"Varangian"

Historical data

common data

EU

real

dock

Booking

Armament

Ships of the same type

"Varangian"- Russian armored cruiser of the 1st rank, built in the USA on an individual project and was part of the Russian Imperial Navy. He became famous throughout the world for his decision, in response to a proposal to surrender, to take an unequal battle at Chemulpo against the superior forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In connection with the revolutionary events in Russia in October 1917, the Varyag was captured by the British and sold for scrap in 1920.

History of creation

Prerequisites for creation

In 1895 and 1896 In Japan, two shipbuilding programs were adopted, according to which by 1905 it was planned to build a fleet that would surpass the Russian naval forces by Far East. The militarization of Japan did not go unnoticed. Russia was implementing its own shipbuilding program to strengthen the navy, but it was clearly inferior to the growth rate of the Japanese fleet. Therefore, in 1897, an additional program "For the needs of the Far East" was developed, which included, in addition to other ships, the construction of an armored cruiser of the 1st rank "Varyag".

Design

Due to the absence at the time of signing the contract of a detailed project of the ship, the supervisory commission that left for the shipyard from Russia, headed by Captain 1st Rank M.A. Danilevsky, in addition to monitoring the progress of construction, also coordinated emerging issues on the future appearance of the ship in the process of its construction.

As a prototype for the construction of the Varyag, the management of the shipyard proposed to take the Japanese armored cruiser of the Kasagi type (jap. 笠置 ), but the Marine Technical Committee insisted on a Diana-class cruiser. At the same time, the contract provided for the installation on the ship, albeit heavier, but well-proven in the Russian fleet for their reliability, Belleville boilers. Contrary to the requirements of the customer of the ship, at the direction of Admiral General and Head of the Main Directorate of Shipbuilding and Supply V.P. Verkhovsky, preference was given to the option with ingenious in idea, but not tested in practice, Nikloss boilers.

Construction and testing

Due to the workload of domestic factories, the Varyag was ordered in the USA in Philadelphia at the shipyard of The William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company. The contract was signed on April 11, 1898.

During construction, significant changes were made to the project, dictated by the initially signed contract with vague wording about the parameters of the ship. For example, the conning tower was enlarged in size, in addition, it was raised to improve visibility. The height of the side keels of the cruiser was increased from 0.45 to 0.61 m. Auxiliary mechanisms were provided with electric motors, and gun shields were not installed due to the fear of overloading the ship.

Equipment for the construction and equipping of the ship for the most part came from firms located in the United States. At the same time, the main caliber guns were supplied from Obukhovsky, and torpedo tubes from the Metal Plant of St. Petersburg. Anchors, anchor chains and anti-torpedo nets were ordered in England.

On January 11, 1899, the cruiser was included in the lists of the fleet under the name "Varyag" in honor of the corvette of the same name, sent during the Civil War in the USA 1861-1865. aid to President Lincoln's government.

October 19, 1899 the ship was launched. The construction of the ship was carried out at a rapid pace, but the strikes of workers and the constant approval of the ship's project did not allow the shipbuilders to meet the deadlines allotted by the contract. Due to objective reasons for the delay in the construction of the ship, no penalties were imposed by the Russian government.

On September 22, 1900, the cruiser was handed over to the customer in excess of the main characteristics laid down in the contract. At the same time, up to
before the departure of the cruiser in March 1901 to Russia, the elimination of minor flaws continued, mainly related to imperfections
dynamos (electric generators) and boat mechanisms.

Cross section drawing

Booking scheme

Boiler diagram of the Nikloss system

The appearance of the ship upon completion of construction

Design Description

Frame

The cruiser's hull was made with a forecastle, which improved its seaworthiness in stormy seas. The basis of the hull was the keel, enclosed between the stems. The foundations of 30 steam boilers of the Nikloss system were installed on the deck of the ship's second bottom. The height of the ship's hull was 10.46 m. ​​Along the sides, above and below the bevels in the area of ​​the engine and boiler rooms, there were coal pits. In addition to their direct purpose, they also performed protective functions, forming a parapet around the vital mechanisms and systems of the ship. In the bow and stern ends of the ship there were cellars with ammunition, reduced to two compact groups of nine rooms, which simplified their protection from enemy damage.

Booking

All vital mechanisms, machines, boilers and cellars were covered with an armored carapace deck. The total thickness of the horizontal armored deck was 38 mm. The deck bevels descended to the sides 1.1 m below the waterline, their thickness was 76 mm. The spread of water from the side compartments, upon receipt of a hole, was delayed by limiting longitudinal bulkheads, spaced from the side by 1.62 m in the engine rooms and 2.13 m in the boiler rooms.

On the bevels of the armored deck along the side, compartments were shielded - cofferdams, intended according to the project to be filled with cellulose, which was later decided to be abandoned due to its fragility. Thus, the cruiser was surrounded by a kind of protective parapet 0.76 m thick and 2.28 m high, which prevented water from penetrating through holes at the waterline.

electrical equipment

The Varyag cruiser, in comparison with the ships of previous years of construction, had a relatively large percentage of equipment powered by electricity. DC electricity was generated by three steam dynamos. Each of them rotated two electric generators. Two steam dynamos with a capacity of 132 kW each were located in the bow and stern of the ship under the armored deck, one with a capacity of 66 kW was located on the living deck. In a special compartment there was a battery of 60 batteries for emergency power supply of running lights, loud bells and other needs.

Consumption of electricity on the ship.

Longitudinal diagram of the device of the ship

(*) - at a load factor of 0.5.

Drainage system

Aft view

Captain's saloon

Scheme (project) of the distribution of sectors of firing from guns

152-mm / 45 gun of the Kane "Varyag" system

View of the tank of the ship

The drainage system consisted of signaling means, drainage pumps and drives (electric motors). She ensured the pumping of incoming water from all the rooms under the armored deck of the ship. Water was removed from the boiler rooms using centrifugal pumps placed on the double bottom deck. As a drive for them, electric motors were used, installed on the armored deck and connected to the pumps by a long shaft. According to the specifications, each pump had to pump out water in the volume of the entire compartment in an hour. From the engine rooms, water was pumped out by two circulation pumps of the main refrigerators.

To extinguish fires, a fire main was laid under the armored deck. To connect fire hoses, the pipe had branches that stretched to all the cellars, boiler rooms and engine rooms. Fire alarm sensors (thermostats) were installed in the coal pits. The fires in the coal pits were extinguished by steam.

Steering

The steering of the cruiser, for the first time in the Russian fleet, had three types of drive: steam, electric and manual. The rudder blade was made in the form of a frame sheathed with sheet steel. The frame space was filled with wooden bars. Rudder area - 12 m2. The steering was carried out from the conning or wheelhouse. In the event of their failure, the control of the ship was transferred to the aft steering compartment, located under the armored deck.

Crew and Habitability

On the cruiser "Varyag", in accordance with the specification, the crew consisted of 21 officers, 9 conductors and 550 lower ranks. The crew's living quarters were located under the forecastle on the living deck, and aft on the armored deck. From the 72nd frame towards the stern were the cabins of the officers and command of the ship. The cabins of the officers were single. The quarters towards the stern were occupied by the commander. Adjacent to them was a wardroom. On the living deck there was an infirmary, a pharmacy, a galley, a bathhouse and a ship's church.

Armament

Initially, it was supposed to install on the ship: 2 x 203 mm; 10 x 152mm; 12 x 75mm; 6 x 47 mm guns and 6 torpedo tubes. But due to an overload of 30 tons, in the final version the cruiser received: 12 x 152/45 mm, 12 x 75/50 mm, 8 x 47/43 mm, 2 x 37/23 mm; 2 x 63.5/19 mm Baranovsky guns; 6 x 381 mm, 2 x 254 mm torpedo tubes and 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns, as well as barrage mines.

Main caliber

The cruiser's main battery artillery, represented by 152-mm / 45 guns of the Kane system, was combined into two batteries. The first included 6 guns located in the bow, the second - 6 stern guns. All onboard guns to increase the angles of fire were installed on sponsons protruding beyond the side line. The rate of fire of the guns reached 6 rounds per minute.

Auxiliary/anti-aircraft artillery

Small-caliber guns were still of great importance in the fight against destroyers. To increase their effectiveness and increase the angles of fire, two 47-mm Hotchkiss rapid-fire guns were installed on the Varyag's mars. Four more such guns were located on the upper deck, of which two, in addition to two 37-mm Hotchkiss guns and machine guns, were used to arm ship boats and boats.

Two 7.62 mm machine guns were mounted on special brackets located on the bulwarks near the conning tower. After the repair of the ship in 1916, it became possible to fire at aircraft from machine guns.

The ship had two 63.5-mm Baranovsky landing guns, located on the forecastle under the wings of the bow bridge. Wheel carriages were stored separately under the bow bridge behind the conning tower.

Mine and torpedo armament

Communications, detection, auxiliary equipment

A remote fire control system was introduced on the cruiser with the help of special indicators installed at the guns and in the cellars. Data on the firing parameters and the type of shells were set directly from the conning tower. Determining the distance to the target was carried out by three ranging stations, two of them were located on the Mars and one on the forward bridge.

The means of control, communications and surveillance on the cruiser were concentrated mainly on the stern and bow bridges. The conning tower of the cruiser was an oval armored breastwork, protected by 152-mm armor. To the upper end of the parapet of the cabin, forming viewing slots 305 mm high, a flat roof was fastened with brackets with overhangs bent down and protruding beyond the dimensions of the parapet. . The conning tower was connected to the armored deck by a vertical armored tube with a wall thickness of 76 mm, which led to the central post. The drives and cables of the ship's control instruments were hidden in this pipe.

Above was a transverse bridge, on which searchlights and tack lights were installed. The wheelhouse was located in the center of the bridge. There were five compasses on the cruiser. The two main ones were located on the roof of the undercarriage and on a special platform of the aft bridges.

For internal communication, in addition to voice pipes and messengers, a telephone network was organized, covering almost all the service premises of the ship. Telephone sets were installed in all cellars, in boiler rooms and engine rooms, in officers' cabins, in the conning and navigation cabins, at posts near the guns.

Launching

On the roads of Philadelphia, USA

Means of electrical signaling (bells, indicators, fire alarm sensors, annunciators, etc.) were available in the cabins of command personnel, at combat posts and in the conning tower. In addition to warning calls, the cruiser retained a staff of drummers and buglers. To communicate with other ships, in addition to the radio station, the cruiser had a large staff of signalmen.

Overall evaluation of the project

The Diana-class cruisers, which entered service before the start of the Russo-Japanese War, were obsolete and no longer met modern requirements. "Diana", "Pallada" and "Aurora" were distinguished by good reliability of mechanisms, but in all respects they lost to modern armored cruisers of foreign construction.

"Varyag" and the armored cruiser "Askold", in fact, were experimental ships of the cruiser type with a displacement of 6000 tons. The "Varyag" was designed more thoughtfully and compactly than the ships of the "Diana" type. The forced placement of artillery at the extremities saved him from cramped cellars along the sides. The ship had good seaworthiness, boats and boats were very well located on it. The engine and boiler rooms were spacious, their equipment and ventilation system deserved the highest praise.

During the factory tests at maximum speed, "Varyag" showed outstanding results. So, on July 12, 1900, the Varyag developed a course of 24.59 knots. During 12-hour continuous tests, the Varyag showed an average result of 23.18 knots. On 24-hour trials, the Varyag traveled 240 miles at an economical speed of 10 knots, using 52.8 tons of coal (that is, 220 kg per mile).

But the actual cruising range of a ship always differs significantly from the calculated one obtained from the test results. So, during long-distance crossings, the Varyag at a speed of 10 knots spent 68 tons of coal per day, which corresponds to the longest cruising range of 4288 miles.

One of the shortcomings of the "Varyag" was the unreliability of the power plant. A significant part of the pre-war service in Port Arthur, the cruiser spent at the quay wall in endless repairs. The reason was both the careless assembly of the machines and the unreliability of the boilers of the Nikloss system.

