The cruiser Varyag ship in the Russian-Japanese war. The heroic and tragic fate of the cruiser "Varyag"

At the end of the 19th century, the Naval Ministry of the Russian Empire ordered the construction of a light armored cruiser from the United States. The contract was signed on April 11, 1898, and the shipyards of the American Company William Cramp & Sons on the Delaware River in Philadelphia were chosen as the construction site.

Despite its American "origin", all the armament of the cruiser "Varyag" was manufactured in Russia. Guns - at the Obukhov plant, torpedo tubes - at the Metal plant in St. Petersburg. The Izhevsk plant manufactured equipment for the galley. But the anchors were ordered in England.

Specifications

For its time, "Varyag" was one of the highest class ships. It was a four-pipe, two-masted, armored cruiser of the 1st rank with a displacement of 6,500 tons. The cruiser's main caliber artillery consisted of twelve 152-mm (six-inch) guns. In addition, the ship had twelve 75 mm guns, eight 47 mm rapid-fire cannons and two 37 mm cannons. The cruiser had six torpedo tubes. It could reach speeds of up to 23 knots.

Such equipment was not the only strength of the cruiser. It differed from ships built earlier by a significantly larger number of instruments and mechanisms powered by electricity.

In addition, all the cruiser's furniture was made of metal. This significantly increased the safety of the ship in battle and during a fire: previously the furniture was made of wood and, as a result, it burned very well.

The cruiser "Varyag" also became the first ship of the Russian fleet on which telephone sets were installed in almost all service areas, including posts at the guns.

The ship's crew consisted of 550 sailors, non-commissioned officers, conductors and 20 officers.

With all the advantages, there were also some disadvantages: the boilers installed on the cruiser, after several years of operation, no longer provided the required power, and in 1901 there was even talk of repairs. However, during tests in 1903, before leaving Kronstadt for its home port, the Varyag showed excellent performance, close to the maximum possible.

Launching and journey to home port

The cruiser "Varyag" would have been launched on October 19, 1899. Until January 1901, the team that arrived from Russia carried out work on arming and equipping the ship. In mid-January, the equipment was completed and the ship was officially accepted into the navy of the Russian Empire.

On the morning of May 3, 1901, the Varyag dropped anchor in the Great Kronstadt roadstead. The cruiser spent very little time in Kronstadt: after two inspections, one of which was carried out personally by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, the Varyag was assigned to Port Arthur to reinforce the 1st Pacific Squadron. There weren’t that many ships in this squadron and they were scattered across all the ports: Vladivostok, Port Arthur, Dalniy, Chemulpo, near Seoul, off the coast of Korea.

The cruiser reached its home port halfway around the world: first the course lay through the Baltic and North Seas, then across the English Channel to the Atlantic Ocean, then around Africa to the Indian Ocean. The entire voyage took about six months, and on February 25, the cruiser "Varyag" anchored in the outer roadstead of Port Arthur.

Battle, death and subsequent fate

"Varyag" took part in one of the most dramatic naval battles in history. It happened during the Russo-Japanese War, literally a month before the start of which the Tsar’s governor in the Far East, Admiral E.I. Alekseev sent the cruiser "Varyag" from Port Arthur to the neutral Korean port of Chemulpo (modern Incheon).

• On January 26 (February 8), 1904, the Japanese squadron of Rear Admiral Uriu blocked the port of Chemulpo to cover the landing and prevent the intervention of the Varyag.
• On January 27 (February 9), the captain of the Varyag, Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev, received an ultimatum from Uriu: leave the port before noon, otherwise the Russian ships will be attacked in the roadstead. Rudnev decided to fight his way to Port Arthur, and in case of failure, blow up the ships.

At noon, the Varyag and the gunboat Koreets left the port and, at a distance of 10 miles, met a Japanese squadron occupying a position behind Yodolmi Island. The battle lasted only 50 minutes. During this time, "Varyag" fired 1105 shells at the enemy, "Koreets" - 52 shells.

During the battle, the Varyag received 5 holes below the waterline and lost three 6-inch guns. According to Rudnev, the ship did not have the opportunity to continue the battle, and it was decided to return to the port of Chemulpo.

In the port, after assessing the severity of the damage, the remaining guns and equipment on it were, if possible, destroyed, the cruiser itself was scuttled, and the "Korean" was blown up. However, this is not the end of the story of the legendary cruiser.

• In 1905, the Japanese raised and repaired the Varyag. The ship received a new name "Soya" and for the next few years served as a training ship for Japanese sailors.
• In 1916, Russia bought the ship from Japan, and in 1917 the ship sailed to British docks for repairs. After the revolution, the Soviet government was unable to pay for repairs and the ship remained with the British.
• In 1920, the British authorities sold the cruiser for scrapping to Germany.
• In 1925, during transportation, the Varyag was caught in a storm and ran aground off the Irish coast, near the village of Lendalfoot. It was there that the naval legend found her last berth: the ship was blown up so that the hull would not interfere with fishing and shipping.
• In 2004, the exact location of the cruiser's sinking was determined. Now all that remains of the ship lies on the seabed at a depth of 8 meters, several hundred meters from the shore.

Today, in the Far East, Ireland and Korea, museums and memorials dedicated to the memory of the cruiser "Varyag" have been opened. The songs “Our proud Varyag does not surrender to the enemy” and “Cold waves are splashing” are dedicated to the feat of the ship’s crews; in addition, in 1972, a commemorative postage stamp with the image of the cruiser was issued in the USSR.

Preparing for war with Russia, Japan had to first of all and at any cost gain supremacy at sea. Without this, its entire further struggle with its powerful northern neighbor became absolutely meaningless. A small island empire, deprived of mineral reserves, would not only not be able to transfer troops and reinforcements to the battlefields in Manchuria, but would also not be able to protect its own naval bases and ports from bombing by Russian ships, would not be able to and ensure normal shipping, but the work of the entire Japanese industry depended on the regular and uninterrupted delivery of goods. The Japanese could only protect themselves from a very real threat from the Russian fleet by delivering a pre-emptive, unexpected strike on the areas where enemy ships were concentrated. With such strikes, even before the official declaration of war, military operations began in the Sea of ​​Japan.

On the night of January 27, 1904, 10 Japanese destroyers suddenly attacked the Russian squadron of Vice Admiral Stark, stationed on the outer roadstead of Port Arthur and torpedoed the battleships Retvizan and Tsesarevich, as well as the cruiser Pallada. The damaged ships were out of action for a long time, providing Japan with a noticeable superiority in forces.

The enemy's second strike was carried out on the armored cruiser "Varyag" (commanded by Captain 1st Rank Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev) and the gunboat "Koreets" (commanded by Captain 2nd Rank Grigory Pavlovich Belyaev) located in the Korean port of Chemulpo. Against the two Russian ships, the Japanese sent an entire squadron of Rear Admiral Sotokichi Uriu, which included the heavy armored cruiser Asama, 5 armored cruisers (Tieda, Naniwa, Niitaka, Takachiho and Akashi), advice note "Chihaya" and 7 destroyers.

