Battleship Lefort. Sailing battleships of the Black Sea Fleet 84 gun ships

Sevastopol residents have long been familiar with the original work of the shipbuilding engineer N.A. Polonsky: his works dedicated to ships and the sea were demonstrated at many exhibitions. Their unusualness lies not only in the fact that they are burned out of wood, each of them is a historically accurate image of a particular ship. For more than a quarter of a century, Polonsky “sent off” an entire squadron - from the first Russian warship "Eagle" to modern missile carriers. Constant reference to historical materials led him to a serious study of the history of the Russian fleet. In this article, the author provides systematic data on the last Black Sea battleships of the sailing fleet era.

By the beginning of the Crimean War (1853), sailing battleships formed the core of the Black Sea Fleet. In terms of tactical and technical data and combat qualities, they were at the level of the best ships of a similar class in the English fleet (by the way, then the strongest in the world), and in certain indicators and combat training of the crews they even surpassed them. However, the composition of this squadron was not always so strong. Suffice it to remember that by the beginning of 1834, of the twelve battleships, only the 120-gun Warsaw had just entered service, and the rest were either outdated or completely unusable. Only after the appointment of Vice Admiral M.P. Lazarev as the chief commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports, confirmed in this position on December 31, 1834, did the period of revival and strengthening of the fleet begin. At the request of Lazarev, in May 1835, the quantitative composition of the ships was approved, which included three three-deck 120-gun ships and twelve two-deck 84-gun ships, the prototype for the latter being the 84-gun battleship Silistria, which had proven itself well in voyages. In the same 1835, intensive construction of battleships began in Nikolaevsky, as well as in the so-called Spassky Admiralty. Each such ship with full armament was expensive for the treasury: a three-deck ship cost more than 2.5 million, a two-deck ship cost more than 1.8 million rubles.
We must pay tribute to the command of the Black Sea Fleet: it closely followed the latest achievements in the field of shipbuilding abroad and sought to use everything useful at home. Special attention addressed the seaworthiness and combat qualities of ships, increasing the strength and durability of hulls, improving habitability, ease of maintenance of artillery, etc. Among the major innovations introduced during construction, it is necessary to note the replacement of the traditional transom stern with a stern round shape, much more durable, since the star-timbers (as well as the frames) came from the keel and firmly connected the stern to the entire hull. In addition, the round stern increased the firing sector of the stern (retired) guns, which eliminated “dead zones.” Metal readers and braces introduced in the same years, which formed side bracing trusses, sharply increased the longitudinal strength of the ship and, consequently, its service life. The use of metal brackets strengthened the fastening of the transverse frame, and the replacement of pine boards with oak (in areas where guns were placed) made the flooring of the artillery decks more durable. The parts of the ship's set, when connecting which gaskets made of tarred felt were used, were prepared in advance according to templates from the plaza. All wooden parts of the hull structures were painted with lime, the heads of bolts and ruffs (under the copper plating) were covered with a layer of putty (a mixture of chalk and tallow), wooden cokes were impregnated with hemp oil. To prevent fouling, the underwater part was tarred and covered with copper sheets on copper nails. The previously used Peringa anchors were replaced by Admiralty ones, and hemp ropes were replaced by anchor chains.
For dozens of years, cruise chambers, skipper's and sail stores were located on battery decks; in the 30s of the XIX century. they were moved into the hold, which made it possible to expand the crew's quarters and make them lighter thanks to the installation of portholes. Office spaces began to be equipped with convenient cabinets and drawers. Much more was gradually improved. Thus, useful things, spar, rigging became stronger, more reliable and easier to maintain, while many parts were unified. The improved cut sails were made only from dense and durable canvas produced by the Aleksandrovskaya manufactory with threads impregnated with special compounds. Newly designed blocks made it easier to work with rigging and sails; Copper tubes were inserted in places where the rigging passed through the wooden hull structures.
Simultaneously with the improvement of the design of ships, vigorous measures were taken to improve their artillery weapons. In 1839, experiments were carried out in Nikolaev with a 68-pound (214 mm) bomb gun. They showed what a weapon was, which had approximately same mass with a 36-pound so-called long gun and the same projectile range (14 cables or about 2.5 km), produced more significant destructive effects. The results of these tests made it possible to begin arming the ships of the Black Sea Fleet with more effective bomb guns in 1841. In relation to them in 1842 - 1843. shells (bombs) with an impact fuse, invented by the Russian artilleryman Lieutenant General Lechner, were adopted.

