 1987, Leningrad.

Vsevolod Gladilin.

Instead of an epilogue

"The British always had a lot of their flags in reserve," one eyewitness recalled,

- and the Russians at the right moment usually had nothing but courage.

Therefore, Stankevich nailed the shoulder strap of a non-commissioned officer of his company to the flagpole!

In the early 1980s, according to a Russian project, four seaworthy gunboats armed with large-caliber guns were laid down at a number of foreign shipyards. Seaworthy gunboats with heavy artillery "Korean" and "Manjur", launched in 1886 in Stockholm and Copenhagen. Their armament consisted of two 203 mm and one 152 mm guns. These ships were primarily intended to penetrate Chinese rivers and fight coastal defense ships. At the same time, according to the same project, six similar seaworthy gunboats were built at Russian Black Sea shipyards - Donets, Zaporozhets, Kubanets, Terets, Uralets and Chernomorets.
"Korean" served in the Far East, where he moved from the Baltic. In 1895-1900, he carried out stationary service in Japanese, Korean and Chinese ports [In 1900, as part of an international squadron, he took part in the suppression of the uprising of the "boxers". On May 16, the "Korean" left Port Arthur together with the detachment of Admiral Veselago, and on May 18 he already took part in the hostilities. On June 4, the Korean, along with allied gunboats, shelled the Taku forts, while receiving 6 shell hits and losses - 9 killed and 20 wounded. For valor in this battle, the "Korean" was awarded the St. George's silver horn. In honor of the officer of the gunboat, Lieutenant E.N. Burakov, who was killed in battle, a Chinese destroyer captured from Taku was named.
At the beginning of 1904, the situation on the Yellow Sea became more and more alarming every day. The feeling of the approaching war has already taken possession of many Russian sailors who served in the Far Eastern waters. And only in distant St. Petersburg, under the spire of the Admiralty, the confidence continued to hover that Japan would not dare to attack the great empire ...

On January 5, 1904 (all dates are according to the old style), the gunboat "Koreets" arrived as a stationer (that is, for a permanent stay) at the port of Chemulpo, replacing the gunboat "Gilyak" that had gone to Port Arthur with dispatches of the Russian envoy in Seoul Pavlov. On the raid, the arriving ship met the cruiser "Varyag", the future "comrade in arms" of the old gunboat.

"Korean" by that time was already considered a veteran of the Siberian flotilla.
On January 24, the Japanese envoy in St. Petersburg informed the Russian government of the break in diplomatic relations. About this on the same day it became known to the commander of the "Varyag" V. F. Rudnev from the commanders of foreign hospitals. But the envoy Pavlov, to whom Rudnev immediately conveyed this news, did not believe the information received from private individuals. He still hoped for saving directives from Port Arthur. In order to try to personally convince Pavlov of the danger and aimlessness of the parking of Russian ships in a foreign port with all the signs of an impending war, VF Rudnev went to Seoul. However, Pavlov rejected the proposal for the immediate departure of both ships, sending only one "Korean" to Port Arthur.

The Korean, having received mail from the French, English and Italian cruisers, weighed anchor on January 26 at 15:40; but after 15 minutes from the gunboat they saw the Japanese squadron of Rear Admiral Uriu going on a collision course in two wake columns. Read more >>