Probably not either one person in Russia, who would not have heard about the suicidal feat of the cruiser “Varyag”. 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 memories of people. But at the same time, knowing general outline the history of this legendary ship, we lose sight of many amazing details with which his fate is rich. The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a clash of interests of two rapidly developing empires - Russian and Japanese. The stumbling block was the Russian-owned territories in the Far East, which the Japanese emperor slept and saw as belonging to his country. On February 6, 1904, Japan tore everything apart diplomatic relations with Russia, and already on February 9 blocked the port of Chemulpo, where the then unknown “Varyag” was located.
Made in USA
The 1st rank armored cruiser 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 it was assumed that he would not be able to reach speeds above 14 knots. “Varyag” was even going to be returned back for repairs. However, during tests in the fall of 1903, the cruiser developed a speed almost equal to that shown in the initial tests.
Diplomatic mission "Varyag"
Since 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 Koreets had to engage in an obviously 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” set off for Port Arthur, but at the exit from Chemulpo it was subject to a torpedo attack and was forced to return back to the roadstead. On the morning of February 9, Captain First Rank Rudnev received an official ultimatum from Japanese Admiral Uriu: surrender and leave Chemulpo before noon. The exit from the port was blocked by a Japanese squadron, so the Russian ships were trapped, from which there was no chance of getting out.
"No talk about giving up"
At about 11 o'clock in the morning, its commander addressed the cruiser's 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. Soon after, the Varyag and Koreets pulled out of the raid to set off for their final battle, while the crews of the foreign warships saluted the Russian sailors and sang the national anthems. As a sign of respect, brass bands on Allied ships played the national anthem of the Russian Empire.
Battle of Chemulpo
“Varyag” almost alone (a short-range gunboat doesn’t count) went up against a Japanese squadron consisting of 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 explosions caused the guns to malfunction. During the hour of battle, the Varyag received 5 underwater holes, countless surface holes and lost almost all its guns. In a narrow fairway, the cruiser ran aground, presenting itself as a tempting motionless target, but then, by some miracle, to the surprise of the Japanese, it managed to get off it. During this hour, the Varyag fired 1,105 shells at the enemy, sank one destroyer and damaged 4 Japanese cruisers. However, as the Japanese authorities subsequently claimed, not a single shell from the Russian cruiser reached its target, and there was no damage or loss at all. On the Varyag, losses among the crew were heavy: one officer and 30 sailors were killed, about two hundred people were wounded or shell-shocked. According to Rudnev, there was not a single opportunity left to continue the battle in such conditions, so it was decided to return to the port and scuttle the ships so that they would not go to the enemy as trophies. The teams of Russian ships were sent to neutral ships, after which the Varyag was sunk by opening the kingstons, and the Koreets was blown up. This did not stop the Japanese from getting the cruiser from the bottom of the sea, repairing it and including it in the squadron called “Soya”.
Medal for defeat
In the homeland of the Chemulpo heroes, great honors awaited them, despite the fact that the battle was actually lost. The crew of the "Varyag" was given a ceremonial 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 responded enthusiastically to the brave Russians. Another thing is surprising: the act of the Russian sailors was also considered heroic by their opponents, the Japanese. In 1907, Vsevolod Rudnev (who had by then 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 fortitude of Russian sailors.
The further fate of the "Varyag"
After Russo-Japanese War The Japanese government created a memorial museum for the heroes of “Varyag” in Seoul. After ten years of captivity, the Varyag was bought 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 its ports, among which was the Varyag. In 1920, it was decided to scrap the cruiser to pay off debts. Tsarist Russia, but on the way to the factory, he got into a storm and ran into rocks near the Scottish coast. Everything looked as if the “Varyag” had its own will and, wanting to complete its destiny with honor, committed hara-kiri. Which is not surprising, given that he spent 10 years in Japanese captivity. They tried to get the tightly stuck ship off the rocks more than once, but all attempts ended in failure, and now the remains 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.February 9, 1904 is the day of the heroic deed and death of the cruiser "Varyag". This day became the starting point for Russia's immersion in a series of revolutions and wars. But in this century it also became the first day of unfading Russian military glory.