Table 1. Composition of battleships of the Black Sea Fleet in 1853 (dates according to the old style)

Table 2. Main elements and characteristics of battleships

Notes

To determine the displacement, total completeness coefficients of 0.571-0.575 were used, obtained based on the calculation of the elements of buoyancy and initial stability using ordinates taken from the original theoretical drawings of some ships. The draft was taken from the top edge of the keel (base line) to the load waterline, which is the height of the beam keel (2 feet or 0.61 m) less than the average deepening indicated in the table.

1. The mass of the anchor was determined according to the formula and coefficients given in the book “Notes on the manufacture of anchors and chain ropes” (Nikolaev, 1849, p. 1-2).

The total sail area is determined approximately, based on the methodology given in the book by M. M. Okunev “Experience in composing drawings for military vessels” (St. Petersburg, 1836), according to empirical coefficients, midship frame area and displacement; in the future, the overall windage was specified based on stability calculations with the condition that when the wind pressure on the sails is 1 pound per square foot, the ship’s roll does not exceed 4° (Nedzyalkovsky A.A. “Collection of tables and formulas for engineers, architects and mechanics”, St. Petersburg. , 1867, pp. 1226-1227).

Table 3. Artillery weapons

* On the Chesma there were 4 and 60 guns of these calibers, respectively.

All fourteen battleships that the Black Sea Fleet included in its composition by mid-1853 (Table 1) were built in Nikolaev. The data given in various sources about the dimensions and artillery armament of these ships is incomplete and often contradictory. This circumstance prompted the author of the article to make a detailed analysis of the available materials. All indicated in the table. 1 the ships are divided into groups based on the similarity of size and artillery armament (Tables 2 and 3).

120-gun ship “Three Saints” (from a lithograph by Prokhorov, 1844).

The basis comparative analysis and the breakdown of ships into groups was based on the works of , , and , as well as the report drawings of the ships “Empress Maria”, “Rostislav” and “Twelve Apostles” preserved in the archive. All data given in the first two sources coincide with each other and are completely reliable; It is also important that the dimensions are given quite specifically: for example, “length along the gondeck” (lower deck); “width without trim”; The reporting drawings indicate the length between perpendiculars and the width, both with and without sheathing. The work confirms the opinion that all ships of the third group were built according to the same drawing (Table 2). Unfortunately, it does not contain data on the ships of the fourth group, since they were launched after the publication of the book. However, the following is known: 68-pound bomb guns were installed on the gondeck of these ships. This required an increase in the width of the body to accommodate them. “Chesma” and “Rostislav”, for example, with the same length as the ships of the third group, had a width of 17.37 and 16.76 m, respectively. “Empress Maria” and “Brave”, compared to the ships of the third group, had greater length and width; thanks to this, the dimensions of the spar and the sail area on them were the same as on the ship “Twelve Apostles”, which, with a smaller displacement compared to it, ensured greater speed.

Model of the 120-gun ship “Twelve Apostles”, made in Nikolaev in 1/12 life-size at the end of the 19th century. according to original drawings of the ship.