Repair and modernization of the ship

1906 - 1907

View of the deck from the forward bridge

During overhaul the ship, raised from the bottom by the Japanese after it was sunk in the battle of Chemulpo, the appearance of the cruiser has changed a lot. First of all, because of the new navigation bridges, chart house, chimneys and fans. Mars platforms were dismantled on the masts. The 75 mm Hotchkiss guns were replaced with 76 mm Armstrong guns. Mine net poles have been removed from the sides of the ship.

1916

The Russian admissions committee found the ship returned by Japan in poor technical condition. For example, the life of Nikloss boilers until the resource was completely exhausted was no more than 1.5 - 2 years. During repairs in Vladivostok, the bow 152/45-mm guns of Kane, as well as two of the same guns on the poop, were moved to the diametrical plane on the cruiser. As a result, the number of guns in a side salvo increased to eight. On all open guns, shortened armor shields were installed. The gun guidance mechanisms have been repaired and the elevation angles have been increased from 15° to 18°. Dead moves of mechanisms are eliminated. Machine guns are adapted for firing at aircraft. During sea trials, with the use of 22 out of 30 boilers, the Varyag reached a speed of 16 knots.

Service History

Sea trials off the coast of the United States
1901

"Varangian" after the battle at Chemulpo
1904

Soya (jap. 宗谷 listen)) - Japanese educational
ship - 1905 - 1916

"Varyag" and battleship "Chesma" (formerly "Poltava") in Vladivostok - 1916

"Varangian" sitting on stones off the coast of Scotland - 1920

Before the Russo-Japanese War

March 20, 1901 - the cruiser "Varyag" with a Russian crew on board sailed from the USA to the shores of Russia. The transition to Kronstadt across the Atlantic took just over two months, and on May 3, having traveled 5083 miles, the ship arrived at its destination.

August 5, 1901 - the cruiser left Kronstadt and escorted the imperial yacht "Standard" with Nicholas II to Danzig, Kiel and Cherbourg.

September 16, 1901 - "Varyag" continued its march to the Far East, passing through the Suez Canal, entered the Persian Gulf, where he visited Kuwait with a diplomatic mission on board. After that, with a call to Singapore and Hong Kong, he arrived on February 25, 1902 in Port Arthur. During the crossing, short-term work on the repair of Nikloss boilers was repeatedly carried out in the parking lots. The created special commission came to the conclusion that the maximum speed of the Varyag for a short period of time should be considered 20 knots, and for a longer one - 16.

March-April 1902 - in Port Arthur in the armed reserve (exercises on the roadstead, without going to sea for tactics), all the time in which was devoted to the repair of ship mechanisms.

May-July 1902 - cruising in Talienwan Bay, off the coast of the Kwantung Peninsula and Thornton Island.

August-September 1902 - in Port Arthur (in the armed reserve), repair of boilers.

October 1902 - campaign in Chemulpo.

October 1902 - March 1903 - in Port Arthur

April 1903 - in Talienvan Bay.

May 1903 - in Chemulpo.

June-September 1903 - in Port Arthur (in the armed reserve), the departure of a number of officers and the transfer to the reserve of 30 experienced sailors, mainly from the engine room.

October 1903 - December 1903 - in Port Arthur, due to the weakness of the repair base, the speed of the Varyag was limited to 17 knots and briefly 20. For a full repair in Russia, parts for the power plant were ordered, which did not have time to arrive before loss of a ship in the battle near Chemulpo.

December 1903 - crossings between Chemulpo, Seoul and Port Arthur.

Russo-Japanese War

January 27, 1904 - the cruiser "Varyag" together with the gunboat "Koreets", refusing to accept the terms of the ultimatum of the Japanese command to surrender, took an unequal battle against the superior forces of the Japanese squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Uriu (2 armored cruisers "Asama" and Chiyoda, 4 armored cruisers Naniwa, Niitaka, Takachiho, Akashi; 8 destroyers). Having suffered significant damage in people during the battle and having received severe damage that did not allow the battle to continue, the Varyag returned to Chemulpo, where the team went ashore, and the ship was flooded.

According to the report of the Varyag commander, one destroyer was sunk by cruiser fire and the Asama cruiser was damaged, and the Takachiho cruiser sank after the battle; the enemy allegedly lost about 30 people killed. Official Japanese sources and archival documents do not confirm any hits on Japanese ships, nor the presence of any losses.

February 1904 - the Japanese began to raise the Varyag, but by October they had stopped unsuccessful attempts to pump water out of the ship's hull due to the large number of holes.

April 1905 - lifting work was resumed, a caisson was built over the cruiser and on August 8 the ship rose from the bottom.

November 1905 - the cruiser was towed to Yokosuka for overhaul, which lasted until 1907. The helm from the Varyag cruiser was removed and transferred to the flagship of the Japanese fleet, the battleship Mikasa. The Varyag was renamed Soya (jap. 宗谷 ) and enrolled as a training ship in the Imperial Japanese Navy.

World War I

Early 1916 - Japan, Russia's ally in World War I, agreed to sell some of the captured ships of the First Pacific Squadron. Among them was the cruiser Varyag, which had previously served as a training ship for Japanese cadets for nine years.

On June 18, 1916, the Varyag, now equipped with a guards crew, went to sea and on November 17, 1916 arrived in Murmansk.

November 30, 1916 - Enlisted in the Arctic Ocean Flotilla.
Due to the poor technical condition of the ship and the lack of full-fledged repair bases in the North, an agreement was reached with the British Admiralty on the repair of the Varyag.

March 19, 1917 - arrival in the British Birkenhead (Eng. Birkenhead) for docking for overhaul.

After the October Revolution of 1917 in Russia, on December 8, the ship was requisitioned by the British and sold in 1920 for scrapping. On the way to the place of dismantling, "Varyag" sat on the rocks in the Irish Sea, 500 meters from the Scottish coast, not far from the village of Lendalfoot (Eng. Lendalfoot). Site coordinates: 55° 11" 3" N; 4° 56" 30" W.L.

Until 1925, the hull of the Varyag cruiser stood at the crash site until it was blown up and cut into pieces so as not to interfere with navigation and fishing.

commanders

• March 1899 - March 1903 - Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Iosifovich Baer
• March 1903 - January 1904 - Captain 1st Rank Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev
• March 1916 - December 1917 - Captain II rank Karl Ioakimovich von Den

perpetuation of memory

The memory of the dead sailors is immortalized by a monument at the Marine Cemetery in Vladivostok.

Monuments to the commander of the cruiser VF Rudnev were erected in Tula, Novomoskovsk and the village of Savino, Zaoksky district, Tula region.

In the district center of Lyubino, Omsk region, a monument to the stoker "Varyag" F.E. Mikhailov was unveiled.

On February 10, 2004, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle, a memorial plaque and monument were unveiled in the South Korean port of Incheon.

The image of an event in art and culture

The songs “Our proud Varyag does not surrender to the enemy” and “Cold waves are splashing” are dedicated to the feat of the crews of the cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreets.

In 1946, the film "Cruiser Varyag" was filmed in the USSR.

In 1958 and 1972, postage stamps depicting the cruiser were issued in the USSR.

In 2003, expeditions led by VGTRK journalist Alexei Denisov managed to find exact location the death of a cruiser in the Irish Sea and discover its wreckage at the bottom. The story about this was included in the two-part documentary "Cruiser" Varyag "", timed to coincide with the centenary of the battle at Chemulpo.

Modeling

The Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg has a model of the Varyag cruiser, made in the USA on a scale of 1:64 in 1901, as well as a model of the cruiser's main steam engine, made by S.I. Zhukhovitsky on a scale of 1:20 in the 1980s.

After the feat of the crew of the cruiser "Varyag", the German writer and poet Rudolf Greinz wrote a poem "Der "Warjag"" dedicated to this event. It was published in the tenth issue of the German Jugend magazine. In Russia, it was translated into Russian by Evgenia Studenskaya. Soon the musician of the 12th Astrakhan Grenadier Regiment Turishchev, who took part in the solemn meeting of the heroes of the Varyag and the Korean, set these verses to music. The song was first performed at a gala reception hosted by Emperor Nicholas II in honor of the officers and sailors of the Varyag and the Korean. The song became very popular in Russia.

Image Gallery

Video

The feat of the "Varyag" and "Korean" at the very beginning of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) is rightfully considered one of the most heroic pages in the history of the Russian navy. Hundreds of books, articles, movies were written about the tragic battle of two Russian ships with the Japanese squadron near the Korean port of Chemulpo... The previous events, the course of the battle, the fate of the cruiser and its crew were studied and restored to the smallest detail. Meanwhile, it should be recognized that the conclusions and assessments made by researchers are sometimes too biased and far from unambiguous.

In Russian historiography, there are two directly opposite opinions about the events of January 27, 1904 near the port of Chemulpo. Even today, more than a hundred years after the battle, it is difficult to say which of these opinions is more correct. As you know, based on the study of the same sources, different people draw different conclusions. Some consider the actions of "Varyag" and "Korean" a real feat, an example of selfless courage and heroism of Russian sailors. Others see in them simply the fulfillment by sailors and officers of their military duty. Still others are inclined to consider the "forced heroism" of the crews only as a result of unforgivable blunders, official negligence and indifference of the high command, shown in the conditions of the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. From this point of view, the events at Chemulpo are more like not a feat, but an official crime, as a result of which people suffered, and a warship was not just lost, but literally “donated” to the enemy.

Many of our contemporaries, who are familiar with the history of the Varyag battle, not only from songs and patriotic films, often ask themselves: where, in fact, is the feat? Two “forgotten” (in fact, abandoned to the mercy of fate) by the command in the Korean port of the ship could not break through to Port Arthur and connect with the squadron. As a result, the battle was lost, one officer and 30 lower ranks died, the crews with things and ship's cash desks calmly went ashore and were taken on board by ships of neutral powers. Two lightly damaged ships of the Russian fleet went to the enemy.

This should have been silent, as the Japanese were silent about the damage inflicted by the Varyag on their ships during the battle at Chemulpo. But Russia needed a “small victorious war”, which cannot be started with defeat, punishment of the guilty, recognition of its own slovenliness before the whole world.

The propaganda machine is in full swing. Newspapers sang! A short naval skirmish was declared a fierce battle. Self-flooding was presented as an act of selfless courage. The number of victims was not specified, but the superior forces of the enemy were emphasized. Propaganda turned the small, successful and bloodless victory of the Japanese - with the helplessness and real inaction (because of the inability to do something significant) of the Russian ships - a moral victory and a glorious deed.

Not a single real victory of the Russian fleet was glorified so hastily and pompously.

A month after the battle, Chemulpo appeared the famous song about the "Varangian" ("Upstairs, you, comrades, all in places!"). For some reason, the song was considered a folk song for many years, but it is reliably known that its text was written by the German poet and playwright Rudolf Greinz.

By the summer of 1904, the sculptor K. Kazbek made a model of the monument dedicated to the battle of Chemulpo, and called it "Farewell of Rudnev with the" Varyag "". On the layout, the sculptor depicted V. F. Rudnev standing at the rails, to the right of which was a sailor with a bandaged hand, and behind him sat an officer with his head down. Then another model was made by the author of the monument to the "Guardian" K. V. Isenberg. Soon the painting “Death of the Varyag” was painted. View from the French cruiser Pascal. Photo cards were issued with portraits of commanders and images of the Varyag and the Korean. The ceremony of meeting the heroes of Chemulpo, who arrived in Odessa in March 1904, was especially carefully developed.

On April 14, the heroes were solemnly welcomed in Moscow. On the Garden Ring in the area of ​​​​the Spassky barracks was erected Triumphal Arch in honor of this event. Two days later, the Varyag and Koreets teams march along Nevsky Prospekt from the Moscow railway station to the Winter Palace, where they are met by the emperor. Further, the gentlemen officers were invited to breakfast with Nicholas II in the White Hall, and for the lower ranks a dinner was arranged in the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace.

In the concert hall, a table was laid with a golden service for the highest persons. Nicholas II addressed the heroes of Chemulpo with a speech, Rudnev presented the officers and sailors who distinguished themselves in battle for awards. The emperor not only approved the submissions sent, but also granted orders to all participants in the battle in Chemulpo without exception.