The cruiser "Varyag" entered service in 1902. In its class, it was the strongest and fastest ship in the world: with a displacement of 6,500 tons, it had a speed of 23 knots (44 km/h), carried 36 guns, of which 24 were large-caliber, as well as 6 torpedo tubes. The crew consisted of 18 officers and 535 sailors. The cruiser was commanded by Captain 1st Rank Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev, a hereditary sailor. By the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War, the Varyag was carrying out a mission to protect the Russian embassy in Seoul.
On the night of February 8-9, 1904, one Japanese officer left the following entry in his diary: “We will not declare war in advance, since this is a completely incomprehensible, stupid European custom” (compare the Russian prince Svyatoslav, who lived a whole thousand years before this, before the war he sent messengers to his opponents with a short message"I'm coming at you").
On the night of January 27 (old style), Rudnev was given an ultimatum from the Japanese Rear Admiral Uriu: “Varyag” and “Korean” must leave the port before noon, otherwise they will be attacked in the roadstead. The commanders of the French cruiser "Pascal", the English "Talbot", the Italian "Elbe" and the American gunboat "Vicksburg" located in Chemulpo received a Japanese notification the day before about the upcoming attack of its squadron on Russian ships.
To the credit of the commanders of three foreign cruisers - the French Pascal, the English Talbot and the Italian Elba, they expressed a written protest to the commander of the Japanese squadron: “... since, on the basis of generally accepted provisions of international law, the port of Chemulpo is neutral, then no nation has no right to attack the vessels of other nations in this port, and the power which transgresses this law is fully responsible for any injury done to life or property in this port. Therefore, we hereby vigorously protest against such violation of neutrality and will be glad to hear Your opinion on this subject."
The only thing missing from this letter was the signature of the commander of the American Vicksburg, Captain 2nd Rank Marshall. As you can see, the practice of remembering international law only depending on one’s own benefit has a long tradition among Americans.
Meanwhile, Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev announced an ultimatum to the crew with the words: “The challenge is more than daring, but I accept it. I do not shy away from battle, although I do not have an official message about the war from my government. I am sure of one thing: the crews of the Varyag and “The Koreans will fight to the last drop of blood, showing everyone an example of fearlessness in battle and contempt for death.”
Midshipman Padalko answered for the entire team: “All of us, both “Varyag” and “Korean”, will defend our native St. Andrew’s flag, its glory, honor and dignity, realizing that the whole world is looking at us.”
At 11:10 a.m. on the Russian ships the command was heard: “Everyone up, weigh anchor!” - and ten minutes later “Varyag” and “Koreets” weighed anchor and set sail. As the English, French and Italian cruisers slowly passed by, the musicians of the Varyag performed the corresponding national anthems. In response, the sounds of the Russian anthem echoed from the foreign ships, on whose decks the teams were lined up.
“We saluted these heroes who walked so proudly to certain death!” - the commander of the Pascal, Captain 1st Rank Senes, later wrote.
The excitement was indescribable, some of the sailors were crying. Never had they seen a more sublime and tragic scene. On the bridge of the Varyag stood its commander, leading the ship to the last parade.
It was impossible to doubt the outcome of this battle. The Japanese opposed the Russian armored cruiser and the outdated gunboat with six armored cruisers and eight destroyers. Four 203 mm, thirty-eight 152 mm guns and forty-three torpedo tubes were preparing to fire against the Russians with two 203 mm, thirteen 152 mm guns and seven torpedo tubes. The superiority was more than triple, despite the fact that the Varyag had no side armor at all and even armored shields on its guns.