Thus, by mid-1853, the Black Sea Fleet included seaworthy and fast sailing ships with first-class artillery and well-trained personnel. According to Admiral P.S. Nakhimov, “...in general, 84-gun ships have excellent qualities and it is difficult to give a decisive advantage to any of them...”. In terms of combat qualities, the 120-gun “Twelve Apostles”, “Paris” and “Grand Duke Constantine” had no equal among the sailing ships of the world and, moreover, were distinguished by the beauty of their forms and grace; the commander of the first of them, captain 1st rank V.A. Kornilov, wrote to M.P. Lazarev: “...my ship on the last passage turned out to be of excellent quality. It had 11 inches of trim and had excellent steering response; in a steep close-hauled wind twice I had more than 8 knots on one topsail reef, a roll of up to 7°...”. If the speed of the ship in a close-hauled wind with a top wind (4 points) exceeded 8 knots, then, obviously, in a jibe or backstay it had at least 12 - 13 knots.
As a result of the excellent training of the personnel, the sails on the Black Sea ships were set and removed much faster than it was done in the fleets of other states. Two reefs on the topsails were taken in 2.5 minutes; all straight sails with yard trim were set to close-hauled in 6 - 7 minutes; When entering the bay under sail, anchoring took only 8 - 10 minutes.
Foreign experts highly appreciated the quality of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Thus, the chief surveyor of the English fleet, William Simondus, having visited Nikolaev and Sevastopol in 1841, wrote to the English consul in Odessa: “... There is a smell of a maritime nation there and if the government supports, then the maritime unit in the Black Sea will soon become very strong. ..” And Lazarev noted that Simondus “...was very admiring of our ships and everything that was on them, such as the beautiful construction, the cover of the sails, the spars, rowing ships, blacksmith work and finishing in general...” The following fact is also known: the English captain Drinkwater, who inspected the ships being built in Nikolaev in 1835, received permission from Admiral Lazarev to take the drawings of the “Three Saints”.
Despite the excellent combat and seaworthiness of sailing battleships, the Black Sea Fleet still turned out to be unprepared for the Crimean War of 1853-1856. This is explained by the fact that the fleets of the leading naval powers (including England and France) already had a large number of battleships with sailing weapons and steam engines and screw propellers, which facilitated maneuvering during battle. The untimely creation of a military propeller fleet revealed the inertia of the tsarist government and the general technical backwardness of Russia, which led to defeat in the Crimean War.

Block model of the 120-gun ship "Paris", stored in the Museum of Sevastopol Defense.

In the battle with Turkish sailing ships in Sinop Bay (November 1853), the sailing Black Sea Fleet demonstrated excellent combat qualities for the last time. It was possible to fight the numerous screw-driven battleships of the united Anglo-French squadron on the open sea only in strong and continuous winds, but such favorable conditions for sailing battleships are extremely rare on the Black Sea. However, under no circumstances was the surrender of Sevastopol allowed, which would have opened the way for the enemy to the south of Russia. Based on this, by order of the command of the Black Sea Fleet, some of the ships had to be scuttled at the entrance to the Sevastopol roadstead, thereby depriving the enemy fleet of the opportunity to land troops in the rear of the bastions, fortified only from the sea. The personnel of the sunken battleships joined the ranks of the city’s defenders, and some of the naval guns were installed on the defensive line.

LITERATURE

1. Veselago F. F. List of Russian military courts from 1668 to 1860. St. Petersburg, 1872.

2. Kushelev G. Military navigator. St. Petersburg, 1788.

3. Notes of the Scientific Committee of the Main Naval Staff. St. Petersburg, 1835, part XII.

4. The model ship of the Black Sea Fleet "Silistria" and six more of her brothers were sunk by order of Admiral Nakhimov in Sevastopol Bay during the Crimean campaign of 1853–1856

   The model ship of the Black Sea Fleet "Silistria" and six more of her brothers were scuttled by order of Admiral Nakhimov in Sevastopol Bay during the Crimean campaign of 1853–1856.

   Model ship

   The 84-gun battleship Silistria was the first military sailing ship of its series. The sailing ship was launched in 1835, and was named after the Turkish fortress on the Danube, taken by the Russian army.

   It was a 3-masted ship with a displacement of 3540 tons, length on the upper deck 59 m, width 15.9 m, crew of 175 people, total number 84 guns with the possibility of installing four additional ones. It was built in Nikolaev under the guidance of a shipwright Akimova. The commander of the ship under construction was appointed Pavel Nakhimov, future admiral and defender of Sevastopol. He monitored the progress of the work, took care of the strength of the hull, the quality of the sails and artillery weapons.

   Round stern for better hull strength, metal parts, anchor chains instead of hemp ropes. Thanks to innovations and better maneuverability, as well as the high organization of service and combat training of the crew, the Silistria was set as an example for the entire Black Sea Fleet. Fleet Commander M. Lazarev often kept his flag on it. Silistria was considered a model ship for almost 20 years.

   Black Sea practice

   After launching, the ship served in Sevastopol Bay, and from 1837 to 1849. As part of the squadron, he took part in training and combat landings in the areas of Tuapse, Shapsho, Psezuap and in Tsemes Bay.