The lower ranks received St. George's crosses, officers - the Order of St. George of the 4th degree and extraordinary promotions. And the officers of the "Korean", who practically did not participate in the battle, were even awarded twice (!).

Alas, even today a complete and objective history of that bygone, largely forgotten war has not yet been written. The displayed courage and heroism of the crews of the "Varyag" and "Koreets" are still beyond doubt. Even the Japanese were delighted with the truly "samurai" feat of Russian sailors, considering him an example to follow.

However, to this day there are no unambiguous answers to the simplest questions that were asked more than once by contemporaries and the first historians of the Russo-Japanese War. What caused the need to keep the best cruiser of the Pacific squadron in Chemulpo as a hospital? Could the Varyag have avoided an open collision with Japanese ships? Why didn’t the commander of the Varyag, Captain 1st Rank V.F. Rudnev, withdraw his cruiser from Chemulpo before the port was blocked? Why did he flood the ship so that it would later go to the enemy? And why didn’t Rudnev go to trial as a war criminal, but having received the Order of St. George of the 4th degree and the title of aide-de-camp, calmly retired and lived out his life in the family estate?

Let's try to answer some of them.

About the cruiser "Varyag"

Cruiser I rank "Varyag" became the first in a series of Russian armored cruisers built in the late XIX - early XX centuries. under the program "for the needs of the Far East".

It sounds like a mockery of homegrown jingoistic patriots, but the pride of the Russian fleet, the Varyag cruiser, was built in the USA, at the William Crump shipyard in Philadelphia. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States, by European standards, was considered not the most technologically advanced, practically agrarian and "wild" country. Why did the Varyag decide to build it there? And how did this affect his fate?

In Russia, warships of this class were built, but it was very expensive, time consuming and time consuming. In addition, on the eve of the war, all shipyards were overloaded with orders. Therefore, under the fleet reinforcement program of 1898, new armored cruisers of the 1st rank were ordered abroad. Best of all, they knew how to build cruisers in Germany and Sweden, but the government of Nicholas II found this to be an extremely expensive pleasure. The prices of American shipbuilders were lower, and representatives of the William Crump shipyard promised to do the work in record time.

On April 20, 1898, the Russian Emperor Nicholas II approved a contract, according to which the American company The William Cramp & Sons received an order for the construction of a squadron battleship and an armored cruiser (the future Retvizan and Varyag) at its plant.

Under the terms of the contract, the cruiser with a displacement of 6000 tons was to be ready 20 months after the arrival of the monitoring commission from Russia at the plant. The cost of the ship without weapons was estimated at $2'138'000 (4'233'240 rubles). The commission, headed by Captain 1st Rank M.A. Danilevsky, arrived in the United States on July 13, 1898 and took an active part in the discussion and design of the future cruiser, making a number of significant design improvements to the project.

As a prototype for the construction of a new ship, the head of the American company, Charles Crump, suggested taking the Japanese cruiser Kasagi, but the Russian Naval Technical Committee insisted that the 6000-ton armored cruisers built in St. Petersburg - the famous "goddess" "Diana" be taken as a model , "Pallada" and "Aurora" (the sailors familiarly called them "Dashka", "Palashka" and "Varka"). Alas, the choice was initially vicious - the concept of cruisers of this class did not justify itself. However, the relationship of "Varyag" with the famous "Aurora" came in handy. When the feature film Cruiser Varyag was filmed in 1946, they shot the Aurora in the title role, sticking a fourth fake pipe for her resemblance.

On January 11, 1899, by the will of the emperor and the order of the Maritime Department, the cruiser under construction was given the name "Varyag" - in honor of the sailing-propeller corvette of the same name, a member of the American expedition of 1863. The ship's laying ceremony took place on May 10, 1899. And already on October 19, 1899, in the presence of the Russian ambassador to the USA, Count A.P. Cassini and other officials of the two countries launched the Varyag cruiser.

It cannot be said that the William Crump shipyard did not know how to build warships at all. Simultaneously with the Varyag, the Americans built the beautiful battleship Retvizan for the Russian fleet. However, with the "Varyag" initially everything did not go as planned. Two design flaws were made that ultimately killed the ship. Firstly, the Americans installed the main battery guns on the upper deck without any protection, even without armored shields. The ship's gunners were extremely vulnerable - in battle, the crews on the upper deck were literally mowed down by fragments of Japanese shells. Secondly, the ship was equipped with steam boilers of the Nikloss system, extremely capricious and unreliable. However, such boilers for many years regularly served on the gunboat "Brave". The battleship Retvizan, built at the same shipyard by Ch. Kramp, also had no big problems with Nikloss's boilers. Only on the Varyag, perhaps due to other technical violations, the power plant (boilers and machines) periodically failed already at a speed of 18-19 knots. And the fastest cruiser, according to everyone technical specifications, was supposed to reach speeds of up to 23 knots.

Nevertheless, the first tests in July 1900 of the Varyag were quite successful. In the most difficult weather conditions, with a strong headwind, she set a world record for cruisers of her class in speed - 24.59 knots [about 45.54 km/h].

On January 2, 1901, the crew that arrived from Russia while parking in Philadelphia raised the pennant on the mainmast - the Varyag officially entered the campaign. After several trial trips along the Delaware Bay, the cruiser left the shores of America forever.

When the cruiser came to the Baltic, it was visited by Emperor Nicholas II. Captivated only by the external gloss of the new snow-white cruiser and the brave appearance of the guards crew, the autocrat wished to forgive Kramp "some design flaws", as a result of which no penalties were applied to American shipbuilders.

Why did the Varyag end up in Chemulpo?

It is in the answer to this question, in our opinion, that the most plausible explanation of all subsequent events lies.

So, the Varyag cruiser, built “for the needs of the fleet in the Far East”, was based in the main Russian naval base in the Pacific Ocean, Port Arthur, for two years (1902-1904). On March 1, 1903, captain of the 1st rank V.F. Rudnev took command of the Varyag.

By the beginning of 1904, relations between Russia and Japan had escalated to the limit. War could break out over the slightest trifle. According to the official version, the command was strictly forbidden to take any initiative, so as not to provoke the Japanese. In fact, it would be very beneficial for Russia if Japan was the first to start hostilities. And the viceroy, Admiral N.E. Alekseev, and the head of the Pacific Squadron V.O. Stark, repeatedly reported to St. Petersburg that the forces in the Far East were quite sufficient to successfully carry out the campaign.

Admiral Alekseev was well aware that the ice-free Korean port of Chemulpo was a major strategic facility. The warships of the leading states were constantly located here. In order to capture Korea, the Japanese would first of all need to capture (even land troops) in Chemulpo. Consequently, the presence of Russian warships in this port will inevitably become a cause for conflict, i.e. provoke the enemy to start active hostilities.

Russian warships were constantly present in Chemulpo. The extreme aggravation of relations with Japan at the end of 1903 did not at all prompt the command in Port Arthur to withdraw them from there. On the contrary, the Russian ships "Boyarin" (also, by the way, an armored cruiser) and the gunboat "Gilyak" on December 28, 1903 were replaced by the cruiser "Varyag" under the command of Captain I rank V.F. Rudnev. On January 5, the gunboat Koreets joined the Varyag under the command of Captain II rank G.P. Belyaev.

According to the official version, the Varyag was sent to Chemulpo to communicate with the Russian ambassador in Seoul. In case of complications or rupture of diplomatic relations, he had to take the Russian diplomatic mission to Port Arthur.

Any normal person can understand that sending a whole cruiser to evacuate diplomats was, at least, inexpedient. Especially in the context of the upcoming war. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities, the ships inevitably fell into a trap. For communication and removal of the mission, it was possible to leave only the gunboat "Korean", and save the fast and powerful "Varyag" for the fleet in Port Arthur.

But, most likely, by that time it had already become clear that the Varyag was not so fast and powerful. Otherwise, how to explain the use of a modern battle cruiser as a port station? Or did the command in Port Arthur think that it was shameful for the Russian diplomatic mission to travel around on some kind of gunboat, it was necessary to bring the cruiser to the entrance? ..

Not! Alekseev pursued, apparently, only one goal: to force the Japanese to start the war first. To do this, he decided to sacrifice the "Varangian", because it is impossible to portray the "military presence" in the Korean port through a single gunboat. Captain Rudnev, needless to say, should not have known anything. In addition, Rudnev was not supposed to show any initiative, leave the port on his own and generally take any active actions without a special order. On the morning of January 27, the departure of the Russian squadron from Port Arthur to Chemulpo was scheduled.

By the way, during the strategic game in the 1902/03 academic year at the Nikolaev Naval Academy, exactly this situation was played out: during a sudden Japanese attack on Russia in Chemulpo, the cruiser and gunboat remain unrecalled. In the game, destroyers sent to the port will report the beginning of the war. The cruiser and gunboat manage to connect with the Port Arthur squadron, going to Chemulpo. So all attempts by some historians to present the command in the person of Admiral Alekseev and Admiral Stark as complete slobs and irresponsible types have no basis. It was a premeditated plan, which was not so easy to implement.

“It was smooth on paper, but they forgot about the ravines…”

On January 24 at 16:00, Japanese diplomats announced the termination of negotiations and the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia. The Far Eastern governor, Admiral Alekseev, found out about this (taking into account the time difference) only on January 25th.

Contrary to the assertions of some "researchers" who reproached V.F. Rudnev for criminal inaction and the fatal loss of 2 days for the "Varyag" (January 24 and 25), there was no "inaction". The captain of the "Varangian" in Chemulpo could not find out about the break in diplomatic relations earlier than the governor himself in Port Arthur. In addition, without waiting for "special orders" from the command, on the morning of January 25, Rudnev himself went by train to Seoul to receive instructions from the head of the Russian mission, A.I. Pavlov, on the actions of the "Varyag". There he received information about the approach of the Japanese squadron to Chemulpo and the landing being prepared on January 29th. No orders were received regarding the Varyag, so Rudnev decided to send the Korean to Port Arthur to convey a report about the impending landing, but the port was already blocked by the Japanese squadron.

January 26 "Korean" tried to leave Chemulpo, but was stopped at sea. Not having an order to engage in battle, Belyaev decided to turn back.

The commander of the Japanese squadron, Rear Admiral Uriu, sent messages to the commanders of the warships of neutral countries located in Chemulpo - the English cruiser Talbot, the French Pascal, the Italian Elba and the American gunboat Vicksburg - with a request to leave the raid in connection with possible hostilities against "Varyag" and "Korean". The commanders of the first three ships protested that a battle in the roadstead would be a flagrant violation of the formal neutrality of Korea, but it was clear that this was unlikely to stop the Japanese.

In the early morning of January 27 (February 9, New Style), 1904, VF Rudnev took part in a meeting of ship commanders, which took place on board the Talbot. Despite the obvious sympathy on the part of the British, French and Italians, they could not provide any obvious support to the Russian sailors for fear of violating neutrality.

Convinced of this, V.F. Rudnev told the commanders gathered on the Talbot that he would make an attempt to break through and accept the battle, no matter how great the enemy’s forces were, that he would not fight in the raid and did not intend to surrender.

At 11.20 "Varyag" and "Korean" raised anchors and headed for the exit from the roadstead.

Did the Varyag have a chance to get away from the Japanese squadron, using the advantage in speed?

Here the opinions of specialists and historians differ sharply. According to the statements of Rudnev himself, set out by him in reports to his superiors, and later partly repeated in his memoirs, the "fastest" cruiser had not the slightest chance to escape from the Japanese. And the point was not in the slow-moving gunboat "Korean", the command of which Rudnev could easily take on board the "Varyag". It’s just that the cruiser itself, at low tide, without the ability to develop speed in a narrow fairway, could not give more than 16-17 knots at sea. The Japanese would have caught up with him anyway. Their cruisers reached speeds of up to 20-21 knots. In addition, Rudnev through the word mentions the "technical imperfections" of the Varyag, which could bring the cruiser at the most crucial moment.