When the enemy ships saw each other on the open sea, the Japanese issued the signal “surrender to the mercy of the winner,” hoping that the Russian cruiser, in the face of their overwhelming superiority, would surrender without a fight and become the first trophy in this war. In response to this, the commander of the Varyag gave the order to raise battle flags. At 11:45 a.m. The first shot rang out from the cruiser Asama, after which in just one minute the Japanese guns fired 200 shells - about seven tons of deadly metal. The Japanese squadron concentrated all its fire on the Varyag, initially ignoring the Korean. On the Varyag, broken boats were burning, the water around it was boiling from explosions, the remains of the ship's superstructures fell with a roar onto the deck, burying Russian sailors. The knocked out guns fell silent one after another, with the dead lying around them. Japanese grapeshot rained down, the deck of the Varyag turned into a vegetable grater. But, despite the heavy fire and enormous destruction, the Varyag still fired accurately at the Japanese ships from its remaining guns. “Korean” didn’t lag behind him either.
Even the wounded did not leave their combat posts. The roar was such that the sailors' eardrums literally burst. The commander's namesake, the ship's priest, Fr. Mikhail Rudnev, despite the constant threat of death, walked along the blood-stained deck of the Varyag and inspired the officers and sailors.
"Varyag" concentrated fire on "Asama". Within an hour, he fired 1,105 shells at the Japanese, as a result of which a fire started on the Asama, the captain's bridge collapsed and the ship's commander was killed. The cruiser "Akashi" received such heavy damage that its subsequent repairs took more than a year. Two other cruisers received equally heavy damage. One of the destroyers sank during the battle, and the other on the way to the port of Sasebo. In total, the Japanese brought ashore 30 dead and 200 wounded, not counting those who perished along with their ships. The enemy was unable to either sink or capture the Russian ships - when the forces of the Russian sailors were running out, Rudnev decided to return to the port to save the surviving sailors.
This was a victory for the Russian fleet. The moral superiority of the Russians over any enemy forces was proven at a terrible price - but this price was paid easily.
When the mutilated Russian ships reached the port, the captain of the French cruiser Sanes climbed onto the deck of the Varyag: “I will never forget the stunning sight that presented itself to me. The deck is covered in blood, corpses and body parts are lying everywhere. Nothing escaped destruction.”
Of the 36 guns, only 7 remained more or less intact. Four huge holes were discovered in the hull. Of the crew on the upper deck, 33 sailors were killed and 120 were wounded. Captain Rudnev was seriously wounded in the head. In order to prevent the capture of unarmed ships by the Japanese, it was decided to blow up the gunboat "Koreets", and the kingstons were opened on the "Varyag".
The surviving Russian heroes were placed on foreign ships. The English Talbot took 242 people on board, the Italian ship took 179 Russian sailors, and the French Pascal placed the rest on board.
Admired by the valor of the Russians, the German Rudolf Greinz composed a poem, to the words of which (translated by E. Studenskaya) the musician of the 12th Astrakhan Grenadier Regiment A. S. Turishchev, who took part in the solemn meeting of the heroes “Varyag” and “Korean”, wrote a well-known song - “Our proud “Varyag” does not surrender to the enemy.
April 29, 1904 in Winter Palace Nicholas II honored the sailors of the Varyag. On this day, for the first time, a song more like a hymn was sung:
Up, you, comrades, with God, hurray!
The last parade is coming.
Our proud "Varyag" does not surrender to the enemy
Nobody wants mercy!
All the pennants are waving and the chains are rattling,
Raising the anchors up,
The guns are preparing for battle in a row,
Sparkling ominously in the sun!
It whistles and thunders and rumbles all around.
The thunder of guns, the hiss of shells,
And our immortal and proud “Varyag” became
Like absolute hell.
Bodies tremble in their death throes,
The thunder of guns, and smoke, and groans,
And the ship is engulfed in a sea of fire,
The moment of farewell has arrived.
Farewell, comrades! With God, hurray!
The boiling sea is below us!
Brothers, you and I didn’t think yesterday,
That today we will die under the waves.
Neither the stone nor the cross will tell where they lay down
For the glory of the Russian flag,
Only the waves of the sea will glorify alone
Heroic death of the "Varyag"!
After some time, the Japanese raised the Varyag, repaired it and introduced it into their fleet under the name Soya. On March 22, 1916, the ship was bought by the Russian Tsar and enlisted in the Baltic Fleet under the same name - "Varyag".