   “Silistria” of this period is depicted in the paintings of the Russian marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky, who himself was a participant in sea voyages. For example, he participated in the landing of a detachment of Lieutenant General Nikolai Raevsky at the mouth of the Subashi River.

   The naval operation was supported by 84-gun sailing battleships, “classmates” of the Silistria. The 1839 canvas “N.N. Raevsky’s Landing at Subashi” depicts an episode of shelling of the shore after the first wave of landings.

   
   

   "Silistria" - the thunderstorm of the mountaineers

   The main opponents of the Russian garrisons on land were the highlanders, who suddenly attacked forts and captured fortresses. But in May 1840, the Russian landing force, in which “Silistria” participated in the landing, again recaptured the Velyaminovsky and Lazarevsky forts captured by the highlanders.

   In the summer of 1844, the sailing ship Silistria provided assistance from the sea to the defenders of the Golovinsky fort, firing at the highlanders and successfully landing troops. The attack was repulsed on July 19, but Nakhimov decided to remain at the Golovinsky fortification.

   At midnight on July 22, information was received that the highlanders began to prepare for the next attack. Nakhimov landed reinforcements, Silistria remained cruising nearby. There was no attack. On July 26, when the highlanders finally retreated deeper into the mainland, Nakhimov gave the order to march on Sevastopol. Head of the Black Sea Coastline, Major General A. Budberg the report noted that the appearance of “Silistria” saved the fortification from a bloody assault.

   From May to June 1846, Silistria was engaged in the installation of dead anchors (devices for permanently securing fairway markings to the bottom) and buoys in Tsemes Bay.

   Underwater barrier

   In 1854, a coalition of Western powers and Turkey acted against Russia. The enemy fleet blocked Russian ships in the Sevastopol roadstead. The enemy controlled the Black Sea and landed troops on the Crimean coast. In September 1854, preparations began for the assault on the main strategic point in Crimea - Sevastopol.

   

   The defense of Sevastopol was commanded by Admiral Pavel Nakhimov, who understood perfectly well that if enemy ships entered the bay, the city would be lost. Nakhimov would not have been an admiral if he had not known everything about naval battles, the history of which has many examples of the strategic sinking of warships. They became a kind of “dead anchors” that prevented the passage of the enemy fleet.

   On September 11, even before the assault began, seven sailing ships were sunk across the fairway in shallow water by order of the admiral. Two famous frigates - "Flora" and "Twelve Apostles" - and five battleships, including Nakhimov's brainchild - "Silistria" were sacrificed. The underwater “obstacle course” between the Aleksandrovskaya and Konstantinovskaya batteries became an impassable barrier for enemy ships.

   The masts of the sunken ships prevented the enemy from entering the bay. This delayed the capture of Sevastopol for a whole year. But the tactical victory came at a heavy price to Admiral Nakhimov. He, a true sailor, had to sink more than one sailing ship of the Russian flotilla. The barrier of the masts of sunken sailing ships, which were the pride of the Black Sea Fleet, was gradually destroyed - and it was strengthened by the sinking of new ships. By the end of the defense there were 90 ships at the bottom of the Sevastopol Bay!

   Half a century after the war, in 1905, a monument was erected in Sevastopol, which is called the “Monument to Sunken Ships.”

   
   It belonged to the 84-gun rank battleships, the Empress Alexandra type. A total of 8 battleships of this type were built in the St. Petersburg New Admiralty between 1826-1844.

   The battleship "Lefort" was laid down on November 18, 1833. Builder Ya.A. Kolodkin. Launched 07/28/1835, entered service Baltic Fleet.

   Dimensions: 59.8x15.3x7.2. 3500t

   In 1836-1838, 1840, 1841, 1843 and 1846. As part of the squadrons, he was on practical voyages in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. 07/03/1836 at the Kronstadt roadstead he took part in the ceremony of welcoming the boat of Peter I by the Baltic Fleet. In 1844 and 1847. As part of squadrons, he went on practical voyages to the North Sea. Participated in the expedition of the Baltic Fleet to Danish waters in 1848-1850.

   In 1851-1852 timbered in the dock of Peter the Great in Kronstadt.