On the morning of January 27, the Japanese presented the commanders of the Russian ships with an ultimatum demanding that they leave the neutral port before 12 o'clock, threatening to attack the Varyag and Koreets directly in the roadstead if they refused. 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. Their protest against the violation of the neutral status of the port of Chemulpo by the commander of the Japanese squadron was not taken into account. The commanders of the ships of the international squadron did not intend to protect the Russians by force of arms, which they reported to V.F. Rudnev, who replied bitterly: “So, my ship is a piece of meat thrown to the dogs? Well, if they force a fight on me, I’ll accept it. I’m not going to give up, no matter how big the Japanese squadron is.” Returning to the Varyag, he announced to the team. “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 teams of “Varyag” and “Korean” will fight to the last drop of blood, showing everyone an example of fearlessness in battle and contempt for death."

At 11 o'clock 20 minutes. The cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" raised anchors and headed towards the exit from the roadstead. The Japanese squadron was guarding the Russians at the southern tip of Phillip Island. The “Asama” was closest to the exit from the roadstead, and it was from it that the “Varyag” and “Koreets”, who were coming towards them, were discovered. Admiral Uriu ordered the anchor chains to be riveted, since there was no longer time to raise and remove the anchors. The ships began to hastily pull out onto the reach, forming combat columns as they went, in accordance with the disposition received the day before.

When Russian ships were discovered on the masts of the Naniva, signal flags were raised with an offer to surrender without a fight. But Rudnev decided not to respond to the signal and approached the enemy squadron. The "Korean" was moving slightly to the left of the "Varyag".

At a distance of 10 miles from Chemulpo, near the island of Yodolmi, a battle took place that lasted about 1 hour. The Japanese cruisers moved on a converging course, pressing the Russian ships to the shallows. At 11 o'clock 44 min. The signal to open fire was raised on the masts of the flagship Naniva. A minute later, the armored cruiser Asama began firing its bow turret guns.

The first salvo fell in front of the Varyag with a slight overshoot. To the surprise of the Russians, the Japanese shells exploded even when they hit the water, raising huge columns of water and clouds of black smoke.

"Varyag" and "Koreets" returned fire. True, the very first salvos from the gunboat missed a large target, and subsequently the Russian cruiser fought the artillery duel with the enemy almost alone. Meanwhile, the density of fire from the enemy increased: the ships of the second group entered the battle. The Russian cruiser was completely hidden behind huge columns of water, which with a roar every now and then took off to the level of the combat mars. The superstructures and deck were showered with a hail of shrapnel. Despite the casualties, the Varyag energetically responded to the enemy with frequent fire. The main target of his gunners was Asama, which they soon managed to put him out of action. Then an enemy destroyer launched an attack on the cruiser, but the very first salvo from the Varyag sent it to the bottom.

However, Japanese shells continued to torment the Russian ship. At 12 o'clock 12 min. on the surviving halyards of the cruiser's foremast, the signal "P" ("Rest") was raised, which meant "Turning to the right." Then several events followed that accelerated the tragic outcome of the battle. First, an enemy shell broke the pipe in which all the steering gears were laid. As a result, the uncontrollable ship moved onto the rocks of Yodolmi Island. Almost simultaneously, another shell exploded between Baranovsky's landing gun and the foremast. In this case, the entire crew of gun No. 35 was killed. The fragments flew into the passage of the conning tower, mortally wounding the bugler and drummer; The cruiser commander escaped with a slight wound and concussion. Further control of the ship had to be transferred to the aft steering compartment.

Suddenly a grinding sound was heard, and the ship, shuddering, stopped. In the conning tower, instantly assessing the situation, we gave the car the fullest reverse, but it was too late. Now the Varyag, turning to the enemy on its left side, was a stationary target. The Japanese commander, noticing the plight of the Russians, raised the signal “Everyone turn to approach the enemy.” The ships of all groups set a new course, simultaneously firing from their bow guns.

The Varyag's position seemed hopeless. The enemy was quickly approaching, and the cruiser sitting on the rocks could not do anything. It was at this time that he received the most severe injuries. A large-caliber shell, having pierced the side under water, exploded in coal pit No. 10; at 12.30 an eight-inch shell exploded in coal pit No. 12. Water began to approach the fireboxes, the crew immediately began pumping it out with all available means. Emergency parties, under enemy fire, began to place patches under these holes. And here a miracle happened: the cruiser itself, as if reluctantly, slid off the shoal and moved in reverse away from the dangerous place. Without further tempting fate, Rudnev ordered to take a reverse course.

However, the situation still remained very difficult. Although the water was pumped out by all means, the Varyag continued to list to the left side, and a hail of enemy shells showered it. But, to the surprise of the Japanese, the Varyag, having increased its speed, confidently moved towards the raid. Due to the narrowness of the fairway, only the cruisers Asama and Chiyoda could pursue the Russians. “Soon the Japanese had to cease fire, as their shells began to fall near the ships of the international squadron. Because of this, the Italian cruiser Elba even had to move deeper into the raid. At 12.45 the Russian ships also ceased fire. The fight is over.

In total, during the battle, the Varyag fired 1,105 shells: 425 152 mm, 470 75 mm and 210 47 mm. In the surviving logbook of the Varyag, it is noted that its gunners managed to sink an enemy destroyer and inflict serious damage on 2 Japanese cruisers. According to foreign observers, after the battle the Japanese buried 30 dead in A-san Bay and had more than 200 wounded on their ships. According to the official document (sanitary report for the war), the losses of the Varyag crew amounted to 130 people - 33 killed and 97 wounded. In total, the cruiser was hit by 12-14 large high-explosive shells.

Rudnev, on a French boat, went to the English cruiser Talbot to negotiate the transportation of the Varyag crew to foreign ships and report on the supposed destruction of the cruiser right in the roadstead. The commander of the Talbot, Bailey, objected to the explosion of the Varyag, motivating his opinion by the large crowding of ships in the roadstead. At 1 p.m. 50 min. Rudnev returned to the Varyag. Hastily gathering the officers nearby, he informed them of his intention and received their support. They immediately began transporting the wounded, and then the entire crew to foreign ships. At 15:00 15 minutes. the commander of the Varyag sent midshipman V. Balka to the Koreets. G.P. Belyaev immediately convened a military council, at which the officers decided: “The upcoming battle in half an hour is not equal, will cause unnecessary bloodshed... without harming the enemy, and therefore it is necessary... to blow up the boat...”. The crew of the Korean moved to the French cruiser Pascal. At 15:00 50 min. Rudnev and the senior boatswain, having walked around the ship and made sure that there was no one left on it, got off it along with the owners of the hold compartments, who opened the kingstons and flood valves. At 16 o'clock. 05 min. "Korean" exploded at 6 p.m. 10 min. lay down on the left side and disappeared under the water "Varyag" at 20 o'clock. The Sungari steamer was blown up.

Japan formally declared war on Russia only on January 28 (February 10), 1904. Having blocked the Russian fleet in the Port Arthur roadstead, the Japanese landed their troops in Korea and on the Liaodong Peninsula, which advanced to the border of Manchuria and, at the same time, began the siege of Port -Arthur with sushi. For Russia, the big problem was the remoteness of the theater of operations from its main territory. – The concentration of troops was slow due to the incomplete construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Having the numerical superiority of their armed forces, equipped with the most modern types of military equipment, the Japanese inflicted a number of heavy defeats on the Russian troops.