A year later, the worn-out cruiser was sent to allied England for repairs. The Russian fleet was waiting for the glorious cruiser to return to participate in the war with Germany, but the October coup occurred, and the British military authorities disarmed the Varyag and sent the crew home, and the ship itself was sold in 1918 to a private entrepreneur. When they tried to tow the Varyag to its future anchorage, near the town of Lendalfoot, a storm broke out and the cruiser was thrown onto the rocks. In 1925, the British dismantled the remains of the Varyag for metal. This is how the most famous cruiser of the Russian fleet ended its existence.
Captain Rudnev died in Tula in 1913. In 1956, he was given a small homeland monument. Monuments to the heroes of the Varyag were erected in the port of Chemulpo and at the Marine Cemetery of Vladivostok.
Glory to Russian heroes! Eternal memory to them!
There is probably not a single person in Russia who has not heard about the suicidal feat of the cruiser Varyag. 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 memories 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 of two rapidly developing empires - Russian and Japanese. The stumbling block was the Russian-owned territories in the Far East, which the Japanese emperor slept and saw as belonging to his country. On February 6, 1904, Japan broke off all diplomatic relations with Russia, and already on February 9, it blocked the port of Chemulpo, where the then unknown Varyag was located.
The 1st rank armored cruiser 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 it was expected that it would not be able to reach speeds above 14 knots. “Varyag” was even going to be returned back for repairs. However, during tests in the fall of 1903, the cruiser developed a speed almost equal to that shown in the initial tests.
Diplomatic mission "Varyag"
Since 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 Koreets had to engage in an obviously 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” set off for Port Arthur, but at the exit from Chemulpo it was subject to a torpedo attack and was forced to return back to the roadstead. On the morning of February 9, Captain First Rank Rudnev received an official ultimatum from Japanese Admiral Uriu: surrender and leave Chemulpo before noon. The exit from the port was blocked by a Japanese squadron, so the Russian ships were trapped, from which there was no chance of getting out.
"No talk about giving up"
At about 11 o'clock in the morning, its commander addressed the cruiser's 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. Soon after, the Varyag and Koreets pulled out of the raid to set off for their final battle, while the crews of the foreign warships saluted the Russian sailors and sang the national anthems. As a sign of respect, brass bands on Allied ships played the national anthem of the Russian Empire.
Battle of Chemulpo
“Varyag” almost alone (a short-range gunboat doesn’t count) went up against a Japanese squadron consisting of 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 explosions caused the guns to malfunction. During the hour of battle, the Varyag received 5 underwater holes, countless surface holes and lost almost all its guns. In a narrow fairway, the cruiser ran aground, presenting itself as a tempting motionless target, but then, by some miracle, to the surprise of the Japanese, it managed to get off it. During this hour, the Varyag fired 1,105 shells at the enemy, sank one destroyer and damaged 4 Japanese cruisers. However, as the Japanese authorities subsequently claimed, not a single shell from the Russian cruiser reached its target, and there was no damage or loss at all. On the Varyag, losses among the crew were heavy: one officer and 30 sailors were killed, about two hundred people were wounded or shell-shocked.
According to Rudnev, there was not a single opportunity left to continue the battle in such conditions, so it was decided to return to the port and scuttle the ships so that they would not go to the enemy as trophies. The teams of Russian ships were sent to neutral ships, after which the Varyag was sunk by opening the kingstons, and the Koreets was blown up. This did not stop the Japanese from getting the cruiser from the bottom of the sea, repairing it and including it in the squadron called “Soya”.
Medal for defeat
In the homeland of the Chemulpo heroes, great honors awaited them, despite the fact that the battle was actually lost. The crew of the "Varyag" was given a ceremonial 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 responded enthusiastically to the brave Russians.
Another thing is surprising: the act of the Russian sailors was also considered heroic by their opponents, the Japanese. In 1907, Vsevolod Rudnev (who had by then 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 fortitude of Russian sailors.