In his book, published after the war, Rudnev insists on an even greater (apparently due to a much greater need to justify his actions in battle) lowering the maximum speed of the Varyag:

"The cruiser" Varyag "at the end of 1903 tested the bearings of the main mechanisms, which, due to the unsatisfactory metal, could not be brought to the desired results, and therefore the cruiser's stroke only reached 14 knots instead of the following 23"(“The battle of the Varyag at Chemulpo on January 27, 1904,” St. Petersburg, 1907, p. 3).

Meanwhile, in a number of studies of domestic historians, the fact of the "low-speed" "Varyag" or its malfunction at the time of the battle is completely refuted. Documents have been preserved showing that during repeated tests in October-November 1903, the cruiser showed a speed of 23.5 knots at full speed. Bearing failures have been eliminated. The cruiser had sufficient power and was not overloaded. However, in addition to Rudnev’s information, the “defectiveness” of the ship is evidenced by the fact that the Varyag, while based in Port Arthur, was constantly subjected to repairs and tests. Perhaps the main malfunctions had been eliminated by the time they left for Chemulpo, but on January 26-27, 1904, Captain Rudnev was not one hundred percent sure of his cruiser.

Another version of this version is put forward by the modern Russian historian V.D. Dotsenko in his book Myths and Legends of the Russian Navy (2004). He believes that the "Varyag" replaced the slow-moving "Boyarin" in Chemulpo only because only such a cruiser could get away from the Japanese pursuit using the evening tide. The height of the tides in Chemulpo reaches 8-9 meters (the maximum height of the tide is up to 10 meters).

“With a cruiser draft of 6.5 meters in full evening water, there was still an opportunity to break through the Japanese blockade,” writes V.D. Dotsenko, “but Rudnev did not use it. He settled on the worst option - to break through during the day at low tide and together with the "Korean". What this decision led to, everyone knows ... "

However, it is worth remembering here that the Varyag was not supposed to leave Chemulpo at all until further notice. The “breakthrough” of the cruiser to the Russian squadron planned in the headquarters game did not take into account that there would be no destroyers and no squadron near Chemulpo at that moment. On the night of January 26-27, almost simultaneously with the battle of the Varyag, the Japanese fleet attacked Port Arthur. Carried away by plans for offensive operations, the Russian command neglected defensive measures and actually missed the enemy's "preemptive strike" on the main naval base in the Far East. Such impudence of the Japanese "macaques" could not be imagined in any strategy game!

Even in the event of a successful breakthrough from Chemulpo, the Varyag had to make a 3-day transition to Port Arthur alone, where it would inevitably collide with another Japanese squadron. And where is the guarantee that on the high seas he would not have met even more superior enemy forces? Having accepted the battle near a neutral port, Rudnev had the opportunity to save people and publicly accomplish something similar to a feat. And in the world, as they say, even death is red!

Battle at Chemulpo

The battle of the Varyag and the Korean with the Japanese squadron near the port of Chemulpo took just over an hour.

At 11.25, Captain 1st Rank V.F. Rudnev ordered the combat alarm to be sounded and the flags to be raised. The Japanese squadron guarded the Russians at the southern tip of Philip Island. Closest to the exit was "Asama" and it was from her that they found the "Varangian" and "Korean" going towards them. At that time, Rear Admiral S. Uriu received an officer from the Talbot, who delivered the documents of the conference of commanders, on board the cruiser Naniva. Having received news from the Asama, the commander, quickly ending the conversation, ordered the anchor chains to be riveted, since there was no time to raise and clean the anchors. The ships began to hastily stretch out onto the stretch, reorganizing themselves into battle columns on the move, according to the disposition received the day before.

Asama and Chiyoda were the first to move, followed by the flagship Naniwa and the cruiser Niytaka, a little behind. On the beam of the non-firing side of the Naniva were the destroyers of one of the detachments. The remaining destroyers with the cruisers Akashi and Takachiho, having developed a large course, rushed in a south-westerly direction. Aviso "Chihaya" together with the destroyer "Kasasagi" were on patrol at the exit from the 30-mile fairway. Russian ships continued to move.

According to Japanese sources, Rear Admiral Uriu gave the signal to surrender, but the Varyag did not answer and was the first to start shooting at the Japanese flagship Naniwa. Russian sources claim that the first shot came from the Japanese cruiser Asama at 11.45. Following him, the entire Japanese squadron opened fire. “The Varyag, upon leaving the neutral raid, returned fire with armor-piercing shells from a distance of 45 cables. Asama, observing the cruiser breaking through on the port side, went to approach without stopping fire. He was actively supported by Naniva and Niitaka. One of the first Japanese shells destroyed the upper bridge of the Varyag and broke the fore-shrouds. At the same time, midshipman Count Alexei Nirod died, and all rangefinders of station No. 1 were killed or wounded. In the first minutes of the battle, the 6-inch Varyag gun was also hit, all the servants of the gun and feed were killed or wounded.

At the same time, Chiyoda attacked the Korean. The gunboat first fired high-explosive shells from the right 8-inch gun alternately at the lead cruiser and Takachiho. Soon, shortening the distance allowed the "Korean" to use the stern 6-inch gun.

At about 12.00, a fire started on the Varyag: cartridges with smokeless powder, deck and whaleboat No. 1 caught fire. The fire was caused by a shell that exploded on the deck, while 6 guns were hit. Other shells almost demolished the combat main top, destroyed the rangefinder station No. 2, knocked out several more guns, set fire to the lockers of the armored deck.

At 12.12 an enemy shell broke the pipe in which all the steering gears of the Varyag were laid. The uncontrolled ship rolled on the circulation on the stones of the island of Yodolmi. Almost simultaneously, the second shell exploded between Baranovsky's landing gun and the foremast, killing the entire crew of gun No. 35, as well as quartermaster I. Kostin, who was at the wheelhouse. Fragments flew into the passage of the conning tower, mortally wounding the bugler N. Nagle and the drummer D. Korneev. The commander of the cruiser Rudnev escaped with only a slight wound and shell shock.

The "Varangian" sat on the stones of the island and, turning to the enemy with its left side, was a stationary target. The Japanese ships moved closer. The situation seemed hopeless. The enemy was rapidly approaching, and the cruiser sitting on the rocks could not do anything. It was at this time that he received the most severe injuries. At 12.25 a large-caliber shell, breaking through the side under water, exploded in coal pit No. 10, and at 12.30 an 8-inch shell exploded in coal pit No. 12. The third boiler room began to quickly fill with water, the level of which approached the fireboxes. with remarkable dedication and composure, they covered up the coal pit, and the senior officer, captain of the 2nd rank, Stepanov, and the senior boatswain Kharkovsky, under a hail of fragments, began to bring patches under the holes. And at that moment, the cruiser itself, as if unwillingly, slid off the shallows and backed away from the dangerous place. No longer tempting fate, Rudnev ordered to lie down on the return course.

To the surprise of the Japanese, the pierced and burning Varyag, having increased its speed, confidently left in the direction of the raid.

Due to the narrowness of the fairway, only the Asama and Chiyoda cruisers could pursue the Russians. "Varyag" and "Korean" fired furiously, but because of the sharp heading angles, only two or three 152-mm guns could fire. At this time, an enemy destroyer appeared from behind the island of Yodolmi and rushed to the attack. It was the turn of small-caliber artillery - from the surviving guns "Varyag" and "Koreets" opened a dense barrage. The destroyer abruptly turned around and left without harming the Russian ships.

This unsuccessful attack prevented the Japanese cruisers from approaching the Russian ships in time, and when the Asama again rushed in pursuit, the Varyag and the Korean were already approaching the anchorage. The Japanese had to cease fire, as their shells began to fall near the ships of the international squadron. The cruiser Elba even had to move deeper into the raid because of this. At 12.45 the Russian ships also ceased fire. The fight is over.

Personnel losses

In total, during the battle, the Varyag fired 1105 shells: 425 -152 mm, 470 -75 mm and 210 - 47 mm. The effectiveness of his fire, unfortunately, is still unknown. According to official Japanese data published during the Russo-Japanese War, there were no hits on the ships of the Uriu squadron at all, and no one from their teams was injured. However, there is every reason to doubt the truth of this statement. So, on the cruiser "Asama" the bridge was destroyed and caught fire. Apparently, the aft turret was damaged, as it stopped firing until the end of the battle. The cruiser Takachiho was also seriously damaged. The cruiser "Chyoda" was sent to the dock for repairs. According to British and Italian sources, after the battle, the Japanese brought 30 dead to A-san Bay. According to an official document (a sanitary report for the war), the losses of the Varyag amounted to 130 people - 33 killed and 97 wounded. Rudnev in his reports gives a different figure - one officer and 38 lower ranks were killed, 73 people were injured. Several more people died from their wounds already on the shore. The "Korean" did not receive any damage and had no losses in the crew - it is clear that all the attention of the Japanese was turned to the "Varyag", after the destruction of which they were supposed to quickly end the boat.

Cruiser status

In total, 12-14 large high-explosive shells hit the cruiser. Although the armored deck was not destroyed and the ship kept moving, it should be recognized that by the end of the battle, the Varyag had almost completely exhausted its combat capabilities for resistance due to numerous serious damage.

The commander of the French cruiser Pascal, Victor Sene, who boarded the Varyag immediately after the battle, later recalled:

When examining the cruiser, in addition to the damage listed above, the following were also identified:

all 47 mm guns are unfit for firing;

five 6-inch guns received various serious damage;

seven 75-mm guns have completely disabled knurlers, compressors and other parts and mechanisms;

the upper elbow of the third chimney was destroyed;

all fans and boats are destroyed;

the upper deck was pierced in many places;

the commander's quarters were destroyed;

damaged for-mars;

four more holes were found.

Naturally, all these damages in the conditions of the besieged port could not be replenished and corrected on their own.

The sinking of the "Varyag" and its further fate

Rudnev, on a French boat, went to the English cruiser Talbot to arrange for the transportation of the crew of the Varyag to foreign ships and report on the alleged destruction of the cruiser right on the roadstead. Bailey, the commander of the Talbot, sharply objected to the explosion of the Varyag, motivating his opinion by the large crowding of ships in the roadstead. At 13.50 Rudnev returned to the Varyag. Hastily gathering the officers, he announced his intention and received their support. They immediately began transporting the wounded, and then the entire crew, to foreign ships. At 15.15, the commander of the "Varyag" sent midshipman V. Balk to the "Korean". G.P. Belyaev immediately gathered a military council, at which the officers decided: “The upcoming battle in half an hour is not equal, it will cause unnecessary bloodshed ... without harming the enemy, and therefore it is necessary ... to blow up the boat ... ". The crew of the "Korean" switched to the French cruiser "Pascal". The Varyag team was assigned to Pascal, Talbot and the Italian cruiser Elba. Subsequently, the commanders of foreign ships received approval and gratitude from their envoys for their actions.

At 15.50, Rudnev with the senior boatswain, bypassing the ship and making sure that no one was left on it, got off it along with the owners of the hold compartments, who opened the kingstones and flood valves. At 16.05, the "Korean" was blown up, and at 18.10 "Varyag" lay down on the port side and disappeared under water. The team also destroyed the Russian steamship Sungari, which was in the bay.

Almost immediately after the battle in Chemulpo, the Japanese began to lift the Varyag. The cruiser lay on the ground, on the port side, almost immersed in silt along the diametrical plane. At low tide, most of its hull was clearly visible above the water.

Specialists were brought from Japan to carry out the work and the necessary equipment was delivered. The rise of the ship was led by Lieutenant General of the Corps of Naval Engineers Arai. After examining the cruiser lying at the bottom, he hit Admiral Rear Admiral Uriu, saying that his squadron "could not sink a hopelessly faulty ship for an hour." Arai further suggested that raising and repairing the cruiser was not economically viable. But Uriu ordered the lifting work to begin anyway. For him, it was a matter of honor ...

In total, more than 300 skilled workers and divers worked on lifting the cruiser, and up to 800 Korean coolies were involved in auxiliary areas. Over 1 million yen was spent on lifting work.

Steam boilers and guns were removed from the ship, chimneys, fans, masts and other superstructures were cut down. The property of the officers found in the cabins was partially transferred to the local museum, and the personal belongings of V.F. Rudnev were returned to him in 1907.