On April 18 (May 1), 1904, the first big battle took place between Russian and Japanese troops on the river. Yalu (Chinese name Yalujiang, Korean - Amnokkan). The eastern detachment of the Russian Manchurian Army under the command of Major General M.I. Zasulich, having lost Gen. T. Kuroki more than 2 thousand people. killed and wounded, 21 guns and all 8 machine guns were forced to retreat to the passes of the Fyn-Shuili ridge.

May 13 (26), 1904 units of the 2nd Japanese Army Gen. Y. Oku captured the city of Jinzhou, cutting off the garrison of Port Arthur from the Russian Manchurian army. To provide assistance to the besieged Port Arthur, the 1st Siberian Corps, General, was advanced to meet the advancing Japanese units. I.I. Stackelberg. On June 1-2 (13-14), 1904, his troops entered into battle with units of the 2nd Japanese Army at Wafangou station. As a result of a two-day stubborn battle, General Oku's troops, who had significant superiority in infantry and artillery, began to bypass the right flank of General Stackelberg's corps and forced him to retreat to join the main forces of the Russian army (in Pashichao). The main formations of the Japanese 2nd Army began an attack on Liaoyang. For the siege of Port Arthur, the 3rd Japanese Army was formed under the command of General M. Nogi.

The Japanese offensive on Liaoyang, launched in July 1904, forced the Russian command to enter into battle with them. On August 11 (24) - August 21 (September 3), 1904, the Battle of Liaoyang took place. Started successfully for the Russian troops, it, due to the erroneous actions of the general. A.N. Kuropatkin, ended in the defeat of his army, forced to retreat to the city of Mukden. Russian troops lost 16 thousand people in this 11-day battle, Japanese troops lost 24 thousand people.

The arrival of new troops replenished the Manchurian army, the number of which by the fall of 1904 reached 214 thousand people. Having a numerical superiority over the enemy (170 thousand people), part of whose troops were distracted by the ongoing siege of Port Arthur, the Russian command decided to go on the offensive. On September 22 (October 5) - October 4 (17), 1904, a counter battle between the Russian and Japanese armies took place on the Shahe River, which ended in vain for both sides. For the first time in the entire war, opponents who suffered heavy losses (Russians - over 40 thousand people, Japanese - 20 thousand people) were forced to switch to trench warfare. However, the stabilization of the front line on the river. Shahe had catastrophic consequences for the besieged Port Arthur. After the Japanese captured Mount Vysokaya, a key point of Russian defense, and destroyed the batteries of the squadron stationed on the internal roads of the squadron by fire, the commandant of the Kwantung fortified area, General. A.M. On December 20, 1904 (January 2, 1905), Stessel signed an agreement with representatives of the Japanese command on the surrender of the fortress and the surrender of the garrison of Port Arthur.

On the Manchurian front, a new and largest clash of the Russian and Japanese armies in the entire war took place near Mukden on February 6 (19) - February 25 (March 10). The Russian army, having suffered a heavy defeat, retreated to the city of Telin. The losses of Russian troops in this battle reached 89 thousand people. killed, wounded and captured. The Japanese lost 71 thousand people killed and wounded, which turned out to be very large for the army of a small island state, whose government, soon after this victory, was forced to agree to the start of peace negotiations with Russia through the mediation of US President T. Roosevelt. Another consequence of the Mukden defeat was the resignation of General. A.N. Kuropatkin from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the Far East. His successor was Gen. N.P. Linevich. The new commander-in-chief abandoned active actions, focusing only on engineering support for the Sypingai positions 175 km away. north Mukdena. The Russian army remained on them until the end of the war

At sea, the last hopes of the Russian command died after the defeat. in the Tsushima Strait by the Japanese fleet of Admiral H. Togo of the Russian squadron of Vice Admiral Z.P. Rozhdestvensky, sent from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean (May 14-15 (27-28), 1905).

During the hostilities, Russia lost approx. 270 thousand people, incl. OK. 50 thousand people – killed, Japan – also about 270 thousand people, but killed approx. 86 thousand people

Aviso is a small warship used for messenger service.

Only the commander of the American Vicksburg, Captain 2nd Rank Marshall, did not join the protest of the commanders of foreign ships.

"Varyag" was sunk at a shallow depth - at low tide the ship was exposed almost to the center plane by 4 m. The Japanese decided to take possession of it and began lifting work. In 1905 "Varyag". was raised and sent to Sasebo. There the cruiser was repaired and then commissioned by Vice Admiral Uriu's squadron under the name "Soya", but at the stern, under Japanese hieroglyphs, by the decision of Emperor Mutsuhito, the inscription "Varyag" was left in golden Slavic script. On March 22, 1916, Russia bought back its famous cruiser, which was returned to its previous name. In 1917, the ship was under repair in Great Britain and after the October Revolution was sold for scrap. However, fate and the sea were against such an end for the Varyag - in 1922, during its last voyage, it sank off the coast of Scotland, 60 miles south of Glasgow.

V.A. Volkov

The feat of the “Varyag” and “Korean” at the very beginning of the Russian-Japanese War (1904-1905) is rightfully considered one of the most heroic pages in the history of the Russian navy. Hundreds of books, articles, and films have been written about the tragic battle of two Russian ships with a Japanese squadron near the Korean port of Chemulpo... The previous events, the course of the battle, the fate of the cruiser and its crew have been 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 ambiguous.

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 studying the same sources, different people draw different conclusions. Some consider the actions of the “Varyag” and “Koreyets” to be a real feat, an example of selfless courage and heroism of Russian sailors. Others see them simply as sailors and officers fulfilling their military duty. Still others are inclined to consider the “forced heroism” of the crews only as a consequence of unforgivable mistakes, official negligence and indifference of the high command shown during the outbreak 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 “given” to the enemy.

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

They should have remained silent about this, just 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 could not begin with defeat, punishment of the guilty, or recognition of its own sloppiness before the whole world.

The propaganda machine was working at full capacity. The newspapers started singing! The short naval skirmish was declared a fierce battle. Self-drowning 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 (due to the inability to do anything 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 in his famous song about “Varyag” (“Up, you, comrades, everyone is in place!”). 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, sculptor K. Kazbek made a model of a monument dedicated to the battle of Chemulpo, and called it “Rudnev’s Farewell to the Varyag.” On the model, the sculptor depicted V.F. Rudnev standing at the railings, to the right of whom was a sailor with a bandaged hand, and an officer with his head down sat behind him. Then another model was made by the author of the “Guardian” monument, K.V. Izenberg. Soon the painting “The Death of the Varyag” was painted. View from the French cruiser "Pascal". Photo cards with portraits of commanders and images of “Varyag” and “Korean” were issued. The ceremony of welcoming 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. A triumphal arch was erected on the Garden Ring near the Spassky barracks in honor of this event. Two days later, the teams of “Varyag” and “Koreyets” make a ceremonial march along Nevsky Prospect from the Moscow Station to the Winter Palace, where they are met by the Emperor. Next, the gentlemen officers were invited to breakfast with Nicholas II in the White Hall, and lunch was arranged for the lower ranks in the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace.

