164 
THE WORLD'S WARSHIPS. 
Third Part.—RUSSIAN: 
In the year 1861 the first order affecting the Russian iron-clad fleet 
was given, namely, the Sevastopol and the Petropaulski, which were 
then being built, were to be armoured with 4‘5-inch iron plates. The 
first of these was launched at Cronstadt on August 24th, 1864, and 
thus became the father of the Russian armoured fleet. These two 
vessels were very similar to our Warrior and Black Prince, exceeding 
in measurement the Gloire and Normandie. After a life of activity 
they have been heavily armed respectively with 10 and 21 8-inch 9-ton 
B.L.R. guns for harbour service. These vessels were followed in the 
year 1865 by the launch of the Pervenetz, Netron-Menya, and Kreml. 
The first of these is an iron vessel of only 3279 tons displacement, the 
second nearly 4000, and the third of 3412 tons displacement. They 
are now armed as follows :—Six 8-inch 9-ton guns, with six 6-inch 
4-ton ditto, 12 8-inch, and 12 8-inch with two 6-inch respectively, 
besides Maxims, etc. They also have been relegated to coast service. 
Their armour varies from 4*5 inches to six inches in thickness. They 
are all broadside ships, uniformly covered all over above the water-line 
with armour. 
At the time these ships were building the attention of the Russian 
naval authorities was being principally directed to vessels for coast 
defence ; accordingly in 1864 10 single-turreted monitors were launched, 
designed on Mr. Ericsson's plans. They are the Bronenosetz, 
Edinorog, Koldun, Latnik, Lava, Strelitz, Tifun, Uragan, Perun, and 
Yeschun. Nothing can be much simpler than these boats. A single 
revolving turret, with a pair of guns in the very centre of an 
armoured deck, almost on the level with the water. The freeboard, in 
fact, is only 18 inches. Abaft the turret is the funnel. The hull has 
five inches of armour, with 39 inches of backing, the bow nine inches ; 
while eight inches of iron is round the lower part of the funnel, 10 
inches round the turret, and round its base a ring 15 inches high and 
five inches thick. The armour at the ship's sides ran down three feet 
six inches below the water-line. They are now armed with two 9-inch 
15-ton B.L.R. guns. Their displacement is 1500 tons, length 200 
feet, beam 46 feet. They are very similar to the American monitor. 
It appears that Mr. Ericsson submitted this design to Napoleon III. in 
September, 1854, and Admiral Hamilton remarks that had it been to 
the Czar our fleets in the Baltic and Black Sea might have come to 
the same untimely end as the Congress and Cumberland frigates when 
they met in battle the Merrimac. 
Besides these ships a double turret vessel was built for ocean 
service, the Smertch. She was after Captain Cowper Coles' designs. 
It is claimed for her that she exhibited fair sea-going qualities, but 
she has never been used except for coast defence. Her armour was 
very similar to the other ten boats. She has one 15-ton gun in each 
turret. 
Besides these, two larger monitors were constructed of some 1850 
tons displacement, the Rusalka and the Charodeika ; their freeboard 