Then Japanese specialists built a caisson, and pumped out water with the help of pumps, on August 8, 1905, they raised the Varyag to the surface. In November, accompanied by two steamships, the cruiser headed for the repair site in Yokosuka.

The overhaul of the cruiser, which received the new name Soya, took place in 1906-1907. After its completion, the appearance of the ship has changed a lot. There were new navigation bridges, navigational cabin, chimneys, fans. Dismantled mars platforms on mars. The nasal decoration has changed: the Japanese have erected their unchanging symbol - the chrysanthemum. The steam boilers and armament of the ship remained unchanged.

At the end of the repair, Soya was enrolled as a training ship in a cadet school. He served in his new role for 9 years. Having visited many countries of the world during this time.

Meanwhile, the First World War began. Russia began to form the flotilla of the Arctic Ocean, within which it was supposed to create a cruising squadron. But there were not enough ships for this. Japan, which at that moment was an ally of Russia, after lengthy bargaining, agreed to sell the captured ships of the First Pacific Squadron, including the Varyag.

On March 22, 1916, the cruiser was returned to its former, legendary name. And on March 27, in the Golden Horn Bay of Vladivostok, the Georgievsky pennant was raised on it. After repairs, on June 18, 1916, the Varyag under the flag of the Commander of the Detachment of Special Purpose Vessels, Rear Admiral A.I. Bestuzhev-Ryumin went to the open sea and headed for Romanov-on-Murman (Murmansk). In November, the cruiser was enrolled in the Arctic Ocean Flotilla as a flagship.

But the technical condition of the ship inspired concern, and in early 1917 an agreement was reached on its overhaul at a shipyard in the UK. On February 25, 1917, the Varyag left the shores of Russia forever and set off on his last independent campaign.

After the October Revolution in Russia, the British seized the cruiser on account of the debts of the tsarist government. Due to the poor technical condition in 1920, the ship was sold to Germany for scrap. While being towed, the Varyag landed on rocks off the coast of Southern Scotland, not far from the town of Lendelfoot. Part of the metal structures was then removed by local residents. In 1925, the Varyag finally sank, finding its last refuge at the bottom of the Irish Sea.

Until recently, it was believed that the remains of the Varyag were hopelessly lost. But in 2003, during the expedition led by A. Denisov, organized by the Rossiya TV channel, they managed to find the exact place of the ship's death and found its wreckage at the bottom.

The conclusions from all of the above suggest themselves.

The feat of the "Varangian" and "Korean", of course, is the very "feat" that could have been avoided, but ... Russian people are not used to running away from feats.

Today we cannot unequivocally judge the reasons for leaving the Varyag in Chemulpo. This action can be considered as part of a far-reaching strategic plan aimed at provoking the enemy, as well as presumptuous slovenliness. In any case, the commanders of the "Varyag" and "Koreets" became victims of a miscalculation of the top military leadership and a general "hatted" mood on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War.

Once in a hopeless situation, the officers and sailors behaved quite adequately and did everything to preserve the Russian military honor. Captain Rudnev did not hide in the port and draw the courts of neutral powers into the conflict. It looked worthy in the eyes of the European public. He did not surrender "Varyag" and "Korean" without a fight, but did everything to save the crews of the ships entrusted to him. The captain sank the Varyag in the waters of the port, where he had the opportunity, without fear of a sudden Japanese shelling, to evacuate the wounded in an organized manner, take out the necessary documents and things.

The only thing that can be blamed on V.F. Rudnev, it is that he was unable to immediately assess the scale of the damage inflicted on the Varyag in battle, and then followed the lead of the British and did not blow up the ship, as circumstances required. But, on the other hand, Rudnev did not want to quarrel with the captain of the Talbot and other Europeans at all: who would then take the teams of the Varyag and the Korean to Shanghai? And here it is worth remembering that Japanese engineers at first considered the recovery of the broken cruiser inappropriate. Only Admiral Uriu insisted on raising and repairing it. Rudnev also did not know about the peculiarities of the national Japanese character and could not foresee that the Japanese are able to repair anything ...

In 1917, one of the assistants of V.F. Rudnev, who had been in battle at Chemulpo, recalled that some senior officers, after the death of the Varyag, were afraid to return to Russia. They considered the clash with the Japanese at Chemulpo a mistake that turned into an expected defeat, and the loss of a warship was a crime for which a military court awaits them, demotion, and even bigger troubles. But the government of Nicholas II in this case acted more than reasonably. With the general hostility of Russian society to the war in the Far East, it was simply necessary to make a legendary feat out of an insignificant skirmish, appeal to the patriotism of the nation, honor the newly-minted heroes and continue the “small victorious war”. Otherwise, the drama of 1917 would have been played ten years earlier ...

Based on materials

Melnikov R.M. Cruiser "Varyag". - L .: Shipbuilding, 1983. - 287 p.: ill.

More than 300 years ago, by decree of Peter the Great, the St. Andrew's flag was raised on Russian ships for the first time. Since then, many heroic pages have been inscribed in the history of the fleet, but cruiser « Varangian"Refused to lower the banner in front of a huge enemy squadron in 1904, he forever remained in the memory of people as the most striking symbol of fearlessness, self-sacrifice and military prowess.

the history of the cruiser "Varyag"

And the history of this ship began more than 100 years ago in 1898 in the American city of Philadelphia. Easy armored deck cruiser « Varangian”was built in the USA by order of the Russian Naval Ministry. The shipyard of the company " American Company William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia on the Delaware River. The parties signed the contract on April 11, 1898. The choice of this shipbuilding company was not accidental. The plant was well known in Russia. Here they repaired and converted cruisers for the Russian fleet bought in America. In addition, the company promised to hand over ship after 20 months. This was much faster than the pace of building ships at Russian state-owned factories. For example, at the Baltic Shipyard for finished project built for about 7 years.

authentic photos of the cruiser "Varyag"

cruiser "Varyag" in the dock of Philadelphia

"Varyag" in Philadelphia before leaving for Russia

Algiers raid, September 1901

cruiser Varyag, 1916

However, all weapons Varangian was made in Russia. Guns at the Obukhov Plant, torpedo tubes at the Metal Plant in St. Petersburg. The Izhevsk plant manufactured equipment for the galley, the anchors were ordered in England.

On October 19, 1899, after lighting and a prayer service, it was solemnly launched into the water. " Varangian” amazed contemporaries not only with the beauty of forms and the perfection of proportions, but also with the many technical innovations used in its construction. Compared to the ships built earlier, she had significantly more devices powered by electricity, boat winches, windlasses, elevators for feeding shells and even the dough mixers in the ship's bakery were equipped with electric drives. For the first time in the history of shipbuilding, all furniture cruisers « Varangian” was made of metal and painted under a tree. This increased the survivability of the ship in battle and during a fire. Cruiser « Varangian” became the first Russian ship on which telephone sets were installed in almost all office premises, including gun posts.

One of the weak points cruisers there were new steam boilers" Nickolas"They allowed to develop high speed sometimes up to 24 knots, but were extremely unreliable in operation. Due to some shortcomings found, when accepting the ship, " Varangian”was commissioned at the beginning of 1901. During the construction of the cruiser, 6,500 people worked at the shipyard. Simultaneously with the construction Varangian» The Russian leadership ordered the construction armadillo « Retvizan» for the Russian Pacific squadron. It was built on a nearby slipway.

St. Andrew's flag and pennant were raised to cruiser « Varangian»January 2, 1901. In March of that year, the ship left Philadelphia forever. On the morning of May 3, 1901 Varangian"anchored on the Great Kronstadt roadstead. Two weeks later, a review was held, which was attended by Emperor Nicholas II himself. Ship the king liked it so much that the same one was included in the composition heading to Europe. After official visits to Germany, Denmark and France cruiser « Varangian"Departed to the place of permanent deployment in the Far East. On February 25, 1902, the warship arrived at Port Arthur. Before cruiser « Varangian” managed to visit the Persian Gulf, Singapore, Hong Kong and Nagasaki. Everywhere the appearance of a new spectacular Russian ship made a huge impression.

Port Arthur on the map

Japan, dissatisfied with the strengthening of Russian influence in the Far East, was feverishly preparing for a war with Russia. At the English shipyards, her fleet was practically rebuilt. The army was increased by 2.5 times. The most advanced developments of the type of weapons were taken for equipment. The Land of the Rising Sun, like Russia, considered the Far East a zone of its vital interests. The result of the coming war, according to the Japanese, was to be the expulsion of Russians from China and Korea, the rejection of Sakhalin Island and the establishment of Japan's dominance in the Pacific Ocean. Clouds were gathering over Port Arthur.

heroic battle of the cruiser "Varyag"

December 27, 1903 commander cruisers « Varangian» Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev received an order from the Russian viceroy to enter the Korean international port of Chemulpo (the current port of Inchhon, South Korea). According to the plan of the command, the cruiser was supposed to establish a reliable connection between Port Arthur and our envoy in Seoul, as well as designate the Russian military presence in Korea. It was forbidden to leave the port of Chemulpo without an order from the senior command. Due to the difficult fairway and shallow water " Varangian"anchored in the outer roadstead. A few days later he was joined by " Korean". It soon became clear that the Japanese were preparing for a major landing operation. On January 25, the commander of the cruiser, V. F. Rudnev, personally went to the Russian ambassador to pick him up and go home along with the entire mission. But Ambassador Pavlov did not dare to leave the embassy without an order from his department. A day later, the port was blocked by the armada of the Japanese squadron, which consisted of 14 ships. The flagship was the armored cruiser « Osama».

January 27 Commander cruisers « Varangian"Received an ultimatum from Admiral Urio. The Japanese commander offered to leave the port and surrender to the mercy of the victors, otherwise he threatened to attack Russian ships right in the roadstead. Upon learning of this, the ships of foreign states sent a protest - to go into battle on a neutral roadstead, at the same time they refused to accompany the Russians to the sea, where they would have more possibilities to maneuver and repel an attack.

On the cruiser « Varangian"and a gunboat" Korean began to prepare for battle. By tradition, all sailors and officers changed into clean shirts. At 10:45 VF Rudnev addressed the crew with a speech. The ship's priest blessed the sailors before the battle.

At 11:20 cruiser « Varangian"and a gunboat" Korean"were anchored and went towards the Japanese squadron. As a sign of admiration for the sailors, the French, British, Italians lined up the teams of their ships on the decks. On the " Varangian» The orchestra played the anthems of the states, in response, the anthem of the Russian Empire sounded on the Italian ship. When Russian ships appeared on the raid, the Japanese raised a signal offering to surrender, the commander cruisers ordered not to respond to enemy signals. For several minutes Admiral Uriot waited in vain for an answer. At first, he could not believe that the Russians were not going to surrender, but to attack his squadron. At 11:45 the flagship Osama"opened fire on the cruiser" Varangian". One of the first shells hit the upper bow bridge and destroyed the rangefinder station, the navigational warhead died. Two minutes later Varangian"opened strong return fire from the starboard side.

It was especially difficult for the gunners who were on the upper deck. The Japanese first used a new tactic in this battle - they literally fell asleep cruiser « Varangian» high-explosive projectiles of strong explosive action, even when hitting water, such a projectile shattered into hundreds of pieces.

The Russian Navy used powerful armor-piercing shells. They pierced the sides of enemy ships without exploding.

paintings with the cruiser "Varyag"

Battle of the cruiser "Varyag"

There was blood and gore everywhere, charred arms and legs, torn bodies and exposed flesh. The wounded refused to leave their places, only those who could no longer stand on their feet got into the infirmary. The upper deck was pierced in several places, all fans and grilles cruisers turned into a sieve. When the next explosion tore off the stern flag, the boatswain raised a new one, risking his life. At 12:15 Rudnev decided to bring the left side gun into battle. When ship began to unfold, two large shells hit him at the same time. The first hit the room where all the steering gears were located, fragments of the second flew into the conning tower, three people standing next to Rudnev were killed on the spot. Commander himself cruisers « Varangian"He was wounded in the head, but, despite the concussion, he remained at his post and continued to lead the battle. When the distance between the opponents was reduced to 5 km, the gunboat " Korean».