In the concert hall, a table with gold service was set 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 submitted submissions, but also granted orders to all participants in the battle in Chemulpo without exception.

Lower ranks received St. George Crosses, officers received the Order of St. George 4th degree and extraordinary promotions in rank. 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 long-past, largely forgotten war has not yet been written. The demonstrated courage and heroism of the crews of “Varyag” and “Koreyets” is still beyond doubt. Even the Japanese were delighted with the truly “samurai” feat of the Russian sailors, considering him an example to follow.

However, to this day there are no clear answers to the simplest questions that were repeatedly asked 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 stationary station? 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 while the port was not yet blocked? Why did he sink 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, 4th degree and the title of aide-de-camp, calmly retired and lived out his life on the family estate?

Let's try to answer some of them.

About the cruiser "Varyag"

The 1st rank cruiser “Varyag” became the first in a series of Russian armored cruisers built in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. under the program “for the needs of the Far East”.

This sounds like a mockery of home-grown jingoists, but the pride of the Russian fleet, the cruiser Varyag, was built in the USA, at the William Crump shipyard in Philadelphia. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the United States, by European standards, was considered not the most technologically developed, practically agricultural and “wild” country. Why did they decide to build Varyag there? And how did this affect his fate?

In Russia, warships of this class were built, but it was very expensive, labor-intensive and time-consuming. In addition, on the eve of the war, all shipyards were overloaded with orders. Therefore, under the fleet strengthening program of 1898, new armored cruisers of the 1st rank were ordered abroad. Germany and Sweden knew how to build cruisers best, but the government of Nicholas II found this 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, Russian Emperor Nicholas II approved a contract according to which the American company The William Cramp & Sons received an order to build a squadron battleship and an armored cruiser (the future Retvizan and Varyag) at its plant.

According to the terms of the contract, the cruiser with a displacement of 6,000 tons was to be ready 20 months after the supervisory commission from Russia arrived at the plant. The cost of the ship without weapons was estimated at $2,138,000 (4,233,240 rubles). A commission headed by Captain 1st Rank M.A. Danilevsky arrived in the USA on July 13, 1898 and took an active part in the discussion and design of the future cruiser, introducing a number of significant design improvements to the project.

The head of the American company, Charles Crump, proposed taking the Japanese cruiser Kasagi as a prototype for the construction of a new ship, but the Russian Marine Technical Committee insisted that the 6,000-ton armored cruisers built in St. Petersburg - the famous "goddesses" Diana - be used as a model. , “Pallada” and “Aurora” (the sailors familiarly called them “Dashka”, “Broadsword” and “Varka”). Alas, the choice was flawed from the very beginning - the concept of cruisers of this class did not justify itself. However, the relationship between the “Varyag” and the famous “Aurora” came in handy. When the feature film “Cruiser “Varyag”” was shot in 1946, “Aurora” was cast in the title role, and a fourth fake pipe was attached to it for resemblance.

On January 11, 1899, by the will of the emperor and by order of the Maritime Department, the cruiser under construction was given the name “Varyag” - in honor of the sail-screw corvette of the same name, a participant in the American expedition of 1863. The keel-laying ceremony for the ship 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 cruiser Varyag into the water.

It cannot be said that the William Crump shipyard did not know how to build warships at all. At the same time as the Varyag, the Americans built the beautiful battleship Retvizan for the Russian fleet. However, with Varyag, initially everything did not go as planned. There were two design flaws that ultimately destroyed the ship. Firstly, the Americans installed the main caliber guns on the upper deck without any protection, even without armor shields. The ship's commanders 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, which were extremely capricious and unreliable. However, such boilers served regularly on the gunboat “Brave” for many years. The battleship "Retvizan", built at the same shipyard by Ch. Kramp, also did not have any big problems with Nikloss 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 all technical characteristics, was supposed to reach speeds of up to 23 knots.

However, 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 speed record for cruisers of her class - 24.59 knots [about 45.54 km/h].

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

When the cruiser arrived in the Baltic, Emperor Nicholas II visited him. 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 Crump “some design flaws,” as a result of which no penalties were applied to the American shipbuilders.

Why did the Varyag end up in Chemulpo?

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

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

By the beginning of 1904, relations between Russia and Japan had deteriorated 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 were the first to start hostilities. And the governor, Admiral N.E. Alekseev, and the head of the Pacific Ocean Squadron V.O. Stark, repeatedly reported to St. Petersburg that the forces in the Far East were quite sufficient to successfully conduct the campaign.

Admiral Alekseev understood perfectly well: the ice-free Korean port of Chemulpo is the most important strategic facility. Warships of leading states were constantly stationed here. To capture Korea, the Japanese would first need to capture (even land) Chemulpo. Consequently, the presence of Russian warships in this port will inevitably become a cause for conflict, i.e. will provoke the enemy to begin 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" were replaced on December 28, 1903 by the cruiser "Varyag" under the command of Captain 1st Rank V.F. Rudnev. On January 5, the Varyag was joined by the gunboat Koreets under the command of Captain II Rank G.P. Belyaev.

According to the official version, “Varyag” was sent to Chemulpo to communicate with the Russian ambassador in Seoul. In the event 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 an entire cruiser to remove diplomats was, at the very least, inappropriate. Moreover, in the conditions of the upcoming war. If hostilities broke out, the ships inevitably fell into a trap. For communication and removal of the mission, only the gunboat “Koreets” could be left, and the fast and powerful “Varyag” could be retained 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 stationary? Or did the command in Port Arthur believe that it was shameful for the Russian diplomatic mission to travel around on some kind of gunboat, and that the cruiser must be brought to the entrance?..

No! Alekseev, apparently, pursued only one goal: to force the Japanese to start the war first. To do this, he decided to sacrifice the Varyag, because it is impossible to depict a “military presence” in a Korean port with one gunboat. Captain Rudnev, of course, should not have known anything. In addition, Rudnev should not have shown any initiative, left the port on his own, or generally taken any active actions without special orders. The departure of the Russian squadron from Port Arthur to Chemulpo was scheduled for the morning of January 27.

By the way, during the strategic game in the 1902/03 academic year at the Nikolaev Naval Academy, exactly this situation was played out: in the event of a sudden Japanese attack on Russia in Chemulpo, a cruiser and a 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 heading to Chemulpo. So all the attempts of 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 turned out to be 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, learned about this (given the time difference) only on January 25.

Contrary to the statements of some “researchers” who reproached V.F. Rudnev for criminal inaction and the fatal loss of 2 days for “Varyag” (January 24 and 25), there was no “inaction”. The captain of the Varyag in Chemulpo could not have learned about the severance of 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, about 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 29. No orders were received regarding the Varyag, so Rudnev decided to send the Korean to Port Arthur to report on the impending landing, but the port was already blocked by the Japanese squadron.

On January 26, the “Korean” tried to leave Chemulpo, but was stopped at sea. Having no 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 - messages with a request to leave the raid in connection with possible hostilities against “Varyag” and “Koreyets”. The commanders of the first three ships protested that fighting in the roadstead would be a flagrant violation of Korea's formal neutrality, but it was clear that this was unlikely to stop the Japanese.

