russian battleship iii russian iii class battleship built decade 20th century design class derived french designed battleship ship completed months start russo japanese war february assigned sent far_east months later break japanese blockade port arthur japanese captured port squadron transit destination changed iii sunk japanese gunfire loss entire crew design description iii feet long overall beam feet inch draft feet inches deep load designed displace long tons long tons overweight displaced long tons caused problem sea trials october iii high speed turn caused heel submerged millimeter guns intended crew consisted officers enlisted men carried crewmen service design based modified suit russian machinery ship powered cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines driving propeller shaft steam generated belleville boilers engines rated indicated horsepower designed reach speed knots mph reached speed knots mph indicated horsepower official machinery trials july carried maximum long tons coal allowed steam nautical miles speed knots mph ship main battery consisted inch guns mounted twin gun turrets forward aft superstructure secondary armament consisted inch quick firing guns mounted twin gun turrets number smaller guns carried defence torpedo boats included millimeter guns millimeter hotchkiss guns armed inch torpedo tubes bow stern water submerged waterline armor belt consisted krupp armor inches thick armor gun turrets maximum thickness deck ranged inches thickness inch armored lower deck curved downwards formed anti torpedo bulkhead service construction began iii named september saint_petersburg ship laid launched august completed november cost october set sail port arthur vessels overall command vice admiral led squadron including atlantic coast africa rounding reached island north west coast madagascar january remained months finalized arrangements squadron sailed french march reached month later await obsolete ships commanded ships reached bay combined force sailed exact figures available iii probable ship approximately long tons overweight sisters coal supplies stored high ships reduced stability extra weight submerged waterline armor belt left feet inches upper armor belt waterline decided direct route intercepted japanese command admiral beginning battle second line flagship little known ship actions battle survivors ship visibility poor battle captain royal_navy official military observer noted set fire early engagement initially follow ship steering damaged half hour japanese opened fire turned north captain realized control tried concentrate fire crippled turned iii straight japanese successful attempt focus attention ship successful badly damaged process observers noted bow badly damaged large hole forward hull port shooting resumed japanese concentrated fire ship sister iii line port capsized sink survivors memory granite designed constructed surrounding gardens nicholas naval cathedral saint_petersburg remember men
Russian battleship Imperator Aleksandr III (1901)