It is curious that not a single Japanese shell hit her. The day before, the commander ordered the masts to be shortened, which prevented the Japanese from accurately determining the distance and adjusting their fire.

At 12:25 " Varangian opened fire from the port side. A direct hit destroyed the stern bridge of the Osama, after which a strong fire broke out on the flagship. By this time, the second Japanese cruiser " Takatiha”, having received serious damage, was forced to withdraw from the battle. One of the destroyers sank. At 12:30, two shells pierced the side of the cruiser " Varangian" under the water. Cruiser began to roll to the left side. While the team was battening up the holes, Rudnev decided to return to the port of Chemulpo. On the raid, he planned to repair the damage and put out the fires, then to return to the battle again.

At 12:45, as they approached the raid, the general fire ceased. During the battle Varangian" managed to fire 1105 shells at the enemy. At 13:15 wounded and smoking " Varangian"I anchored in the roadstead. According to eyewitnesses, the entire deck was covered in blood. 130 wounded sailors lay in the burnt rooms of the cruiser. 22 people were killed during the battle. Of the 12 six-inch guns, only two remained operational. Further resistance was not possible. And then the military council of the cruiser decided that the ships would not go to the Japanese to flood, and the crew, by agreement, should be placed on foreign ships. Having received Rudnev's appeal, the commanders of the European ships immediately sent boats with orderlies. Several sailors died during the evacuation. Most of all - 352 people - took French cruiser « Pascal”, The British took 235 people, the Italians - 178. At 15:30 on“ Varangian» opened the kingstones and flood valves, « Korean"was blown up.

February 9, 1904 at 18:10 light armored cruiser « Varangian"lay down on the port side and disappeared under the water.

Not a single officer or sailor was taken prisoner after the battle. Respecting the courage shown in that battle, Admiral Urio agreed to let them through the war zone to return to their homeland.

Two months later with the sailors Varangian" And " Korean"Arrived in Odessa. The heroes of Chemulpo were greeted by the thunder of orchestras, by thousands of demonstrations. The sailors were showered with flowers and an unprecedented outburst of patriotic feelings. All participants in the battle were awarded St. George's crosses. Each sailor received a nominal watch from the emperor. Then the first songs dedicated to the cruiser appeared " Varangian"and a gunboat" Korean».

the second life of the cruiser "Varyag"

after battle

after getting up in August 1905

Japanese cruiser "SOYA" ("Varangian")

However, on this history of the legendary cruiser didn't end. Shortly after the battle, it became clear that " Varangian sank not deep. During low tides, the water level in Chemulpo Bay dropped to 9 meters. Upon learning of this, the Japanese began work on raising the cruiser " Varangian". A month later, divers and special equipment were delivered to Chemulpo from Japan. Guns, masts and pipes were removed from the cruiser, coal was unloaded, but all attempts to raise it in 1904 ended in failure. Only on August 8, 1905, after the creation of special caissons, it was possible to tear off cruiser from the muddy bottom. In November 1905 Varangian reached Japan on its own. Almost two years cruiser « Varangian"was in the city of Yokosuka on a major overhaul. Work on its rise and restoration cost the Japanese treasury 1 million yen. In 1907, he was commissioned into the Japanese navy under the title " Soya". At the stern, as a sign of respect for the enemy, an inscription of the former name of the cruiser was left. For nine years cruiser was a training ship for a cadet school. It taught how to defend the honor of their homeland.

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The battle of the cruiser "Varyag" - forever in the history of the Russian fleet and the memory of the Russian people

P.T. Maltsev. Cruiser Varyag. 1955

The fate of a ship is akin to the fate of a person. In the biography of some - only construction, measured service and decommissioning. Risky campaigns, devastating storms, heated battles, and participation in important events fall to the lot of others. The former are mercilessly erased by human memory, extolling the latter as witnesses and active participants in the historical process. One of these ships, without a doubt, is the Varyag cruiser. The name of this ship is well known, perhaps, to every inhabitant of our country. However, the general public knows, at best, one of the pages of his biography - the battle in Chemulpo Bay. The short service of this ship coincided with the fateful military events, social and political changes that swept the world and Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The history of the Russian cruiser Varyag is unique. It started in the US, continued in Korea and Japan, and ended in Scotland. American and British workers, Russian sailors, the Russian Tsar, Japanese cadets, revolutionary sailors walked on the decks of the Varyag...

Beginning in 1868, Russia constantly kept a small detachment of warships in the Pacific Ocean. The forces of the Baltic Fleet were based here in the ports of Japan on a rotational basis. In the 1880s, the strengthening of Japan's position began, accompanied by an increase in its population, an increase in its military power and military-political ambitions. In 1896, the General Naval Staff prepared a special report on the need for an urgent increase in Russian naval forces in the Far East and the equipment of its bases there.

In 1898, a shipbuilding program was adopted in Russia. Due to the workload of Russian factories, part of the orders were placed at American shipyards. One of the contracts provided for the construction of an armored cruiser with a displacement of 6000 tons and a speed of 23 knots. Nicholas II ordered that the cruiser under construction be given the name "Varyag" in honor of the sail-propeller corvette that participated in the American expedition of 1863.

The construction was accompanied by scandals and heated debates about what the future ship should be like. In search of a compromise between the Crump shipyard, the supervisory commission and maritime officials in St. Petersburg and Washington, important technical aspects were repeatedly revised. Some of these decisions later cost the cruiser's crew dearly, playing a role in its fate. For example, at the insistent request of shipbuilders, boilers were installed that did not allow the ship to reach its design speed. To lighten the mass of the ship, it was decided to abandon the armored shields that protect the gun crews.

The cruiser "Varyag" at the Kramp shipyard. USA

The results of sea trials caused no less controversy. However, despite the delay associated with the strikes of American workers and the coordination of documents between the Russian Naval Department and the American shipyard, at the beginning of 1901 the ship was handed over to the Russian crew. Two months later, the armored cruiser Varyag headed for Russia.

The Russian fleet has replenished with a wonderful ship. The length of the cruiser along the waterline was 127.8 m, the width was 15.9 m, the draft was about 6 m. The cruiser's steam engines, which consisted of 30 boilers, had a total power of 20,000 hp. Many ship mechanisms had an electric drive, which greatly facilitated the life of the crew, but increased the consumption of coal. The cabins, cabins, posts, cellars, engine rooms and other service rooms of the ship were connected by telephone, which was an innovation for Russian ships at that time. The Varyag was surprisingly good with its architecture, which was distinguished by four pipes and a high forecastle, which improved the seaworthiness of the ship.

The cruiser received powerful armament: 12 152-mm guns, 12 75-mm guns, 8 47-mm guns, 2 37-mm guns, 2 63.5-mm Baranovsky guns. In addition to artillery, 6 381 mm torpedo tubes and 2 7.62 mm machine guns were installed on the cruiser. To control artillery fire, the ship was equipped with 3 rangefinder stations. The sides and conning tower of the cruiser were reinforced with solid armor.

To staff the cruiser, 21 officer positions, 9 conductors and 550 lower ranks were supposed. In addition to this state, from the first sailing to the last battle, there was also a priest on board. The command of the new ship was entrusted to Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Iosifovich Baer, ​​who oversaw the construction of the cruiser in Philadelphia from the moment it was laid down to the moment it was handed over to the Russian fleet. Baer was an experienced sailor who had gone through all the necessary career steps in 30 years from watch officer to commander. He had an excellent military education and owned three foreign languages. However, contemporaries remembered him as a tough commander who kept the crew in exceptional severity.

Having made a transatlantic crossing, the Varyag cruiser arrived in Kronstadt. Here the new ship was honored with a visit by the emperor. Here is how these events are described in the memoirs of eyewitnesses: “Outwardly, it looked more like an ocean yacht than a battle cruiser. The appearance of the "Varangian" to Kronstadt was presented as a spectacular spectacle. To the sounds of a military band, an elegant cruiser in a dazzling white dress color entered the Big Road. And the morning sun was reflected in the nickel-plated barrels of the main caliber guns. On May 18, Emperor Nicholas II himself arrived to get acquainted with the Varyag. The king was captivated - he even forgave the builder for some assembly defects.

The Varyag was rightfully considered the most beautiful ship of the Russian Imperial Navy. This is how it looked in June 1901. Photo by E. Ivanov

However, very soon the ship had to go to the Far East. Relations with Japan escalated, and in the ruling circles, more and more often they talked about the upcoming war. The cruiser "Varyag" had to make a long transition and strengthen the military power of Russia on the eastern borders.

In the autumn of 1901, the cruiser went on a long voyage along the route St. Petersburg - Cherbourg - Cadiz - Algiers - Palermo - Crete - Suez Canal - Aden - Persian Gulf - Karachi - Colombo - Singapore - Nagasaki - Port Arthur. The transition began to affect the technical imperfections of the design of the cruiser. The boilers, around the installation of which there was so much controversy, allowed the ship to go at low speed. Only a short time The Varyag could move at a 20-knot course (subsequent attempts, already in the Far East, to correct the situation led to a further decrease in speed. At the time of the battle in Chemulpo, the ship could not move faster than 16 knots).

Having made a significant number of calls to foreign ports, rounding Europe and Asia, on February 25, 1902, the Varyag arrived at the Port Arthur roadstead. Here the cruiser was inspected by Vice Admiral, Chief of the Pacific Squadron, and Admiral, Commander of the Pacific Ocean Naval Forces. The ship became part of the Pacific squadron and began intense combat training. In her first year alone in the Pacific, the cruiser traveled almost 8,000 nautical miles, conducting some 30 artillery practice fires, 48 ​​torpedo fires, and many mine and netting exercises. However, all this was not "thanks" but "despite". The commission, which assessed the technical condition of the ship, gave him a severe diagnosis: "The cruiser will not be able to reach speeds above 20 knots without the risk of severe damage to boilers and machines." Vice Admiral N.I. Skrydlov described the technical condition of the ship and the efforts of its crew as follows: “The stoic behavior of the crew is commendable. But young people would not have had to mobilize all their strength to overcome a simple curriculum if the damned fate of one American had not put them in such conditions with their incompetence in matters of engineering.

The cruiser "Varyag" and the squadron battleship "Poltava" in the Western Basin of Port Arthur. November 21, 1902 Photo by A. Diness

On March 1, 1903, a captain of the 1st rank took command of the cruiser. Unlike his predecessor, he had humane views on working with the crew. With his humane attitude towards the sailors, he soon earned the respect of the crew, but faced misunderstanding on the part of the command. Under the leadership of a talented commander, the cruiser continued to participate in the activities of the fleet. During artillery firing, V.F. Rudnev discovered that almost a quarter of large-caliber shells did not explode. He reported this to the command, and achieved a complete replacement of ammunition. But the shooting results remained the same.

The cruiser continued to regularly serve as part of the Pacific Squadron. Frequent accidents of the Varyag cars, as well as its low speed, forced the cruiser to be sent to the Korean port of Chemulpo as a stationary. In order not to overload the cruiser's vehicles once again, the Korean gunboat was assigned as a courier.

In addition to the Varyag, ships from other countries also stood in Chemulpo: England, the USA, France, Italy and Japan. The latter, practically without hiding, was preparing for war. Her ships were repainted camouflage white, and her coastal garrisons were heavily reinforced. The port of Chemulpo was flooded with many floating craft prepared for landing, and thousands of Japanese masquerading as the local population walked the streets of the city. Captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev reported on the approaching start of hostilities, but in response he received assurances that all this was just a demonstration by the Japanese of their strength. Realizing that war was inevitable, he spent intense training with the crew. When the Japanese cruiser Chiyoda left the port of Chemulpo, Captain 1st Rank V.F. It became obvious to Rudnev that the start of hostilities was a matter of days, if not hours.

At 07:00 on January 24, the combined fleet of Japan left the port of Sasebo and entered the Yellow Sea. He was to strike at Russian ships five days before the official declaration of war. From common forces the detachment of Rear Admiral Uriu separated, who was instructed to block the port of Chemulpo and accept surrender from the ships stationed there.