Further fate"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 bought 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 its ports, among which was the Varyag. In 1920, it was decided to scrap the cruiser to pay off the debts of Tsarist Russia, but on the way to the plant, it was caught in a storm and hit rocks near the Scottish coast. Everything looked as if the “Varyag” had its own will and, wanting to complete its destiny with honor, committed hara-kiri. Which is not surprising, given that he spent 10 years in Japanese captivity. They tried to get the tightly stuck ship off the rocks more than once, 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.
Feat of the cruiser Varyag
Historians are still arguing about the events of February 9, 1904, (January 27, old style), when two Russian ships, blocked in the Korean port of Chemulpo by a Japanese cruiser squadron, fought an unequal battle.
Why did the “Varyag” and the “Korean” find themselves far from the main forces at the most tense moment? Why didn't they prevent the Japanese landing?
Why didn’t the high-speed Varyag make the breakthrough alone?
Feat of the cruiser Varyag
, how did they get there?
In December 1904, an uprising against foreigners began in Korea. The governments of a number of countries demanded the sending of warships with military contingents to protect diplomatic missions. In this regard, the command sent to Chemulpo, who arrived there on December 29 (old style) and began performing the duties of a senior stationary. At this time, the cruiser Boyarin, which brought troops there, and the gunboat Gilyak were also in the port.
Finishing of the wheelhouse of the cruiser Varyag
The next day, "Boyarin" left for Port Arthur, and a day later it was followed by "Gilyak". And on January 5, 1904 (18.01 new style), the “Korean” arrived in Chemulpo, sent to establish contact with the Russian envoy: the telegraph message was interrupted.
This is how the now famous couple was formed: “Varyag” and.
Gunboat Korean in Chemulpo, February 1904
Why did you have to fight the Japanese squadron?
January 25-26 at Far East Government reports began to arrive about war with Japan.
The commander of the Varyag, Rudnev, suggested that the envoy in Seoul, Pavlov, evacuate the mission on his ship, “so as not to leave the cruiser in a foreign port in the event of a declaration of war.” The envoy refused: he did not have appropriate instructions from the ministry.
On the morning of January 26, the 4th combat detachment of Rear Admiral Uriu Sotokichi, accompanying transports with troops, approached the Korean shores. The admiral ordered a landing in Chemulpo.
At 15.40 on January 26, the “Korean” with dispatches and foreign mail on board raised anchor, heading for Port Arthur.
At 15.55, from its side, directly ahead, we saw Japanese ships approaching the fairway leading from Chemulpo to the open sea.
The Japanese force consisted of six cruisers, eight destroyers, one advice note, two armed ships and three transports. Having formed into three columns, the Japanese occupied the entire width of the fairway. Not daring to escalate the situation, the commander of the “Korean”, Captain II Rank Belyaev, turned his ship back.
The Japanese entered the Chemulpo roadstead and began landing at about 6 p.m. The port was neutral, there was no declaration of war. In addition, it is worth remembering that quite recently our “Boyarin”, as well as ships of other powers, landed troops to protect their missions from the rebels.
“Varyag” and “Koreyets” could not fire.
At about 7 a.m. on January 27 (February 9), the Japanese ships, having completed the landing, left the Chemulpo roadstead.
At about 9.30 the commander of the Varyag was found by a messenger with a translation of Uriu’s letter. The Japanese admiral suggested leaving the raid; otherwise he will attack the Russians right in the port.
At 11.20 "Varyag" weighed anchor and set sail.
The “Korean” followed him in his wake.
The fight is short and hopeless.
Uriu did not expect the Russian ships to come out. There was no time to raise the anchors - the admiral ordered the chains to be riveted. The first shot was fired by "Asama"; it was at 11.45.
Our two ships were opposed by six Japanese cruisers - the rest did not take part in the battle.
"Asama" was the most powerful - an English-built armored cruiser with excellent speed, weapons and armor. The second armored cruiser, Chiyoda, was old, small and poorly armed. The rest of the cruisers were armored, of which the Niitaka was completely new, the Akashi was relatively new, and the Takachiho and Naniwa had already served for 18 years by the time of the battle.