Early in the morning of January 27 (February 9, New Style), 1904, V.F. 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 the Russian sailors with any obvious support 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 take the fight, no matter how great the enemy’s forces were, that he would not fight in the roadstead and did not intend to surrender.

At 11.20 “Varyag” and “Koreets” raised anchors and headed towards the exit from the roadstead.

Did the Varyag have a chance to escape the Japanese squadron using its speed advantage?

Here the opinions of specialists and historians differ sharply. According to Rudnev himself, stated in his reports to his superiors, and later partially repeated in his memoirs, the “fastest” cruiser did not have the slightest chance of escaping the Japanese. And it was not a matter of the slow-moving gunboat “Koreets”, the crew of which Rudnev could easily have taken on board the “Varyag”. It’s just that the cruiser itself, at low tide, without the ability to develop speed on a narrow fairway, would not be able to 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 mentions the “technical shortcomings” of the Varyag, which could let the cruiser down 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) reduction in 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 speed reached only 14 knots instead of the following 23.”(“Battle of the “Varyag” near Chemulpo on January 27, 1904” St. Petersburg, 1907, p. 3).

Meanwhile, a number of studies by domestic historians completely refute the fact that the Varyag was “slow” or malfunctioning at the time of the battle. 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. The bearing faults have been eliminated. The cruiser had sufficient power reserves 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 subject to repairs and tests. Perhaps the main faults had been eliminated by the time they left for Chemulpo, but Captain Rudnev on January 26-27, 1904 was not one hundred percent confident in 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 ship Boyarin in Chemulpo only because only such a cruiser could escape the Japanese pursuit using the evening tide. The height of tides in Chemulpo reaches 8-9 meters (maximum tide height is up to 10 meters).

“With the cruiser’s 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 take advantage of it. He settled on the worst option - to break through during the day at low tide and together with the “Korean”. Everyone knows what this decision led to..."

However, it is worth remembering here that the “Varyag” should not have left 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 “pre-emptive strike” on the main naval base in the Far East. Such impudence of the Japanese “macaques” was impossible to imagine in any strategy game!

Even in the event of a successful breakthrough from Chemulpo, the Varyag had to make a 3-day journey alone to Port Arthur, where it would inevitably collide with another Japanese squadron. And where is the guarantee that on the high seas he would not encounter 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 between 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 topmast flags to be raised. The Japanese squadron was guarding the Russians at the southern tip of Phillip Island. The “Asama” was closest to the exit, and it was from it that the “Varyag” and “Koreets” walking towards them were discovered. Rear Admiral S. Uriu at this time received an officer from the Talbot on board the cruiser Naniva, who delivered documents from the commanders' meeting. Having received the news from the Asama, the commander quickly ended the conversation and ordered the anchor chains to be riveted, since there was no time to raise and remove the anchors. The ships began to hastily pull out onto the reach, forming combat columns as they went, in accordance with the disposition received the day before.

The Asama and Chiyoda were the first to move, followed by the flagship Naniwa and the cruiser Niitaka, somewhat behind. Destroyers from one of the detachments were walking abeam the non-firing side of the Naniva. The remaining destroyers with the cruisers Akashi and Takachiho, having developed a large speed, rushed in a southwestern direction. Advice "Chihaya" together with the destroyer "Kasasagi" were on patrol at the exit from the 30-mile fairway. The Russian ships continued to move.

According to Japanese sources, Rear Admiral Uriu gave the signal to surrender, but the Varyag did not respond and was the first to begin 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. “Varyag, upon leaving the neutral roadstead, opened fire with armor-piercing shells from a distance of 45 cables. "Asama", observing the breakout cruiser on the port side, approached, without stopping fire. He was actively supported by Naniva and Niytaka. One of the first Japanese shells destroyed the upper bridge of the Varyag and broke the fore shrouds. In this case, midshipman Count Alexey Nirod died, and all the rangefinders of station No. 1 were killed or wounded. In the first minutes of the battle, the 6-inch Varyag gun was also knocked out, and all the gun and supply personnel were killed or wounded.

At the same time, "Chiyoda" attacked "Korean". The gunboat initially fired high-explosive shells from the right 8-inch gun alternately at the lead cruiser and Takachiho. Soon, the reduction in 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, the deck and whaleboat No. 1 caught fire. The fire was caused by a shell that exploded on the deck, and 6 guns were knocked out. Other shells almost demolished the battle mainsail, destroyed rangefinder station No. 2, knocked out several more guns, and set fire to the armored deck lockers.

At 12.12, an enemy shell broke the pipe in which all the Varyag's steering gears were laid. The out-of-control ship rolled into circulation onto the rocks of Yodolmi Island. 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. The fragments flew into the passage of the conning tower, mortally wounding bugler N. Nagle and drummer D. Korneev. The cruiser commander Rudnev escaped with only a slight wound and concussion.

"Varyag" sat down on the rocks of the island and, turning to the enemy with its left side, was a stationary target. The Japanese ships began to approach. The situation seemed hopeless. The enemy was quickly 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, having pierced 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 stoker began to quickly fill with water, the level of which approached the fireboxes. Stoker quartermasters Zhigarev and Zhuravlev with With remarkable dedication and composure, they battened down the coal pit, and the senior officer, captain 2nd rank Stepanov, and senior boatswain Kharkovsky, under a hail of shrapnel, began to put plasters under the holes. And at that moment the cruiser itself, as if reluctantly, slid off the shoal and backed away from the dangerous place. Without further tempting fate, Rudnev ordered to take a reverse course.

To the surprise of the Japanese, the punctured and burning Varyag, having increased its speed, confidently moved towards the roadstead.

Due to the narrowness of the fairway, only the cruisers Asama and Chiyoda could pursue the Russians. “Varyag” and “Koreets” fired back furiously, but due to the sharp heading angles, only two or three 152-mm guns could fire. At this time, an enemy destroyer appeared from behind Yodolmi Island and rushed to attack. It was the turn of small-caliber artillery - from the surviving Varyag and Koreets guns they opened dense barrage fire. The destroyer turned sharply and left without causing any harm to the Russian ships.

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

Personnel losses

In total, during the battle, “Varyag” fired 1105 shells: 425 -152 mm, 470 -75 mm and 210 - 47 mm. The effectiveness of its fire, unfortunately, is still unknown. According to official Japanese data published during the Russo-Japanese War, there were no hits at all on the ships of the Uriu squadron, and no one from their crews 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 rear turret was damaged, as it ceased firing for the rest of the battle. The cruiser Takachiho also received serious damage. The cruiser Chiyoda was sent to the dock for repairs. According to English and Italian sources, after the battle the Japanese brought 30 dead to A-san Bay. According to the official document (sanitary report for the war), the losses of the Varyag amounted to 130 people - 33 killed and 97 wounded. Rudnev gives a different figure in his reports - one officer and 38 lower ranks were killed, 73 people were wounded. 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 planned to quickly finish off the boat.

Cruiser condition

In total, the cruiser was hit by 12-14 large high-explosive shells. 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 damages.