   Participated in the Crimean War of 1853-1856. In May-June 1854, it stood in readiness at the Small Kronstadt roadstead against the outer wall of Kronstadt harbor in case of a breakthrough by the enemy fleet. In 1855 he was in Kronstadt. In 1856 and 1857 transported troops and cargo between Kronstadt and Revel (Tallinn).

   From the report of Rear Admiral Nordman you can get details of the last voyage of the Lefort: 09.09.1857 (22.09.1857 according to the new style), taking advantage of the favorable southwest wind, a detachment consisting of the same type of battleships "Lefort", "Vladimir" and "Empress" Alexandra" left the city of Revel for the city of Kronstadt to move to winter quarters in connection with the end of the summer company.

   By the evening of September 9, when the ships were approaching the island of Gogland, the wind increased to stormy, and the detachment commander made a decision: while maneuvering, remain in this area until dawn, and then continue their journey.

   On the morning of September 10, the wind changed to the north with squalls and snow. Moving from tack to tack, the squadron tried to stay in place between the islands of Gogland and Bolshoi Tyuters. At approximately 7.30 in the morning, during the next turn to a new tack, a gust of wind laid the Lefort on its left side. After spending some time in this position, the ship capsized and disappeared under water.

   No one escaped; the commander - captain 1st rank Kishkin, 12 officers, 743 sailors, 53 sailor's wives and 17 children, a total of 826 people, drowned with the ship.

   The commission of inquiry, which interviewed all the witnesses to the events, was unable to come to a final version of the cause of what happened, and the commission’s report states: “The death of the ship Lefort is one of those events that, fortunately, happen very rarely, and the causes of which, to Unfortunately, despite all the energy of the investigators, they remain unsolved...” “It was not only the maritime class that was affected by this catastrophe; many grief-stricken, orphans and families mourned their loved ones for a long time in different parts of Russia; long in the future, despite new misfortunes, “Lefort” will be a difficult and sad memory for everyone. In the same distant future, when the memory of “Lefort” is completely erased, just as everything is erased in the world, a fantastic painting by Professor Aivazovsky, placed in the Kronstadt Maritime Library, will remind of it.”

   Before the death of the passenger ferry Estonia in 1994, the death of Lefort was the largest maritime tragedy in the Baltic in peacetime.

   The battleship "Lefort" was discovered by the expedition "Bow to the Ships" great Victory"On May 4, 2013, during a sonar survey of the bottom north of Bolshoy Tyuters Island in order to search for the Shch-320 submarine that perished in 1942. The wreck of "Lefort" lies approximately 5 miles north of the island. Bolshoy Tyuters, at a depth of about 70 m. Due to the great depth and characteristics of the water in the Gulf of Finland, the ship was preserved in excellent condition. The only visible damage is the mast and bowsprit, broken, apparently during the destruction, and the decorative plating of the ship's hull partially torn off by fishing nets.

   Sources:
   1. Chernyshev A.A. Russian sailing fleet T.1, 1997.
   2. Konkevich L. Chronicle of wrecks and other disasters of military vessels of the Russian fleet, 1874.

   Sailing battleships of the Black Sea Fleet
   Tags: Black Sea Fleet
   Sevastopol residents have long been familiar with the original work of the shipbuilding engineer N.A. Polonsky: his works dedicated to ships and the sea were demonstrated at many exhibitions. Their unusualness lies not only in the fact that they are burned out of wood, each of them is a historically accurate image of a particular ship. For more than a quarter of a century, Polonsky “sent off” an entire squadron - from the first Russian warship "Eagle" to modern missile carriers. Constant reference to historical materials led him to a serious study of the history of the Russian fleet. In this article, the author provides systematic data on the last Black Sea battleships of the sailing fleet era.