The Japanese had an overwhelming advantage in artillery; the weight of the side salvo of large and medium-caliber guns for the Varyag and Koreyets was 492 kg, and for the Japanese squadron it was 1671 kg. All the Japanese artillery was modern, but the most powerful guns of our ships, the eight-inch "Korean" guns, were old - short-range and slow-firing.
...Russian ships responded at 11.47.
According to Japanese observations, the Varyag initially showed a very high rate of fire, but was unable to maintain it for more than a few minutes.
And at 12.03 the cruiser received the first hit. A 203-mm shell hit the navigation bridge. He killed the rangefinders, midshipman Nirod, and damaged the wheelhouse.
Due to the narrowness of the fairway, the Japanese operated in three battle groups of two ships (see diagram); it turned out that some of their ships at times blocked the target from others.
“Asama”, “Chiyoda” and “Niitake” managed to shoot the most, in total they fired 393 large and medium caliber shells; the rest managed to fire only 26 shots. In the final phase of the battle, four destroyers took part in it.
Japanese at low tide on board the sunken Varyag, photo 1904
At 12.15 "Varyag" began to turn on the opposite course. The Russian ships returned to the port and anchored at 13.00.
As a result of the battle, the Varyag lost 30 people killed, 85 people wounded and shell-shocked, and 100 people lightly wounded - only about a third of the crew. The cruiser was on fire, and part of its artillery was disabled. His situation was worse than before the battle; The “Korean,” even if undamaged, had no chance alone.
The commander decided to blow up the "Korean" and sink the "Varyag" so as not to damage the foreign ships in the port.
Feat of the cruiser Varyag
, the last battle is over...
Why didn’t Varyag make a breakthrough? Why was it impossible, by sacrificing a small thing - an old gunboat - to save a big one - one of the newest cruisers of the Russian fleet?
After all, the Varyag, which developed more than 23 knots during testing, was faster than any of the Uriu ships. Full speed ahead, maximum rate of fire, optimal, relative to the position of the Japanese, course and - a dash into the open sea...
This kind of mistake is often made by people who base their conclusions on two or three numbers from a short reference book on the technical specifications of ships.
First of all - about speed.
The speed shown by the ship immediately after construction is almost never achieved in everyday service.
Firstly, the hull becomes overgrown with marine organisms, causing the speed to inevitably drop. Secondly, during operation, the machines wear out, and the boiler tubes become covered with scale. The last circumstance was especially relevant for “Varyag”.
The requirements for the ship were very high. The Crump company, which built the cruiser, insisted on installing Nikloss system boilers. They were distinguished by high performance and low weight; but back on April 14, 1898, the Marine Technical Committee adopted a special resolution in which it categorically refused the Nikloss company to supply steam boilers to the Russian fleet, recognizing them as unreliable and even dangerous.
Nevertheless, just such boilers were installed on both ships built by Crump for Russia, the cruiser Varyag and the battleship Retvizan. As a result, the Varyag, during tests carried out in 1904, was only able to reach a speed of 14 knots.
And the Japanese directly during the battle at Chemulpo developed up to 18 knots.
Secondly, there could be no talk of any freedom to choose a course. Our ships left Chemulpo along a narrow fairway, limited by islands and underwater rocks, and the length of this fairway is 30 miles. The fairway was blocked by a Japanese squadron...
In such conditions, it becomes clear why Rudnev did not leave the “Korean” in the port. If there was a long artillery battle with limited opportunity maneuvering for both sides, then two eight-inch gunboats could be very useful.
After all, the war was just beginning. Uriu could have been instructed to take care of the ships and, if there was a danger of losing valuable combat units in battle, he could choose to retreat...
Autumn 1904, ship-building work on the Chemulpo roadstead
The only thing that can be called a complaint against the Varyag commander. This is not a complete disabling of the ship; it is known that after lifting, it reached the repair dock under its own power.