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

When inspecting the cruiser, in addition to the damage listed above, the following were also revealed:

all 47 mm guns are unfit for firing;

five 6-inch guns received various serious damages;

seven 75-mm guns had their knurlings, compressors and other parts and mechanisms completely damaged;

the upper bend of the third chimney was destroyed;

all fans and lifeboats were destroyed;

the upper deck was broken in many places;

the command room was destroyed;

damaged fore-mars;

Four more holes were discovered.

Naturally, all this damage in a besieged port could not be repaired and corrected on its own.

The sinking of the Varyag and its subsequent fate

Rudnev, on a French boat, went to the English cruiser Talbot to negotiate the transportation of the Varyag crew to foreign ships and report on the supposed destruction of the cruiser right in the roadstead. The commander of the Talbot, Bailey, 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 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 Koreets. G.P. Belyaev immediately convened a military council, at which the officers decided: “The upcoming battle in half an hour is not equal, 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 divided into Pascal, Talbot and the Italian cruiser Elba. Subsequently, the commanders of the foreign ships received approval and gratitude from their envoys for their actions.

At 15.50, Rudnev and the senior boatswain, having walked around the ship and made sure that there was no one left on it, got off it along with the owners of the hold compartments, who opened the kingstons and flood valves. At 16.05 the Koreets was blown up, and at 18.10 the Varyag lay on its left 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 raising the Varyag. The cruiser lay on the ground, on the left side, almost along the center plane, plunging into the silt. At low tide, most of its body was clearly visible above the water.

To carry out the work, specialists were brought from Japan and the necessary equipment was delivered. The rise of the ship was led by Lieutenant General of the Corps of Naval Engineers Arai. Having examined the cruiser lying at the bottom, he amazed Admiral Rear Admiral Uriu, reporting that his squadron “could not sink the hopelessly faulty ship for a whole hour.” Arai further expressed the idea that raising and repairing the cruiser was not economically viable. But Uriu still ordered the lifting work to begin. For him it was a matter of honor...

In total, more than 300 skilled workers and divers worked on the lifting of 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 V.F. Rudnev’s personal belongings were returned to him in 1907.

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

A major overhaul of the cruiser, which received the new name "Soya", took place in 1906-1907. After its completion, the appearance of the ship changed greatly. New navigation bridges, a chart room, chimneys, and fans appeared. Mars pads on mars surfaces were dismantled. The nasal decoration has changed: the Japanese installed their unchanging symbol - the chrysanthemum. The ship's steam boilers and armament remained unchanged.

Upon completion of the repairs, Soya was enrolled as a training ship at the 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 Arctic Ocean flotilla, within which it was planned to create a cruising squadron. But there were not enough ships for this. Japan, which at that time was an ally of Russia, after lengthy bidding, 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 Vladivostok Zolotoy Rog Bay, the St. George pennant was raised on it. After repairs, on June 18, 1916, “Varyag” under the flag of the commander of the Special Purpose Vessels Detachment, Rear Admiral A.I. Bestuzhev-Ryumina went out to the open sea and headed for Romanov-on-Murman (Murmansk). In November, the cruiser was assigned to the Arctic Ocean Flotilla as a flagship ship.

But the technical condition of the ship gave rise to concern, and at the beginning of 1917 an agreement was reached on its overhaul at a shipyard in Great Britain. On February 25, 1917, the Varyag left the shores of Russia forever and set off on its last independent voyage.

After the October Revolution in Russia, the British seized the cruiser to pay off the debts of the tsarist government. Due to poor technical condition, the ship was sold to Germany for scrap in 1920. While being towed, the Varyag landed on rocks off the coast of Southern Scotland, near the town of Lendelfoot. Some of the metal structures were then removed by local residents. In 1925, the Varyag finally sank, finding its final 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 an expedition led by A. Denisov, organized by the Rossiya TV channel, it was possible to find the exact location of the ship’s death and discover its wreckage at the bottom.

The conclusions from all of the above suggest themselves.

The feat of the “Varyag” and the “Korean”, of course, is the same “feat” that could have been avoided, but... Russian people are not used to running away from exploits.

Today we cannot clearly judge the reasons for leaving the Varyag in Chemulpo. This action can be considered both part of a far-reaching strategic plan aimed at provoking the enemy, and arrogant sloppiness. In any case, the commanders of the “Varyag” and “Koreyets” became victims of a miscalculation by the top military leadership and a general “captivating” mood on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War.

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

The only thing that can be blamed for is V.F. Rudnev, is that he was unable to immediately assess the scale of 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: who would then take the teams of the Varyag and the Korean to Shanghai? And here it is worth remembering that Japanese engineers initially considered raising the wrecked cruiser impractical. Only Admiral Uriu insisted on its raising and repair. Rudnev also did not know about the peculiarities of the national Japanese character and could not foresee that the Japanese were able to repair anything...

In 1917, one of V.F. Rudnev’s assistants, who was in the battle at Chemulpo, recalled that some senior officers were afraid to return to Russia after the death of the Varyag. They considered the clash with the Japanese at Chemulpo a mistake that resulted in an expected defeat, and the loss of a warship as a crime for which they would face a military trial, demotion, or even bigger troubles. But the government of Nicholas II in this case acted more than wisely. Given the general hostile attitude of Russian society towards 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 played out ten years earlier...

Based on materials

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

In On cuts and kickbacks in Tsarist Russia

The development of a fire control system for the battleship Borodino was entrusted to the Institute of Precision Mechanics at the court of His Imperial Highness. The creation of the machines was carried out by the Russian Society of Steam Power Plants. A leading research and production team whose developments have been successfully applied on warships around the world. Ivanov's guns and self-propelled mines designed by Makarov were adopted as weapon systems...

All of you, there on the upper deck! Stop the ridicule!

The fire control system was French, mod. 1899. The set of instruments was first presented at an exhibition in Paris and was immediately purchased for the RIF by its commander, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich (according to the recollections of relatives, le Beau Brummel, who almost permanently lived in France).

Barr and Studd horizontal base rangefinders were installed in the conning tower. Boilers of the Belleville design were used. Mangin spotlights. Worthington steam pumps. Martin's anchors. Ston pumps. Medium and anti-mine caliber guns - 152- and 75-mm cannons of the Canet system. Rapid-fire 47 mm Hotchkiss guns. Whitehead system torpedoes.

The Borodino project itself was a modified design of the battleship Tsesarevich, designed and built for the Russian Imperial Navy by specialists from the French shipyard Forges and Chantiers.

To avoid misunderstandings and unfounded reproaches, it is necessary to make an explanation for a wide audience. The good news is that most of the foreign names in the Borodino EDB design belonged to systems manufactured under license in Russia. On the technical side, they also met the best world standards. For example, the generally accepted design of the sectional boiler of the Belleville system and the very successful guns of Gustave Canet.

However, the French fire control system alone on the Russian EBR makes one think. Why and why? It looks as ridiculous as the Aegis on the Soviet Orlan.

There are two bad news.

A great empire with a population of 130 million people, with a high-quality education system (for the elite) and a developed scientific school - Mendeleev, Popov, Yablochkov. And besides, there are all kinds of foreign technologies all around! Where is our domestic “Belleville”? But he was an engineer-inventor V. Shukhov, an employee of the Russian branch of the Babcock & Wilksos company, who patented a vertical boiler of his own design.