   By the beginning of the Crimean War (1853), sailing battleships formed the core of the Black Sea Fleet. In terms of tactical and technical data and combat qualities, they were at the level of the best ships of a similar class in the English fleet (by the way, then the strongest in the world), and in certain indicators and combat training of the crews they even surpassed them. However, the composition of this squadron was not always so strong. Suffice it to remember that by the beginning of 1834, of the twelve battleships, only the 120-gun Warsaw had just entered service, and the rest were either outdated or completely unusable. Only after the appointment of Vice Admiral M.P. Lazarev as the chief commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports, confirmed in this position on December 31, 1834, did the period of revival and strengthening of the fleet begin. At the request of Lazarev, in May 1835, the quantitative composition of the ships was approved, which included three three-deck 120-gun ships and twelve two-deck 84-gun ships, the prototype for the latter being the 84-gun battleship Silistria, which had proven itself well in voyages. In the same 1835, intensive construction of battleships began in Nikolaevsky, as well as in the so-called Spassky Admiralty. Each such ship with full armament was expensive for the treasury: a three-deck ship cost more than 2.5 million, a two-deck ship cost more than 1.8 million rubles.
   We must pay tribute to the command of the Black Sea Fleet: it closely followed the latest achievements in the field of shipbuilding abroad and sought to use everything useful at home. Particular attention was paid to the seaworthiness and combat qualities of the ships, to increasing the strength and durability of the hulls, improving habitability, ease of artillery maintenance, etc. Among the major innovations introduced during construction, it is necessary to note the replacement of the traditional transom stern with a round stern, much more durable, since the star-timbers (as well as the frames) came from the keel and firmly connected the stern with the entire hull. In addition, the round stern increased the firing sector of the stern (retired) guns, which eliminated “dead zones.” Metal readers and braces introduced in the same years, which formed side bracing trusses, sharply increased the longitudinal strength of the ship and, consequently, its service life. The use of metal brackets strengthened the fastening of the transverse frame, and the replacement of pine boards with oak (in areas where guns were placed) made the flooring of the artillery decks more durable. The parts of the ship's set, when connecting which gaskets made of tarred felt were used, were prepared in advance according to templates from the plaza. All wooden parts of the hull structures were painted with lime, the heads of bolts and ruffs (under the copper plating) were covered with a layer of putty (a mixture of chalk and tallow), wooden cokes were impregnated with hemp oil. To prevent fouling, the underwater part was tarred and covered with copper sheets on copper nails. The previously used Peringa anchors were replaced by Admiralty ones, and hemp ropes were replaced by anchor chains.
   For dozens of years, cruise chambers, skipper's and sail stores were located on battery decks; in the 30s of the XIX century. they were moved into the hold, which made it possible to expand the crew's quarters and make them lighter thanks to the installation of portholes. Office spaces began to be equipped with convenient cabinets and drawers. Much more was gradually improved. Thus, useful things, spar, rigging became stronger, more reliable and easier to maintain, while many parts were unified. The improved cut sails were made only from dense and durable canvas produced by the Aleksandrovskaya manufactory with threads impregnated with special compounds. Newly designed blocks made it easier to work with rigging and sails; Copper tubes were inserted in places where the rigging passed through the wooden hull structures.
   Simultaneously with the improvement of the design of ships, vigorous measures were taken to improve their artillery weapons. In 1839, experiments were carried out in Nikolaev with a 68-pound (214 mm) bomb gun. They showed that such a weapon, which had approximately the same mass as the 36-pound so-called long gun and the same projectile range (14 cables or about 2.5 km), produced more significant destructive effects. The results of these tests made it possible to begin arming the ships of the Black Sea Fleet with more effective bomb guns in 1841. In relation to them in 1842 - 1843. shells (bombs) with an impact fuse, invented by the Russian artilleryman Lieutenant General Lechner, were adopted.

   Table 1. Composition of battleships of the Black Sea Fleet in 1853 (dates according to the old style)

   Name of the ship Rank Dates of construction of the ship Builder
   laid down on
   water
   “Three Saints” 120-gun December 29, 1835 August 28, 1838 Colonel Vorobyov
   “The Twelve Apostles” October 4, 1838 July 15, 1841 Captain Chernyavsky
   "Paris" June 18, 1847 October 23, 1849 Lieutenant Colonel Chernyavsky
   "Grand Duke Constantine" May 7, 1850 September 29, 1852
   "Gabriel" 84-gun August 28, 1838 November 19, 1839 Captain Akimov
   "Selafail" August 28, 1838 July 10, 1840 Captain Apostoli
   "Uriel" August 28, 1838 October 31, 1840 Captain Akimov
   “Varna” October 4, 1838 July 26, 1842 Colonel Vorobiev
   “Yagudiil” September 21, 1839 September 17, 1843 Lieutenant Colonel Dmitriev
   “Brave” June 15, 1841 June 25, 1847 Lieutenant Colonel Chernyavsky
   “Chesma” July 26, 1842 October 23, 1849 Lieutenant Colonel Dmitriev
   "Svyatoslav" May 16, 1843 December 7, 1845
   "Rostislav" May 16, 1843 November 1, 1844
   "Empress Maria" April 23, 1849 May 9, 1853

