Russian cruiser Zhemchug
Zhemchug
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History | |
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Russian Empire | |
Name | Zhemchug |
Builder | Nevsky Shipyards, St Petersburg, Russia |
Laid down | 19 January 1901 |
Launched | 14 August 1903 |
Commissioned | 26 July 1904 |
Fate | Sunk in the Battle of Penang, 28 October 1914 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Izumrud-class protected cruiser |
Displacement | 3,103 long tons (3,153 t) |
Length |
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Beam | 12.2 m (40 ft) |
Draught | 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 3 shaft; 3 triple-expansion steam engines |
Speed | 24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph) |
Range | 2,090 nmi (3,870 km; 2,410 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Complement | 354 officers and crewmen |
Armament |
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Armour |
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Zhemchug (Russian: Жемчуг, "Pearl") was the second of the two-vessel Izumrud class of protected cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. She was sunk during World War I by the German light cruiser Emden in the Battle of Penang in 1914.
Background
Zhemchug was ordered as part of the Imperial Russian Navy's plan to expand the
Operational history
Zhemchug was laid down at the
She was launched on 14 August 1903, in the presence of
During the Russo-Japanese War
Under the overall command of Admiral
The Second Pacific Squadron took part in the decisive
She was repaired in October 1905, and returned to active service.
With the Siberian Flotilla
During the
From 1905–1910, Zhemchug remained based at Vladivostok, but was in poor repair and could make only short patrols or occasional trips to Korean, Japanese or Chinese ports. She was in overhaul for most of 1910. In 1911, she was appointed
World War I service
At the start of World War I, Zhemchug was part of the Allied (British-French-Japanese) joint task force pursuing the German East Asia Squadron under Admiral Maximilian von Spee, and operated in the Bay of Bengal together with the Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser Chikuma.
Zhemchug had put into Penang on 26 October for repairs and to clean her boilers; only one boiler was in service, which meant that she could not get under way, nor were her ammunition hoists powered. Against the advice of Admiral Martyn Jerram, commander-in-chief of the Allied Fleet, Commander Cherkassov had given most of his crew shore leave, and left the ship with all torpedoes disarmed, and all shells locked away save for 12 rounds stowed on deck with only five rounds of ready ammunition were permitted for each gun with a sixth chambered.[2]
On 28 October 1914, Commander Cherkassov was at the
A court-martial held in Vladivostok found Commander Cherkassov guilty of gross negligence and sentenced him to 3.5 years in prison. His
The bodies of 82 crewmen were buried in Penang; the other seven bodies were never recovered. The ship's 120 mm (4.7 in) guns were salvaged by the Russian cruiser Oleg in December 1914. In the 1920s, the ship was partially raised and scrapped by British experts.
Legacy
A total of 12 Russian sailors are buried on
References
- ^ Kronstadtski Viestnik, quoted in "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36800. London. 21 June 1902. p. 12.
- ^ Staff Battle on the Seven Seas, p. 128
- ^ Forstmeier, p. 11
- ^ Forstmeier, p. 14
- ^ (in Russian) V.V. Khromov (В.В. Хромов), Kreysera tipa "Zhemchug" (Крейсера типа «Жемчуг»), Morskaya Kollekcya 1/2005
- ^ "Tragedy in Penang". Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ "Memorial service in Penang". Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
Bibliography
- Brook, Peter (2000). "Armoured Cruiser vs. Armoured Cruiser: Ulsan 14 August 1904". In Preston, Antony (ed.). Warship 2000–2001. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-791-0.
- Budzbon, Przemysław (1985). "Russia". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 291–325. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Campbell, N. J. M. (1979). "Russia". In Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M. (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 170–217. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
- McLaughlin, Stephen (1999). "From Ruirik to Ruirik: Russia's Armoured Cruisers". In Preston, Antony (ed.). Warship 1999–2000. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-724-4.
- Watts, Anthony J. (1990). The Imperial Russian Navy. London: Arms and Armour. ISBN 0-85368-912-1.
External links
Media related to Zhemchug (ship, 1903) at Wikimedia Commons