In theory, everything was there. In practice, there are solid Belvilles, the Nikloss brothers and the Tsarevich EBR at the Forges and Chantiers shipyard as a standard model for the Russian fleet.

But, what is especially offensive, ships at domestic shipyards were built many times slower. Four years for EDB Borodino versus two and a half years for Retvizan (Cramp & Sans). Now you shouldn’t become like a recognizable hero and ask: “Why? Who did it?" The answer is on the surface - a lack of tools, machines, experience and skilled hands.

Another problem is that even with “mutually beneficial cooperation” in the conditions of an “open world market,” there are no torpedoes of the Makarov design in service with the French fleet. And in general there is nothing observed that would indicate an exchange of technologies. Everything, everything according to the old, proven scheme. We give them money and gold, in return they give them their technical innovations. Belleville boiler. Whitehead's mine. iPhone 6. Because Russian Mongols are completely impotent in terms of the creative process.

Speaking specifically about the fleet, even licenses were not always enough. We just had to take and place orders at foreign shipyards.

The fact that the cruiser “Varyag” was built in the USA is no longer hidden. It is much less known that the second participant in the legendary battle, the gunboat “Korean”, was built in Sweden.

Armored cruiser "Svetlana", built in Le Havre, France.
Armored cruiser "Admiral Kornilov" - Saint-Nazaire, France.
Armored cruiser "Askold" - Kiel, Germany.
Armored cruiser "Boyarin" - Copenhagen, Denmark.
Armored cruiser "Bayan" - Toulon, France.
The armored cruiser Admiral Makarov was built at the Forges & Chantiers shipyard.
The armored cruiser Rurik was built at the English shipyard Barrow Inn Furness.
The battleship Retvizan, built by Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia, USA.
Series of destroyers "Whale", Friedrich Schichau shipyard, Germany.
The Trout series of destroyers were built at the A. Norman plant in France.
Series "Lieutenant Burakov" - "Forges & Chantiers", France.
Series of destroyers “Mechanical Engineer Zverev” - Schichau shipyard, Germany.
The lead destroyers of the “Horseman” and “Falcon” series were built in Germany and, accordingly, Great Britain.
"Batum" - at the Yarrow shipyard in Glasgow, UK (the list is incomplete!).

A regular participant in “Military Review” spoke very caustically about this:

Well, of course, they ordered ships from the Germans. They built well, their cars were excellent. Well, clearly in France, like an ally, plus kickbacks to the Grand Dukes. One can also understand the order to the American Crump. He did it quickly, promised a lot and delivered everything no worse than the French. But it turns out that under the Tsar Father, we even ordered cruisers in Denmark.
Comment from Eduard (qwert).

The irritation is well understandable. Given the colossal gap in technology and labor productivity, building a series of armored cruisers is equivalent to building a modern spaceport. Outsourcing such “fat” projects to foreign contractors is unprofitable and ineffective in all respects. This money should go to the workers of the Admiralty shipyards and move the domestic economy. And together with it, develop our own science and industry. This is what everyone has strived to do at all times. Steal from profits, not losses. But we don’t do that.

We did it differently. The scheme was called “to steal a ruble, harm the country for a million.” The French have a contract, they, whoever needs it, get a kickback. Their shipyards are sitting without orders. Industry is deteriorating. Qualified personnel are not needed.

There was a time when they even tried to build dreadnought battleships, but it would be better not to try. During the implementation of this most complex project, all the shortcomings of pre-revolutionary Russia were clearly revealed. There is a widespread lack of production experience, machines and competent specialists. Multiplied by incompetence, nepotism, kickbacks and chaos in the offices of the Admiralty.

As a result, the formidable “Sevastopol” took six years to build and by the time the St. Andrew’s flag was raised it was completely outdated. “Empress Maria” turned out to be no better. Look at their peers. Who entered service at the same time as them in 1915? Isn't it the 15-inch Queen Elizabeth? And then say that the author is biased.

They say that there was still the mighty “Ishmael”. Or it wasn't. The battle cruiser “Izmail” turned out to be an unbearable burden for the Republic of Ingushetia. It’s a rather strange habit to pass off as an achievement something that you didn’t do.

Even in peacetime, with the direct help of foreign contractors, ships over and over again turned into long-term construction projects. With the cruiser everything turned out to be even more serious. When Izmail reached 43% readiness, Russia entered into a war that lacked any purpose, objective benefit, and was impossible to win. For “Ishmael” this was the end, because... Some of its mechanisms were imported from Germany.

If we talk outside of politics, then the Izmail LCR was also not an indicator of the heyday of the empire. Dawn has already begun to glow in the East. Japan stood up to his full height with his 16-inch “Nagato”. One that even their British teachers were taken aback by.

Time passed, there was not much progress. From the author’s point of view, industry in Tsarist Russia was in complete decline. You may have an opinion different from the author’s, which, however, will not be easy to prove.

Go down to the engine room of the destroyer Novik and read what is stamped on its turbines. Come on, bring some light here. Really? A.G. Vulkan Stettin. Deutsches Kaiserreich.

Things didn't work out with the engines from the very beginning. Climb into the engine nacelle of the same “Ilya Muromets”. What will you see there? Engines of the Gorynych brand? Right, surprise. Renault.

Legendary royal quality

All the facts indicate that the Russian Empire languished somewhere at the very bottom of the list of developed states. After Great Britain, Germany, the States, France and even Japan, which, having gone through the late Meiji modernization, by the 1910s. managed to bypass RI in everything.

In general, Russia was not at all where it should be for an empire with such ambitions.

After this, jokes about “Ilyin’s light bulb” and the state program for eliminating illiteracy no longer seem so funny. Years passed and the country healed. Fully. It would become a state with the best education in the world, with advanced science and a developed industry that could do everything. Import substitution in the most important industries (military industry, atom, space) was 100%.

And the descendants of the degenerates who fled will continue to whine in Paris for a long time about “the Russia they lost.”
Author A. Dolganov.

On May 10, 1899, at the Crump and Sons shipyard in Philadelphia, the official ceremony of laying down an armored cruiser of the 1st rank for the Russian fleet took place. The ship was largely experimental - in addition to the new Nickloss boilers, its design contained a large number of innovations. Three times a workers' strike at the plant disrupted the plans Russian Admiralty, finally, the Varyag was solemnly launched on October 31, 1899. The orchestra began to play, 570 Russian sailors from the crew of the new cruiser burst out: “Hurray!”, momentarily drowning out even the orchestra pipes. American engineers, having learned that the ship would be christened according to Russian custom, shrugged their shoulders and opened a bottle of champagne. The one that, according to American tradition, should have been smashed against the hull of the ship. Head of the Russian Commission E.N. Shchensnovich informed his superiors: “The descent went well. No deformations of the hull were found, the displacement coincided with the calculated one.” Did anyone present know that he was not only at the launch of the ship, but also at the birth of a legend of the Russian fleet?
There are shameful defeats, but there are also those that are worth more than any victory. Defeats that strengthen the military spirit, about which songs and legends are composed. The feat of the cruiser "Varyag" was a choice between shame and honor.