More than 300 years ago, by decree of Peter the Great, the St. Andrew's flag was first raised on Russian ships. Since then, many heroic pages have been written in the history of the fleet, but cruiser « Varangian“who refused to lower the banner in front of a huge enemy squadron in 1904 will forever remain in the memory of people as the most striking symbol of fearlessness, self-sacrifice and military valor.
history of the cruiser "Varyag"
The history of this ship began more than 100 years ago in 1898 in the American city of Philadelphia. Easy armored cruiser « Varangian"was built in the USA by order of the Russian Navy Ministry. The shipyard of the company was chosen as the site for the construction of the ship. American Company William Cramp & Sons"in the city of Philadelphia on the Delaware River. The parties signed a contract on April 11, 1898. The choice of this shipbuilding company was not accidental. The plant was well known in Russia. Cruisers purchased in America for the Russian Navy were also repaired and refitted here. In addition, the company promised to deliver ship in 20 months. This was much faster than the pace of ship construction at Russian state-owned factories. For example, at the Baltic Shipyard finished project It took about 7 years to build.
authentic photographs of the cruiser "Varyag"
cruiser "Varyag" in the Philadelphia dock
"Varyag" in Philadelphia before leaving for Russia
raid of Algiers, September 1901
cruiser "Varyag", 1916
However, all weapons " Varangian"was made in Russia. Guns at the Obukhov plant, torpedo tubes at Metal factory in St. Petersburg. The Izhevsk plant manufactured equipment for the galley, and the anchors were ordered from England.
On October 19, 1899, after illumination and a prayer service, it was solemnly launched. " Varangian" amazed contemporaries not only with the beauty of its forms and perfect proportions, but also with the many technical innovations used during its construction. Compared to ships created earlier, it had significantly more electrically powered devices; boat winches, windlasses, elevators for feeding shells, and even 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 to resemble wood. 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 service areas, including posts at the guns.
One of weak points cruisers there were new steam boilers " Nickolas“They made it possible to reach high speeds, sometimes up to 24 knots, but were extremely unreliable in operation. Due to some deficiencies found when receiving 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 of " Varangian"Russian leadership ordered the construction armadillo « Retvizan"for the Russian Pacific squadron. It was being built on a nearby slipway.
St. Andrew's flag and pennant were raised on cruiser « Varangian"January 2, 1901. In March of that year, the ship left Philadelphia for good. On the morning of May 3, 1901 " Varangian» dropped anchor in the Great Kronstadt roadstead. Two weeks later, a review took place, which was attended by Emperor Nicholas II himself. Ship The king liked it so much that he was included in the squad heading to Europe. After official visits to Germany, Denmark and France cruiser « Varangian"Departed for his permanent base in the Far East. On February 25, 1902, the warship arrived at the Port Arthur roadstead. 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, not happy with the strengthening of Russian influence in the Far East, was feverishly preparing for war with Russia. Its fleet was practically rebuilt in English shipyards. 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, just 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 the Russians from China and Korea, the separation of Sakhalin Island and the establishment of Japanese dominance in 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 governor to go to the Korean international port of Chemulpo (the current port of Inchhon, South Korea). According to the command's plan, the cruiser was supposed to establish reliable communications between Port Arthur and our envoy in Seoul, as well as indicate the Russian military presence in Korea. It was forbidden to leave the port of Chemulpo without an order from senior command. Due to the difficult fairway and shallow water " Varangian» dropped anchor in the outer roadstead. A few days later he was joined by “ Korean" Very soon it 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 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 an armada of a Japanese squadron consisting of 14 ships. The flagship was an 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. Having learned about this, the ships of foreign states sent a protest - to go into battle in 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 cruiser « Varangian"and gunboat" Korean"We began to prepare for battle. According to tradition, all sailors and officers changed into clean shirts. At 10:45 V. F. Rudnev addressed the crew with a speech. The ship's priest blessed the sailors before the battle.