On January 26, 1904, the gunboat "Korean" was sent to Port Arthur, but at the exit from Chemulpo Bay she collided with a Japanese detachment. Japanese ships blocked the "Korean" path, fired a torpedo salvo at it. The gunboat had to return to port, and this incident was the first clash in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Having blocked the bay and entered it with several cruisers, the Japanese began landing on the coast. This went on all night. On the morning of January 27, Rear Admiral Uriu wrote letters to the commanders of the ships stationed on the roadstead with a proposal to leave Chemulpo in view of the upcoming battle with Russian ships. Captain 1st rank Rudnev was asked to leave the port and take the fight at sea: “Sir, in view of the current hostile actions between the governments of Japan and Russia, I respectfully ask you to leave the port of Chemulpo with the forces under your command before noon on January 27, 1904 Otherwise, I will be obliged to open fire against you in the port. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant. Uriu."

The commanders of the ships stationed in Chemulpo organized a meeting on board the British cruiser Talbot. They condemned the Japanese ultimatum and even signed an appeal to Uriu. Captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev announced to his colleagues that he was going to break out of Chemulpo and take the fight on the high seas. He asked them to provide "Varangian" and "Korean" with an escort before going to sea, however, he was refused. Moreover, the commander of the Talbot cruiser, Commodore L. Bailey, informed the Japanese about Rudnev's plans.

At 11:20 on January 27, "Varyag" and "Korean" began to move. The decks of foreign ships were filled with people who wanted to pay tribute to the bravery of Russian sailors. It was an uplifting yet tragic moment in which some people could not hold back their tears. The commander of the French cruiser Pascal, Captain 2nd Rank V. Sanes, later wrote: “We saluted these heroes, who were marching so proudly to certain death.” In the Italian newspapers, this moment was described as follows: “On the bridge of the Varyag, its commander stood motionless, calmly. A thunderous cheer escaped from everyone's chest and rolled around. The feat of great self-sacrifice assumed epic proportions. As much as possible, foreign sailors waved their caps and peakless caps after the Russian ships.

Rudnev himself admitted in his memoirs that he did not remember the details of the battle, but he remembered in great detail the hours that preceded it: “Leaving the port, I thought which side the enemy would be from, which guns were standing by which gunners. I also thought about the hot send-offs of strangers: would this be beneficial, would it undermine the morale of the crew? I briefly thought about the family, mentally said goodbye to everyone. And I did not think about my fate at all. The consciousness of too much responsibility for people and ships obscured other thoughts. Without firm confidence in the sailors, I might not have made the decision to engage in battle with the enemy squadron.

The weather was clear and calm. The sailors of the "Varyag" and "Korean" clearly saw the Japanese armada. With every minute, Azama, Naniwa, Takachiho, Chiyoda, Akashi, Niitoka and the destroyers were getting closer. It was hardly possible to seriously count on the combat capabilities of the gunboat "Korean". 14 Japanese ships against one Russian. 181 guns versus 34. 42 torpedo tubes versus 6.

When the distance between the opponents was reduced to the removal of an artillery shot, a flag was raised over the flagship of the Japanese, meaning an offer to surrender. The answer to the enemy was Russian topmast battle flags. At 11:45 a.m., the first shot of this battle, which has gone down in world naval history, was fired from the cruiser Azama. The guns of the Varyag were silent, waiting for the optimal approach. When the opponents got even closer, all Japanese ships opened fire on the Russian cruiser. The time has come to join the battle and the Russian gunners. "Varyag" opened fire on the largest of the Japanese ships. Captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev, who controlled the battle from the bridge, it was obvious that it would not be possible to break into the sea, and even more so to break away from superior enemy forces. It was necessary to inflict as much damage on the enemy as possible.

Unparalleled battle "Varangian" and "Korean" near Chemulpo. 1904 poster

The shells of the Japanese fell closer. When they began to explode at the very side, the deck of the cruiser began to fall asleep with a hail of fragments. In the midst of the battle, the Japanese fired dozens of shells per minute at the Varyag. The sea around the brave ship literally boiled, rising in dozens of fountains. Almost at the very beginning of the battle, a large Japanese projectile destroyed the bridge, caused a fire in the navigational cabin, and destroyed the rangefinder post along with its personnel. Midshipman A.M. died. Nirod, sailors V. Maltsev, V. Oskin, G. Mironov. Many sailors were injured. The second accurate hit destroyed the six-inch gun No. 3, near which G. Postnov died and his comrades were seriously wounded. Japanese artillery fire disabled six-inch guns No. 8 and 9, as well as 75-mm guns No. 21, 22 and 28. Commanders D. Kochubey, S. Kapralov, M. Ostrovsky, A. Trofimov, P. Mukhanov were killed, sailors K. Spruge, F. Khokhlov, K. Ivanov. Many were injured. This is where the savings in the mass of the ship affected, due to which the guns were deprived of armor, and the crews were deprived of protection from fragments. The participants in the battle later recalled that real hell reigned on the upper deck of the cruiser. In the terrifying roar, it was impossible to hear a human voice. However, no one showed confusion, concentrating on doing their job. Most clearly, the crew of the Varyag characterizes the mass refusal of medical care. The wounded commander of the plutonga midshipman P.N. Gubonin refused to leave the gun and go to the infirmary. He continued to command the crew while lying down until he passed out from loss of blood. Many "Varangians" followed his example in that battle. The doctors managed to carry away to the infirmary only those who were completely exhausted or lost consciousness.

The tension of the battle did not abate. The number of Varyag guns that failed from direct hits by enemy shells has increased. Sailors M. Avramenko, K. Zrelov, D. Artasov and others died near them. One of the enemy shells damaged the combat main-mars and destroyed the second rangefinder post. From that moment on, the gunners began to shoot, which is called "by eye".

The conning tower of the Russian cruiser was destroyed. The commander miraculously survived, but the staff bugler N. Nagl and drummer D. Koreev, who were standing next to him, died. Orderly V.F. Rudneva T. Chibisov was wounded in both hands, but refused to leave the commander. The helmsman Snegirev was wounded in the back, but he did not tell anyone about this and remained at his post. The commander, who was wounded and shell-shocked, had to move to a room located behind the conning tower and direct the battle from there. Due to damage to the steering gear, it was necessary to switch to manual control of the rudders.

One of the shells destroyed gun number 35, near which gunner D. Sharapov and sailor M. Kabanov died. Other shells damaged the steam pipe leading to the steering gear. At the most intense moment of the battle, the cruiser completely lost control.

Trying to hide from the destructive fire behind the island, in order to give the crew the opportunity to put out the fires, the cruiser began to describe a large circulation in the narrow strait and received serious damage to the underwater part on the pitfalls. At this point, the guns were thrown into confusion caused by rumors of the commander's death. Captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev had to go to the wing of the destroyed bridge in a bloody uniform. The news that the commander was alive instantly spread around the ship.

Senior navigator E.A. Behrens reported to the commander that the cruiser was losing its buoyancy and was gradually sinking. Several underwater holes filled the ship with outboard water at once. The bilge men courageously fought against her entry. But in the conditions of a fierce battle, it was impossible to eliminate the leaks. As a result of the concussion, one of the boilers moved and leaked. The boiler room was filled with scalding steam, in which the stokers did not leave their efforts to seal up the holes. V.F. Rudnev decided, without changing course, to go back to the Chemulpo raid in order to repair the damage and continue the battle. The ship went back on its course, after receiving several more accurate hits from large-caliber shells.

Throughout the entire hour of the battle, boatswain P. Olenin was on duty at the main mast, ready to change the flag on the hafel every minute if it was shot down. Shrapnel wounded P. Olenin's leg, tore off his uniform, smashed the butt of a weapon, but he did not leave his post for a minute. The sentry had to change the flag twice.

The gunboat "Korean" throughout the battle maneuvered after the "Varangian". The distance at which the shooting was carried out did not allow her to use her guns. The Japanese did not fire on the boat, concentrating their efforts on the cruiser. When the "Varyag" left the battle, a signal was raised on his yardarm to the "Korean": " Full swing follow me." The Japanese fired at the Russian ships after. Some of them began to pursue the "Varangian", leading an artillery duel with him. The Japanese ceased fire on the Russian cruiser only when it stood on the Chemulpo roadstead in close proximity to the ships of neutral countries. The legendary battle of Russian ships with superior enemy forces ended at 12:45.

There is no reliable information about the effectiveness of the firing of Russian gunners. The results of the battle at Chemulpo are still the subject of discussion among historians. The Japanese themselves insist that their ships did not receive a single hit. According to foreign missions and military attachés in Japan, Rear Admiral Uriu's detachment nevertheless suffered losses in this battle. Three cruisers were damaged and dozens of sailors were killed.

The cruiser "Varyag" was a terrifying sight. The sides of the ship were riddled with numerous holes, the superstructures were turned into piles of metal, rigging and torn crumpled sheets of plating hung from the sides. The cruiser was almost lying on the port side. The crews of foreign ships again looked at the Varyag, taking off their hats, but this time in their eyes there was not delight, but horror. 31 sailors died in that battle, 85 people were seriously and moderately wounded, more than a hundred were lightly wounded.

Having assessed the technical condition of the ship, the commander gathered a council of officers. A breakthrough in the sea was unthinkable, a battle in the road meant an easy victory for the Japanese, the cruiser was sinking, and could hardly stay afloat for a long time. The officers' council decided to blow up the cruiser. The commanders of foreign ships, whose crews provided considerable assistance to the Varyag by taking on board all the wounded, asked not to blow up the cruiser in the narrow water area of ​​the port, but simply to drown it. Despite the fact that the "Koreets" did not receive a single hit, and did not have any damage, the gunboat's council of officers decided to follow the example of the cruiser's officers and destroy their ship.

The mortally wounded "Varyag" was about to roll over when the international signal "I'm in distress" rose on its mast. The cruisers of neutral states (the French Pascal, the English Talbot and the Italian Elba) sent boats to remove the crew. Only the American ship Vicksburg refused to take Russian sailors on board. The commander was the last to leave the cruiser. Accompanied by the boatswain, he made sure that all the people were removed from the cruiser, and went down into the boat, holding the Varyag flag torn by fragments in his hands. The cruiser was sunk by the opening of the Kingstons, and the gunboat "Koreets" was blown up.

It is noteworthy that the significantly superior Japanese detachment failed to defeat the Russian cruiser. He went to the bottom not from the combat impact of the enemy, but was flooded by the decision of the officers' council. The crews of the "Varyag" and "Korean" managed to avoid the status of prisoners of war. Russian sailors were taken on board by the French, British and Italians in response to Rudnev's signal "I'm in distress" as victims of a shipwreck.

Russian sailors were taken out of Chemulpo by a chartered steamer. Having lost their uniforms in battle, many of them were dressed in French. Captain 1st rank V.F. Rudnev thought about how his act would be accepted by the tsar, the naval leadership and the Russian people. The answer to this question was not long in coming. Upon arrival at the port of Colombo, the commander of the Varyag received a telegram from Nicholas II, with which he welcomed the crew of the cruiser and thanked him for his heroic deed. The telegram informed that Captain 1st Rank V.F. Rudnev was awarded the title of adjutant wing. In Odessa, the "Varangians" were greeted as national heroes. A worthy meeting was prepared for them and the highest awards were presented. The officers were awarded the Order of St. George, and the sailors - the insignia of this order.

The heroes of the Varyag, led by the commander of the cruiser V.F. Rudnev in Odessa. April 6, 1904

The further journey of the "Varangians" to St. Petersburg was accompanied by general rejoicing and stormy applause from the people who met their train along the way. In large cities, the composition with the heroes was greeted with rallies. They were presented with gifts and all kinds of treats. In St. Petersburg, the train with the sailors "Varyag" and "Koreets" was personally met by General-Admiral Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, who told them that the Sovereign himself was inviting them to the Winter Palace. The procession of sailors from the station to the palace, which caused an unprecedented excitement among the people of St. Petersburg, turned into a real celebration of the Russian spirit and patriotism. IN winter palace the crews were invited to a solemn breakfast, each participant of which was presented with cutlery in memory.

