166 
THE WORLD'S WARSHIPS. 
chord. They can only steam about six knots. Naturally, perhaps, 
Sir Edward Reed has highly commended them; that no more have 
been built in the last 18 years is proof enough of their true value. They 
seem to be almost better in the open sea than at the mouths of tidal 
rivers. They once attempted to ascend the Sulina, at first all went 
well against the stream, till anchor was raised to return. Before 
weigh could be got on they commenced to spin round, and no efforts 
were sufficient to regain the mastery over the current till well out to 
sea. The system of barbettes adopted first by the French and followed 
by ourselves affords a wide lateral range and a plunging fire, though 
at the disadvantage of leaving the crews fully exposed. In this 
instance only the latter disadvantage was obtained, hence the Popoff 
has her guns on disappearing carriages on Rendel's system. 
Three vessels have to be added to this fleet of coast defenders. 
One, the Kniaz Pojarski, followed the five early armoured cruisers in 
1867. She is the only central battery ship the Russians have. She 
is 272 feet long, 50 feet beam, and over 5000 tons displacement. Her 
armour is only 4*5 inches thick, and her speed 12 knots. The central 
battery occupies about 80 feet of her length. There are eight 9-ton 
guns, four firing as broadside pieces, four through indented ports as in 
our Penelope. There are also two 6-inch 4-ton guns as bow and stern 
chasers. She is rigged as a ship, and has one funnel between main 
and foremast. Her battery should distinguish her. She is now rele¬ 
gated to coast service, but having new machinery would, of course, 
be used if necessary elsewhere. 
The other two vessels are two small river gunboats captured from 
the Turks in 1877, named the Nikopol and the Sistova. They are 
beneath our attention. 
I append a list of the fleet we have considered :— 
RUSSIAN COAST SERVICE ARMOURED FLEET.—BALTIC. 
1st Group. —Sevastopol, Petropaulski, Pervenetz, Netron-Meyna, and Kreml. 
2nd Group .—Kniaz Pojarski. 
Turret-ships. 
1st Group. —Bronosetz, Edinorog, Koldun, Latnik, Lava, Strelitz, Tifun, 
Uragan, Perun, and Veshtcliun. 
2nd Group. —Smertch, Rusalka, and Charodeika. 
3rd Group .—Admiral Lazareff, Admiral Greig, Admiral Chichagoff, and Admiral 
Spiradoff. 
BLACK SEA. 
Novgorod and Vice-Admiral Popoff. 
Gunboats. 
Nikopol and Sistova. 
The Table given by Captain Nash of Russian ships has suffered 
somewhat at the hands of the Printer, 1 and is, I really think, some¬ 
what misleading. 
i X am not hero alluding to the letter T before two vessels’ names. 