At 11:20 cruiser « Varangian"and gunboat" Korean"weighed anchor and went towards the Japanese squadron. As a sign of the sailors' admiration, the French, British, and Italians lined up the crews of their ships on the decks. On " Varangian"The orchestra played the anthems of the states, in response, the anthem was played on the Italian ship Russian Empire. When Russian ships appeared in the roadstead, the Japanese raised a signal offering to surrender, commander cruisers ordered not to respond to enemy signals. Admiral Urio waited in vain for several minutes for an answer. At first, he could not believe that the Russians were not coming 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 navigator's combat unit was killed. In two minutes " Varangian" opened strong return fire from the starboard side.
It was especially hard for the gunners who were on the upper deck. The Japanese used new tactics for the first time in this battle - they literally fell asleep cruiser « Varangian» high-explosive projectiles with a strong explosive effect, even when hitting the water such a projectile would scatter into hundreds of pieces.
The Russian fleet 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, burnt 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 were taken to the infirmary. The upper deck was broken in several places, all fans and grilles cruisers turned into a sieve. When the stern flag was torn off by another explosion, 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 turn around and was simultaneously hit by two large shells. 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. The commander himself cruisers « Varangian"was wounded in the head, but, despite the concussion, remained at his post and continued to lead the battle. When the distance between the opponents was reduced to 5 km, a gunboat entered the battle " Korean».
It is curious that not a single Japanese shell hit it. The day before, the commander ordered the masts to be shortened, which prevented the Japanese from accurately determining the distance and adjusting the shooting.
At 12:25 " Varangian"opened fire from the left side. The Osama's aft bridge was destroyed by a direct hit, after which a severe 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 list to the left side. While the team was sealing the holes, Rudnev decided to return to the port of Chemulpo. At the raid, he planned to repair the damage and put out the fires, so that he could then return to battle again.
At 12:45, as the raid approached, the general fire stopped. During the battle " Varangian"managed to fire 1,105 shells at the enemy. At 13:15, wounded and smoking " Varangian» dropped anchor in the roadstead. According to eyewitnesses, its entire deck was covered in blood. There were 130 wounded sailors lying in the charred premises of the cruiser. 22 people died during the battle. Of the 12 six-inch guns, two remained in working order. Further resistance was not possible. And then the military council of the cruiser decided to prevent the Japanese from sinking the ships, and to place the crew on foreign ships by agreement. Having received Rudnev’s appeal, the commanders of 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 kingstons and flood valves, " Korean" was blown up.
February 9, 1904 at 18:10 light armored deck cruiser « Varangian"lay down on the left side and disappeared under the water.
Not a single officer or sailor was captured after the battle. Respecting the courage shown in that battle, Admiral Urio agreed to let them pass through the combat zone to return to their homeland.
Two months later with the sailors " Varangian" And " Korean"arrived in Odessa. The heroes of Chemulpo were greeted with the thunder of orchestras and demonstrations of thousands. The sailors were showered with flowers and an unprecedented explosion of patriotic feelings. All participants in the battle were awarded St. George's crosses. Each sailor received a personalized watch from the emperor. Then the first songs dedicated to the cruiser appeared “ Varangian"and gunboat" Korean».
second life of the cruiser "Varyag"
after battle
after the rise in August 1905
Japanese cruiser "SOYA" ("Varyag")
However, on this history of the legendary cruiser didn't end. Soon after the battle it became clear that " Varangian"It didn't sink very deep. During low tides, the water level in Chemulpo Bay dropped to 9 meters. Having learned about this, the Japanese began work on raising the cruiser " Varangian" Within a month, divers and special equipment were delivered to Chemulpo from Japan. The cruiser's guns, masts and pipes were removed, 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, was it possible to tear off cruiser from the muddy bottom. In November 1905 " Varangian» reached Japan under its own power. Almost two years cruiser « Varangian"was located in the city of Yokosuka on major renovation. The work to raise and restore it cost the Japanese treasury 1 million yen. In 1907, he was enlisted in the Japanese Navy under the name " Soya" At the stern, as a sign of respect for the enemy, an inscription of the cruiser's former name was left. For nine years cruiser was a training ship for a cadet school. It taught how to defend the honor of your homeland.