On February 8, 1904, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the Russian gunboat "Koreets" was fired upon by a Japanese squadron while leaving the port of Chemulpo: the Japanese fired 3 torpedoes, the Russians responded with fire from a 37 mm revolver cannon. Without getting further involved in the battle, the “Korean” hastily retreated back to the Chemulpo roadstead.

The day ended without incident. On the cruiser "Varyag" the military council spent the whole night deciding what to do in this situation. Everyone understood that war with Japan was inevitable. Chemulpo is blocked by a Japanese squadron. Many officers spoke out in favor of leaving the port under cover of darkness and fighting their way to their bases in Manchuria. In the dark, a small Russian squadron would have a significant advantage than in a daylight battle. But Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev, the commander of the Varyag, did not accept any of the proposals, expecting a more favorable development of events.
Alas, in the morning at 7 o'clock. 30 minutes, the commanders of foreign ships: English - Talbot, French - Pascal, Italian - Elba and American - Vicksburg received a notice indicating the time of delivery of the notification from the Japanese admiral about the beginning of hostile actions between Russia and Japan, and that the admiral invited the Russian ships to leave the roadstead before 12 o'clock day, otherwise they will be attacked by the squadron in the roadstead after 4 o'clock. the same day, and foreign ships were asked to leave the roadstead for this time, for their safety. This information was delivered to the Varyag by the commander of the cruiser Pascal. At 9:30 a.m. on February 9, on board HMS Talbot, Captain Rudnev received a notice from Japanese Admiral Uriu, announcing that Japan and Russia were at war and demanding that Varyag leave port by noon, otherwise at four o'clock Japanese ships will fight right in the roadstead.

At 11:20 “Varyag” and “Koreets” weighed anchor. Five minutes later they sounded a combat alarm. English and French ships greeted the passing Russian squadron with the sounds of an orchestra. Our sailors had to fight through a narrow 20-mile fairway and break out into the open sea. At half past twelve, the Japanese cruisers received an offer to surrender to the mercy of the winner; the Russians ignored the signal. At 11:45 the Japanese opened fire...

In 50 minutes of an unequal battle, the Varyag fired 1,105 shells at the enemy, of which 425 were large-caliber (although, according to Japanese sources, no hits were recorded on Japanese ships). It’s hard to believe this data, because several months before the tragic events of Chemulpo, “Varyag” participated in the exercises of the Port Arthur squadron, where it hit the target three times out of 145 shots. In the end, the shooting accuracy of the Japanese was also simply ridiculous - 6 cruisers scored only 11 hits on the Varyag in an hour!

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, and the deck of the Varyag turned into a terrible sight. 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. Having received critical damage, the Varyag described a wide circulation in the Chemulpo fairway and was forced to return to the roadstead an hour later.

Legendary cruiser after the battle

“...I will never forget this stunning sight that presented itself to me,” the commander of the French cruiser, who witnessed the unprecedented battle, later recalled, “the deck is covered in blood, corpses and body parts are lying everywhere. Nothing escaped destruction: in places where shells exploded, the paint was charred, all the iron parts were broken, the fans were knocked down, the sides and bunks were burnt. Where so much heroism had been shown, everything was rendered unusable, broken into pieces, riddled with holes; The remains of the bridge hung deplorably. Smoke was coming from all the holes in the stern, and the list to the left side was increasing..."
Despite such an emotional description of the Frenchman, the cruiser’s position was by no means so hopeless. The surviving sailors selflessly extinguished the fires, and emergency teams applied a patch under a large hole in the underwater part of the port side. Of the 570 crew members, 30 sailors and 1 officer were killed. The gunboat "Koreets" had no casualties among its personnel.

Squadron battleship "Eagle" after the Battle of Tsushima

For comparison, in the Battle of Tsushima, out of 900 people from the crew of the squadron battleship "Alexander III", no one was saved, and out of 850 people from the crew of the squadron battleship "Borodino", only 1 sailor was saved. Despite this, respect for these ships remains in the circles of military enthusiasts. "Alexander III" led the entire squadron under fierce fire for several hours, skillfully maneuvering and periodically throwing off the Japanese's sights. Now no one will say who competently controlled the battleship in the last minutes - whether the commander or one of the officers. But the Russian sailors fulfilled their duty to the end - having received critical damage in the underwater part of the hull, the flaming battleship capsized at full speed, without lowering the flag. Not a single person from the crew escaped. A couple of hours later, his feat was repeated by the squadron battleship Borodino. Then the Russian squadron was led by the "Eagle". The same heroic squadron battleship that received 150 hits, but partially retained its combat capability until the very end of the Battle of Tsushima. This is such an unexpected remark. Happy memory to the heroes.

However, the situation of the Varyag, which was hit by 11 Japanese shells, remained serious. The cruiser's controls were damaged. In addition, the artillery was seriously damaged; out of 12 six-inch guns, only seven survived.

V. Rudnev, on a French steam boat, went to the English cruiser Talbot to negotiate the transportation of the Varyag crew to foreign ships and report on the supposed destruction of the cruiser right in the roadstead. The commander of the Talbot, Bailey, objected to the explosion of the Russian cruiser, motivating his opinion by the large crowding of ships in the roadstead. At 1 p.m. 50 min. Rudnev returned to the Varyag. Hastily gathering the officers nearby, he informed them of his intention and received their support. They immediately began transporting the wounded, and then the entire crew, ship documents and the ship's cash register to foreign ships. The officers destroyed valuable equipment, smashed surviving instruments and pressure gauges, dismantled gun locks, throwing parts overboard. Finally, the seams were opened, and at six o'clock in the evening the Varyag lay on the bottom on the left side.

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. The commander of the American cruiser Vicksburg behaved absolutely disgustingly in this situation, flatly refusing to accommodate Russian sailors on his ship without official permission from Washington. Without taking a single person on board, the “American” limited himself to only sending a doctor to the cruiser. French newspapers wrote about this: “Obviously, the American fleet is still too young to have those high traditions that inspire all the fleets of other nations.”

The crew of the gunboat "Koreets" blew up their ship

Commander of the gunboat "Koreets", captain of the 2nd rank G.P. Belyaev turned out to be a more decisive person: despite all the warnings of the British, he blew up the gunboat, leaving the Japanese with only a pile of scrap metal as a souvenir.

Despite the immortal feat of the Varyag crew, Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev still should not have returned to the port, but scuttled the cruiser in the fairway. Such a decision would have made it much more difficult for the Japanese to use the port and made it impossible to raise the cruiser. The most important thing is that no one could say that “Varyag” retreated from the battlefield. After all, now many “democratic” sources are trying to turn the feat of Russian sailors into a farce, because supposedly the cruiser did not die in battle.

In 1905, the Varyag was raised by the Japanese and introduced into the Japanese Imperial Navy under the name Soya, but in 1916 the Russian Empire bought the legendary cruiser.

Finally, I would like to remind all “democrats” and “truth seekers” that after the armistice, the Japanese government found it possible to reward Captain Rudnev for the Varyag’s feat. The captain himself did not want to accept the reward from the opposing side, but the Emperor personally asked him to do so. In 1907, Vsevolod Fedorovich Rudnev was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun.

Bridge of the cruiser "Varyag"

Map of the battle at Chemulpo from the Varyag logbook