   Table 2. Main elements and characteristics of battleships

   Name of the ship Length, m Width with plating, m Average depth when fully loaded, m Displacement, t Main anchor mass, t Area of ​​the main sails, m2
   along the gondeck between perpendicular
   oculars
   “Three Saints” 64.16 63.40 17.78 7.70 4700 4.9 2770
   “Twelve Apostles” 64.55 63.62 18.14 7.67 4790 5.3 2900
   "Paris"
   "Grand Duke Constantine"
   "Gabriel" 60.15 59.74 16.31 7.20 3790 4.1 2600
   "Selafail"
   "Uriel"
   "Varna"
   "Yagudiel"
   "Svyatoslav"
   "Empress Maria" - 60.96 17.27 7.32 4160 4.4 2900
   "Brave"
   "Chesma" 60.15 59.74 17.37
   16,76 7,21 4030
   3890 4,2 2770
   "Rostislav"

   Notes

   1.
   To determine the displacement, total completeness coefficients of 0.571-0.575 were used, obtained based on the calculation of the elements of buoyancy and initial stability using ordinates taken from the original theoretical drawings of some ships. The draft was taken from the top edge of the keel (base line) to the load waterline, which is the height of the beam keel (2 feet or 0.61 m) less than the average deepening indicated in the table.
   2.
   The mass of the anchor was determined according to the formula and coefficients given in the book “Notes on the manufacture of anchors and chain ropes” (Nikolaev, 1849, p. 1-2).
   3.
   The total sail area is determined approximately, based on the methodology given in the book by M. M. Okunev “Experience in composing drawings for military vessels” (St. Petersburg, 1836), according to empirical coefficients, midship frame area and displacement; in the future, the overall windage was specified based on stability calculations with the condition that when the wind pressure on the sails is 1 pound per square foot, the ship’s roll does not exceed 4° (Nedzyalkovsky A.A. “Collection of tables and formulas for engineers, architects and mechanics”, St. Petersburg. , 1867, pp. 1226-1227).

   Table 3. Artillery weapons

   Name of the ship Number of guns Strength
   crew
   68 lb.
   bomb 36-pound 24-pound
   unicorns
   “Three Saints” - 96 24 4 980
   “Twelve Apostles” 28 72 24 - 1000
   "Paris"
   "Grand Duke Constantine"
   "Gabriel" - 64 20 4 750
   "Selafail"
   "Uriel"
   "Varna"
   "Yagudiel"
   "Svyatoslav"
   “Brave” 8* 56* 20 - 770
   "Chesma"
   "Rostislav"
   "Empress Maria"

   * On the Chesma there were 4 and 60 guns of these calibers, respectively.

   All fourteen battleships that the Black Sea Fleet included in its composition by mid-1853 (Table 1) were built in Nikolaev. The data given in various sources about the dimensions and artillery armament of these ships is incomplete and often contradictory. This circumstance prompted the author of the article to make a detailed analysis of the available materials. All indicated in the table. 1 the ships are divided into groups based on the similarity of size and artillery armament (Tables 2 and 3).

   120 gun ship
   120-gun ship “Three Saints” (from a lithograph by Prokhorov, 1844).

