russian cruiser russian armored cruiser imperial_russian_navy built 1890s designed long range commerce served russo japanese war based war broke number sorties search japanese shipping early months war success armored cruisers attempted rendezvous main portion sailing port arthur august delayed return port encountered japanese squadron armored cruisers base shortly turned japanese sank oldest russian ship damaged battle russian ships repaired months end war returned underwent year refit strengthened armament fitted rails laid minefield world war damaged german light cruisers reconstructed beginning late strengthen armament played rest war crew involved revolutionary activities taken late reserve sold scrap design originally intended repeat armored cruiser director wanted armor cover ship design went number changes late early incorporated number technological advances recently available notable change sailing rig general characteristics feet long overall maximum beam feet draught feet displaced long tons long tons designed wood copper reduce considered good sea boat smooth roll sides propulsion effort extend range built unusual machinery arrangement large vertical triple expansion steam engine drove outer propeller shafts small cruising engine drove center shaft speed center propeller steam drive engines simultaneously outer propellers cruising main engines designed total indicated horsepower developed ihp trials drove ship maximum speed knots mph cruising engine developed ihp thirty belleville water tube boilers provided steam engines carry maximum long tons coal gave radius action nautical miles knots mph large warship trials oil fuel carried armament main armament consisted inch caliber pattern guns end ship ship sides protected gun shields guns depressed elevated fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity feet second gave range elevation secondary armament consisted sixteen inch pattern guns gun mounted forecastle stern gun fire remaining guns mounted hull pivot mounts guns elevate fired pound pattern high explosive projectiles muzzle velocity feet second gave range maximum elevation carried rounds gun defense torpedo boats provided variety light caliber weapons millimeter caliber guns mounted upper deck protected gun shields gun fired pound shells range yards maximum elevation muzzle velocity rate fire rounds minute total millimeter hotchkiss guns carried fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute range yards eighteen millimeter hotchkiss guns carried fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute range yards water inch torpedo tubes mounted exact type torpedo carried likely changed lifetime original inch torpedo maximum range yards speed knots mph pound later replaced improved model speed range settings pound maximum range yards speed knots mph armor newly developed harvey armor saved considerable weight steel armor protection waterline belt extended stern feet short bow extended feet inches waterline feet waterline inches thick amidships reduced inches fore machinery spaces inches stern belt tapered thickness inches lower edge closed forward end inch transverse bulkhead protective inch deck ran forward bulkhead bow main armored deck inches thick inch projected protect tops engine cylinders conning tower walls inches thick funnel protected inches armor lower middle decks operational history built saint_petersburg construction began october formally laid launched april launch towed fitting pushed storm required month free entered service late participated queen_victoria june returned finish trials sailing far_east october reached nagasaki japan march remained pacific beginning russo japanese war russo japanese war start russo japanese war command captain flagship overall command rear admiral ships squadron armored cruisers protected cruiser squadron number sorties japanese shipping early war reasonably successful transport carrying eighteen centimeter siege troops intended siege port arthur sunk june earlier sortie flew observation balloon quarterdeck unsuccessfully locate japanese shipping use aerial device warship high seas time war battle war bulk located port arthur blockaded japanese august ships port arthur attempted breakout turned battle admiral ordered rendezvous order delayed ships raise steam sortie evening august damaged earlier grounded sail squadron dawn reached island korea japan turned failed ships port arthur squadron miles north island encountered japanese squadron commanded vice admiral tasked patrol japanese force modern armored cruisers squadrons passed night spotting reversed course light japanese ships russian route admiral turned northeast spotted japanese followed suit albeit slightly course sides opened fire range meters japanese ships concentrated fire rear ship russian formation hit fairly quickly began fall astern ships admiral turned southeast attempt open range blinded russian gunners prevented broadside guns bearing japanese admiral turned starboard attempt reach korean coast allow rejoin squadron admiral followed suit turned port opened range squadrons developed engine problems time japanese squadron slowed conform best speed firing hit times stern flooding steering compartment steered engines speed continued decrease exposing japanese fire steering jammed port admiral turn attempt ships japanese ship suddenly turn starboard increased speed passed ships japanese admiral turned squadrons heading southeast parallel courses admiral quickly turn headed opposing courses hit time knocked inch pounder guns killing wounding japanese squadron opened range turn port russians reversed course time attempt support fire fires extinguished minutes later admiral south allowed russian ships north gave route despite admiral turned ordered way turning north maximum speed knots mph time admiral elderly protected cruisers approaching south arrival allowed pursue armored cruisers fought running battle russians hour half scoring hits force speed knots mph engines broke chase replaced line japanese closed minimum meters admiral opened range meters gunnery officer erroneously informed expended quarters ammunition turned minute rapid fire barrage wish leave thought remaining ammunition time sunk closed meters order finish admiral sunk receive message shortly japanese turned forced repairs suffered dead wounded far dead wounded captain policy ordering gun crews quick firing guns engaged lay contrast ship keeping light guns manned times hit nineteen times starboard hull port plus hits funnels boats decks half guns knocked fire caused excess charges despite number hits badly damaged waterline belt penetrated hit repaired months rudimentary facilities available effort interfere japanese shipping war interwar period returned arriving april given lengthy refit finished engines boilers mainmast removed received additional inch guns guns lightly armored casemates added upper deck positioned intervals main deck inch guns addition bow gun moved upper deck allow fire increased ship broadside guns represented russia king george june departed september training cruise returning baltic time visit copenhagen march company protected cruisers aurora left training cruise azores september cruising mediterranean april world war served flagship 2nd world war modified serve fast capacity naval mines war january laid minefield company kiel coast damaged german light cruisers reconstructed beginning october increase armament forecastle deck removed fore aft inch guns replaced inch guns mounted centerline forward pair mounted quarterdeck additions increased broadside inch seven inch guns crew took active revolutionary movements came control soviet red fleet september treaty brest required soviets evacuate base march interned newly independent finland frozen sailed known ice voyage placed reserve shortly arrival sold german company scrapping july towed germany grounded coast estonia subsequently towed kiel broken
Russian cruiser Rossia