When Japanese engineers examined the Varyag at the bottom of Chemulpo Bay, they came to a disappointing conclusion: design flaws, multiplied by significant combat damage, made raising the ship and repairing it economically unprofitable. However, the Japanese nevertheless went for an expensive procedure, raised, repaired and commissioned the cruiser as a training ship under the name Soya.

The rise of the cruiser "Varyag" by the Japanese

In the midst of the First World War, when the Russian Empire was in dire need of warships, after lengthy negotiations, the cruiser was bought from Japan for a lot of money. Under his native name, he became part of the Russian fleet. The technical condition of the Varyag was depressing. The right propeller shaft was bent, causing the hull to vibrate heavily. The speed of the ship did not exceed 12 knots, and its artillery consisted of only a few small-caliber cannons of an outdated model. A portrait of Captain 1st Rank Rudnev hung in the cruiser's wardroom, and a bas-relief depicting a battle scene in Chemulpo was placed in the sailor's cockpit at the initiative of the crew.

In March 1917, the cruiser received an order to make the transition from Vladivostok to Murmansk through the Suez Canal. For 12 officers and 350 sailors under the command of Captain 1st Rank Falk, this campaign was very difficult. In the Indian Ocean, during a storm, a leak opened in a coal pit, with which the crew continuously struggled. In the Mediterranean, the list of the vessel reached alarming values, and the ship had to stand up for repairs in one of the ports. In June 1917, the ship arrived in Murmansk, where it was supposed to reinforce the flotilla of the Arctic Ocean.

The condition of the cruiser was so bad that immediately upon arrival in Murmansk, the naval command sent it to the English port of Liverpool for overhaul. Taking advantage of the political confusion in Russia, the British refused to repair the ship. Most of the Varyag crew were forcibly taken to the United States. When, after the October Revolution, a few Russian sailors, left on the cruiser for protection, tried to raise the flag of the Soviet Republic on it, they were arrested, and the cruiser was declared the property of the British Navy.

While proceeding to the place of dismantling in the Irish Sea, the long-suffering cruiser ran aground. Attempts to remove it from the coastal stones were unsuccessful. The legendary ship found its last resting place 50 meters from the shore in the small town of Landalfoot in the Scottish county of South Ayrshire.

Immediately after the historic battle in Chemulpo, there were many who wanted to perpetuate the name "Varangian" in the names of ships and vessels. This is how at least 20 "Varyags" appeared, which during the years of the Civil War were marked by participation in hostilities both on the side of the Whites and on the side of the Reds. However, by the beginning of the 1930s, there were no ships with that name left. The years of oblivion have come.

The feat of the "Varangians" was remembered during the Great Patriotic War. Military newspapers sang the battle of the patrol ship Tuman, saying that its sailors accepted death to the song about the Varyag. The icebreaking steamer "Sibiryakov" received the unspoken nickname "polar Varyag", and the boat Shch-408 - "underwater Varyag". Immediately after the end of the war, a film was made about the cruiser Varyag, in which no less than famous ship- cruiser Aurora".

The 50th anniversary of the battle in Chemulpo Bay was celebrated on a grand scale. Historians managed to find a lot of sailors who participated in those memorable events. In cities Soviet Union there were several monuments dedicated to the historical battle. Veterans of "Varyag" and "Korean" were assigned personal pensions, and from the hands of the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy, they received medals "For Courage".

The leadership of the Soviet fleet decided to return the well-deserved name "to service". The project 58 missile cruiser under construction was called the Varyag. This guards ship was destined for a long interesting service. He happened to go through the Northern Sea Route. For 25 years of service, he was recognized 12 times as an excellent ship of the USSR Navy. No one before or after managed to hold this title for 5 years in a row.

Missile cruiser "Varyag" project 58

After the decommissioning of the Varyag missile cruiser, it was decided to transfer this name to the aircraft-carrying cruiser under construction in Nikolaev. However, political upheavals intervened again in the fate of the Varyag. Due to the collapse of the USSR, it was never completed. The well-deserved name was transferred aboard the project 1164 missile cruiser of the Russian Pacific Fleet. This ship is still in service today, with its daily military work providing an invisible connection between generations of Russian sailors.

Missile cruiser "Varyag" project 1164

The battle of the cruiser "Varyag" is inscribed in the history of the Russian fleet in golden letters. It was reflected not only in the names of subsequent ships, but also in many works of art. A monument to V.F. Rudnev with a bas-relief depicting a battle in Chemulpo. The Russian people composed many songs about the Varyag. Artists, cinematographers, and publicists turned to the history of the Varyag. The battle of the cruiser is in demand by creative people, because it is a case of unparalleled courage and loyalty to the Fatherland. Russian museums cherish the memory of the Varyag with special care. After the death of Captain 1st Rank Rudnev, his family handed over the unique materials of the commander for storage to the museums of Sevastopol and Leningrad. Many artifacts related to the battle in Chemulpo are stored in the Central Naval Museum.

No wonder they say that the war is not over until the last participant is buried. The situation when the legendary Russian cruiser lay forgotten by everyone on the coastal rocks of Scotland was intolerable to people who were not indifferent to the fate of the Russian fleet. In 2003, a Russian expedition examined the site of the Varyag sinking. A commemorative plaque was installed on the Scottish coast, and fundraising began in Russia for the installation of a memorial to the legendary Russian ship.

On September 8, 2007, a solemn ceremony of opening the memorial of the cruiser Varyag took place in the town of Lendelfoot. This monument became the first monument of Russian military glory in the territory of the United Kingdom. Its components were a bronze cross, a three-ton anchor and anchor chain. At the base of the cross were laid capsules with earth from places dear to the sailors of the Varyag: Tula, Kronstadt, Vladivostok ... It is noteworthy that the memorial project was selected on a competitive basis, and Sergey Stakhanov, a graduate of the Nakhimov Naval School, won this competition. The young sailor was given the honorable right to tear off a white sheet from the majestic monument. To the sound of a song about the cruiser Varyag, the sailors of the large anti-submarine ship Severomorsk of the Northern Fleet marched past the monument.

More than a century after the battle of the Varyag in Chemulpo Bay, the memory of this event continues to live. The eastern borders of Russia are guarded by the modern missile cruiser Varyag. The memorial to the cruiser is inscribed in all guidebooks in Scotland. Exhibits associated with the cruiser take pride of place in the expositions of museums. However, the main thing is that the memory of the heroic cruiser continues to live in the hearts of the Russian people. The cruiser "Varyag" has become an integral part of the history of our country. Now, when Russia is on the way of comprehending its history and searching for a national idea, the unparalleled feat of the Varyag sailors is in demand more than ever.

Major Vladimir Pryamitsyn,
Deputy Head of the Research Department
Institute (military history) VAGSh Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
candidate of military sciences

Probably none one person in Russia, who would not have heard about the suicidal feat of the Varyag cruiser. Despite the fact that more than a hundred years have passed since the events described below, the memory of unheard-of heroism still lives in the hearts and memory of people. But at the same time, knowing in general terms the history of this legendary ship, we lose sight of many amazing details with which its fate is rich. The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a clash of interests between two rapidly developing empires - the Russian and Japanese. The stumbling block was the territories belonging to Russia in the Far East, which the Japanese emperor slept and saw as belonging to his country. On February 6, 1904, Japan severed all diplomatic relations with Russia, and already on February 9, it blocked the port of Chemulpo, where the Varyag, unknown at that time, was located.

Made in USA

The armored cruiser of the 1st rank was laid down in 1898. Construction was carried out at the William Cramp and Sons shipyards in Philadelphia. In 1900, the cruiser was transferred to the Navy of the Russian Empire. According to the commander of the cruiser Rudnev, the ship was delivered with many construction defects, due to which, as expected, it would not be able to reach speeds above 14 knots. "Varyag" was even going to be returned back for repairs. However, during trials in the fall of 1903, the cruiser developed a speed almost equal to that shown in the initial trials.

Diplomatic mission "Varyag"

From January 1904, the famous cruiser was at the disposal of the Russian embassy in Seoul, stood in the neutral Korean port of Chemulpo and did not take any military action. By an evil irony of fate, the "Varyag" and the gunboat "Korean" had to enter into a losing battle, the first in an ingloriously lost war.

Before the fight

On the night of February 8, the Japanese cruiser Chiyoda secretly sailed from the port of Chemulpo. His departure did not go unnoticed by Russian sailors. On the same day, the "Korean" went to Port Arthur, but at the exit from Chemulpo was subject to a torpedo attack and was forced to return back to the raid. On the morning of February 9, Captain First Rank Rudnev received an official ultimatum from the Japanese Admiral Uriu: to surrender and leave Chemulpo before noon. The exit from the port was blocked by the Japanese squadron, so the Russian ships were trapped, from which there was not a single chance to get out.

"No Talk of Surrender"

At about 11 a.m., the commander of the cruiser addressed the crew with a speech. From his words it followed that he did not intend to surrender to the enemy so easily. The sailors fully supported their captain. Shortly thereafter, the Varyag and the Koreets withdrew from the raid to go to their last battle, while the crews of foreign warships saluted the Russian sailors and sang national anthems. As a sign of respect, the brass bands on the Allied ships played the national anthem of the Russian Empire.

Battle of Chemulpo

"Varyag" almost alone (a short-range gunboat does not count) went against the Japanese squadron, numbering 6 cruisers and 8 destroyers, equipped with more powerful and modern weapons. The very first hits showed all the vulnerabilities of the Varyag: due to the lack of armored turrets, the gun crews suffered heavy losses, and the explosions caused the guns to malfunction. For an hour of battle, the Varyag received 5 underwater holes, countless surface holes and lost almost all the guns. In the conditions of a narrow fairway, the cruiser ran aground, representing a seductive motionless target, but then by some miracle, to the surprise of the Japanese, he managed to get off it. During this hour, the Varyag fired 1105 shells at the enemy, sank one destroyer and damaged 4 Japanese cruisers. However, as the Japanese authorities later claimed, not a single shell from the Russian cruiser reached its target, and there were no damages or losses at all. On the Varyag, the losses among the crew were large: one officer and 30 sailors were killed, about two hundred people were injured or shell-shocked. According to Rudnev, there was not a single opportunity to continue the battle in such conditions, so it was decided to return to the port and flood the ships so that they would not go to the enemy as trophies. Teams of Russian ships were sent to neutral ships, after which the Varyag was flooded by opening the kingstones, and the Korean was blown up. This did not prevent the Japanese from getting the cruiser from the bottom of the sea, repairing it and including it in a squadron called Soya.

Medal for defeat

In the homeland of the heroes of Chemulpo, great honors awaited, despite the fact that the battle was actually lost. The crew of the Varyag was honored with a solemn reception by Emperor Nicholas II and received many awards. The crews of the French, German and English ships stationed in the roadstead during the battle in Chemulpo also enthusiastically responded to the brave Russians. Another thing is surprising: the heroic deed of the Russian sailors was also considered by their opponents - the Japanese. In 1907, Vsevolod Rudnev (who by that time had fallen out of favor with Nicholas II) was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese emperor as a tribute to the courage and steadfastness of Russian sailors.

The further fate of the Varyag

After the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese government created a memorial museum for the heroes of the Varyag in Seoul. After ten years of captivity, the Varyag was redeemed from Japan in 1916, along with other Russian ships captured as war trophies. After the October Revolution, the British government ordered the arrest of all Russian ships in their ports, among which was the Varyag. In 1920, it was decided to scrap the cruiser to pay the debts of tsarist Russia, but on the way to the factory, it got into a storm and ran into rocks near the Scottish coast. Everything looked as if the "Varangian" had his own will and, wanting to complete his fate with honor, committed hara-kiri. Which is not surprising, given that he spent 10 years in Japanese captivity. More than once, they tried to get the stuck ship from the rocks, but all attempts ended in failure, and now the remains of the legendary cruiser rest at the bottom of the Irish Sea. On July 30, 2006, a memorial plaque appeared on the Scottish coast, not far from the site of the death of the Varyag, perpetuating the memory of the most famous ship in the history of the Russian Navy.