   The basis for the comparative analysis and breakdown of ships into groups was the work of , , and , as well as the report drawings of the ships “Empress Maria”, “Rostislav” and “Twelve Apostles” preserved in the archive. All data given in the first two sources coincide with each other and are completely reliable; It is also important that the dimensions are given quite specifically: for example, “length along the gondeck” (lower deck); “width without trim”; The reporting drawings indicate the length between perpendiculars and the width, both with and without sheathing. The work confirms the opinion that all ships of the third group were built according to the same drawing (Table 2). Unfortunately, it does not contain data on the ships of the fourth group, since they were launched after the publication of the book. However, the following is known: 68-pound bomb guns were installed on the gondeck of these ships. This required an increase in the width of the body to accommodate them. “Chesma” and “Rostislav”, for example, with the same length as the ships of the third group, had a width of 17.37 and 16.76 m, respectively. “Empress Maria” and “Brave”, compared to the ships of the third group, had greater length and width; thanks to this, the dimensions of the spar and the sail area on them were the same as on the ship “Twelve Apostles”, which, with a smaller displacement compared to it, ensured greater speed.

   Model of the 120-gun ship Twelve Apostles
   Model of the 120-gun ship "Twelve Apostles", made in Nikolaev in 1/12 life-size late XIX V. according to original drawings of the ship.

   Thus, by mid-1853, the Black Sea Fleet included seaworthy and fast sailing ships with first-class artillery and well-trained personnel. According to Admiral P.S. Nakhimov, “...in general, 84-gun ships have excellent qualities and it is difficult to give a decisive advantage to any of them...”. In terms of combat qualities, the 120-gun “Twelve Apostles”, “Paris” and “Grand Duke Constantine” had no equal among the sailing ships of the world and, moreover, were distinguished by the beauty of their forms and grace; the commander of the first of them, captain 1st rank V.A. Kornilov, wrote to M.P. Lazarev: “...my ship on the last passage turned out to be of excellent quality. It had 11 inches of trim and had excellent steering response; in a steep close-hauled wind twice I had more than 8 knots on one topsail reef, a roll of up to 7°...”. If the speed of the ship in a close-hauled wind with a top wind (4 points) exceeded 8 knots, then, obviously, in a jibe or backstay it had at least 12 - 13 knots.
   As a result of the excellent training of the personnel, the sails on the Black Sea ships were set and removed much faster than it was done in the fleets of other states. Two reefs on the topsails were taken in 2.5 minutes; all straight sails with yard trim were set to close-hauled in 6 - 7 minutes; When entering the bay under sail, anchoring took only 8 - 10 minutes.
   Foreign experts highly appreciated the quality of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Thus, the chief surveyor of the English fleet, William Simondus, having visited Nikolaev and Sevastopol in 1841, wrote to the English consul in Odessa: “... There is a smell of a maritime nation there and if the government supports, then the maritime unit in the Black Sea will soon become very strong. ..” And Lazarev noted that Simondus “...was very admiring of our ships and everything that was on them, such as the beautiful construction, the covering of the sails, the spar, the rowing vessels, the blacksmith work and the finishing in general...”. The following fact is also known: the English captain Drinkwater, who inspected the ships being built in Nikolaev in 1835, received permission from Admiral Lazarev to take the drawings of the “Three Saints”.
   Despite the excellent combat and seaworthiness of sailing battleships, the Black Sea Fleet still turned out to be unprepared for the Crimean War of 1853-1856. This is explained by the fact that the fleets of the leading maritime powers (including England and France) already had in service a large number of battleships with sailing weapons and steam engines and screw propellers, which facilitated maneuvering during the battle. The untimely creation of a military propeller fleet revealed the inertia of the tsarist government and the general technical backwardness of Russia, which led to defeat in the Crimean War.

   Block model of the 120-gun ship "Paris"
   Block model of the 120-gun ship "Paris", stored in the Museum of Sevastopol Defense.

   In the battle with Turkish sailing ships in Sinop Bay (November 1853), the sailing Black Sea Fleet demonstrated excellent combat qualities for the last time. It was possible to fight the numerous screw-driven battleships of the united Anglo-French squadron on the open sea only in strong and continuous winds, but such favorable conditions for sailing battleships are extremely rare on the Black Sea. However, under no circumstances was the surrender of Sevastopol allowed, which would have opened the way for the enemy to the south of Russia. Based on this, by order of the command of the Black Sea Fleet, some of the ships had to be scuttled at the entrance to the Sevastopol roadstead, thereby depriving the enemy fleet of the opportunity to land troops in the rear of the bastions, fortified only from the sea. The personnel of the sunken battleships joined the ranks of the city’s defenders, and some of the naval guns were installed on the defensive line.