Czarist Navy - 1910
Russia maintained in 1910 two fleets, one being in the Black Sea, prevented by treaty from passing through the Dardanelles, and the other, the main Russian Fleet, in the Baltic.
In 1882 three remarkable vessels were laid down for the Black Sea Fleet, the "Catherine II,"" Tchesme " and "Sinope." They were barbette ships of 10,180 tons displacement, with a compound armor belt of a maximum thickness of 16 in., armed with six 12-in. B.L. guns mounted in pairs on the upper deck in a large pear-shaped barbette, and seven 6-in. guns on the main deck; and having a speed of 16 knots. Other vessels built for this fleet were the 'Twelve Apostles " of 8709 tons, "George the Victorious," 11,032 tons, the "Three Prelates, 13,318 tons, the " Rostislav," of 8880 tons laid down in 1895 and the "Panteleimon" of 12,582 tons laid down in 1897. The latest vessels built on the Black Sea are the " loann Zlatoust " and " Eystafi," of 12,840 tons and 16 knots, carrying four 12-in., four 8-in., twelve 6-in., fourteen 12-pdr. and six 3-pdr. guns; both were laid down in 1903.
Of the main Russian Fleet outside the Black Sea only a few battleships survived the Russo-Japanese War; these included the "Tzesarevich" of 13,000 tons, built in France in 1899, carrying four 12-in. guns in two barbettes, and twelve 6-in. guns in pairs in turrets; also the " Slava," laid down on the Neva in 1902, 370 ft. long, of 13,516 tons displacement, i6_,ooo LH.P. and 18 knots speed, her hull protected by armour of 9 in. to 4 in. in thickness. The "Slava" carried four 12-in. guns in barbettes having ?-in. armour, and twelve 6-in. guns in turrets having 6-in. armour.
In January 1903 Russia laid down the "Imperator Pavel I," a larger and more powerful vessel than any then building by any other power, being of 17,400 tons displacement - almost that of the "Dreadnought," but laid down 2-1/2 years earlier ; she carried four 12-in. and fourteen 8-in. guns as well as twelve 4'7-in. guns, in which an attempt was made to protect almost the whole of the vessel above water with armour varying from 8 in. to 3 in. in thickness. Engines of 17,600 I.H.P. were provided for 18 knots speed. A sister vessel, "Andrei Pervozvanni," was also laid down in 1903, but neither vessel was completed in time to take part in the war. In 1909 four vessels were laid down, which were again larger than any then building for any other power, viz. the "Sevastopol," "Petropavlovsk," "Gangut and "Poltava," of 23,000 tons displacement, with Parsons turbines of 42,000 H.P. for 23 knots speed, 600 ft. long, 89 ft. beam, 27 ft. 3 in. draught, protected by 11-in. armour, armed with twelve 12-in. and sixteen 4-7-in. guns, the 12-in. guns being carried in four three- gun turrets placed at considerable distances apart on the middle line.
The General Admiral or Admiral of the Fleet (an honorary charge) was almost invariably a member of the Imperial family. The Minister of Marine controlled the twelve departments charged with the business of naval administration. The Admiralty Council, which was responsible for the Estimates, consisted of the Minister of Marine, the Assistant Minister, and six flag officers. Ass-istcd by the Technical Committee and the other departments, this Council decided upon the allocation of the total sum provided for the Navy over the various items in the Estimates. The head of the Naval Headquarters Staff was responsible for the training, organisation and efficiency of the personnel, and assigns the various ships which compose the fleets and squadrons. The department dealing with Naval Intelligence, the collection and codification of information concerning* foreign navies, the preparation of schemes of mobilisation and of proposed plans of action in case of war, was known us the Intelligence Department or Naval General Staff. Similarly the Department of Construction and the Technical Committee deal with the materiel, the former being responsible for the execution of the shipbuilding programme and the maintenance of a proper supply of stores, while the latter marked the improve merits made in ships, machinery and engines of war, and suggests plans and specifications for new ships, etc.
The number of men annually needed for the Navy was fixed by law. The men are recruited, by conscription, and while on the active list were not allowed to marry. The number of officers and men in 1908 was 44,620, but it was proposed to reduce this number in 1910 to 41,800. The chief officers in active service, not including flag officers attached to the Naval Artillery or occupying adminisira'ivc positions in some other branch, were 2 admirals, 13 vice-admirals, and 27 rearadmirals.
The 1909 Estimates, it was officially stated, amounted to £9.316,600, as against £9,741,967 in 1908. Of this sum nearly £5,000,000 was appropriated for shipbuilding, repairs, and naval armaments. The 1810 Estimates, as drafted in Oct. 1909, totalled £10,355,660. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Times, writing on Sept. 8th, said : "I hear that the Admiralty is preparing a further programme of shipbuilding in addition to the four Dreadnoughts already laid down."
Eight battleships were building for the Russian Navy in Oct. 1909. Of this number four were Dreadnoughts - the Sevastopol, Petropavlovskt Gangut, and Poltava - whose keels were formally laid at St. Petersburg on June 16th, while the remaining four were of earlier programs, and were begun in 1903. The former displaceed 23,000 tons, and were equipped with turbines of 42,000 hp., enabling the ships to steam at the rate of 23 knots. In the UK House of Commons on June 23rd the First Lord of the Admiralty stated that, according to latest information from the Russian press, the armament would be composed of twelve 12-in. guns, sixteen 4'7-in, guns, and four submerged torpedo-tubes. These vessels were constructed under the supervision of the British firm of John Brown & Co., between whom and the Baltic and Admiralty shipyards of the Imperial Russian Marine a contract was concluded in December 1908 whereby the technical advice and co-operation of the company in questions connected with warship design and construction were secured for a term of years. It was hoped to launch the four ships in an advanced state within two years from the laying of the keel-plates.
The armored cruisers Sayan and Paftatta entered service in 1910. With the exception of six destroyers, no vessels were added to the fleet in commission in 1909, but several obsolete vessels of ail classes were removed from the effective list.
Vice-Admiral Voyevodski was appointed Minister of Marine in January 1909, in successior to Admiral Dikoff. He had three months previously been appointed Assistant Minister, and served as Director of the Naval Cadet Corps, and as head of the Nicolas Naval Academy. The Naval General Staff decided in April 1909 to make Helsingfors and Sveaborg the leadquartcrs of the Baltic Fleet instead of Cronstadt, which was considered to be too near St. Petersburg and quite obsolete as a fortress under modern conditions of artillery. Sveaborg was intended to be the base of the future Dreadnought fleet, and several million roubles had been set apart for docks and barracks to be provided lhere; large areas of foreshore having also been acquired at Hclsingfors. It was also decided in May to close the New Admiralty dockyard at St. Petersburg, and to extend the Baltic works on the opposite aide of the Neva. Two armored cruisers and a battleship completing afloat at the former yard were sent to Cronstadt to be completed for service. The principal Russian dockyards were situated as follows : Cronstadt: one large dock ; three smaller. Libau: two large docks. Sevastopol; two large docks.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
