CHAPTER IV

RUSSIAN SUBMARINES

The Imperial Russian Navy at the commencement of hostilities¹ included 37 submarines in active service, and 19 in various stages of construction. The composition and distribution of the submarine flotillas was as follows:—

Baltic Flotilla: 14 Submarines with dep?t ships in commission, and 12 vessels³ building. Bases: Kronstadt, Port Peter the Great (Reval) and Port Alexander III. (Libau) (ice free).

Black Sea Flotilla: 11 Submarines with dep?t ships in commission, and several new vessels building. Bases: Sevastopol and Nikolaieff.

Siberian Flotilla: 12 Submarines 95with dep?t ships in commission, and 6 vessels building. Base: Vladivostok.

The first Russian naval⁴ submarine was completed at Kronstadt in 1902, and named the Petr Kochka. She was built in sections to facilitate transport over the Siberian Railway, being intended for the defence of Port Arthur, and had a surface displacement⁵ of only 20 tons. Her armament consisted of two holders⁶, or Darzewiecki launching apparatus⁷, containing two small Whitehead torpedoes⁹. The maximum speed was 8 knots on the surface and 4 knots when submerged. The second submarine ordered for the Russian Navy was the Delphin, which foundered¹⁰ off Kronstadt, but was subsequently raised and is now used as a training ship for the submarine service. These two vessels have been removed from the active flotillas, but the third vessel² to be built for the Russian Navy—the Graf Cheremetieve—is still in commission.
96
Graf Cheremetieve Class.
(Completed 1904?5.)

    Graf Cheremetieve. Kasatka. Nalim. Skat.

These are the oldest submarines in the Russian Navy, and are small vessels of the Holland-Bubnoff type. They have a submerged displacement of 200 tons. Petrol and electric engines drive them at 9 knots on the surface and 6 knots when submerged. Their armament consists of one bow torpedo⁸ tube and two exterior¹¹ holders, with four 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes.
Ostr Class.
(Completed 1904?6.)

    Ostr. Byts-chok. Kefal. Platus. Plotva.

These five submarines are of the American Lake type. The Ostr was originally the American Lake Co.’s boat Protector. They have a submerged displacement of 175 tons, are 65 feet 97in length and 11 feet in breadth. Have petrol engines of 250 H.-P. for surface propulsion and electric motors for use when submerged. Their speed is 11 knots above and 7 knots below. The surface cruising radius¹² is 450 knots at full speed. The armament consists of two bow and one stern tube with four 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. The special characteristics of the American Lake type will be seen on pages 119?120.
Som Class.
(Completed 1904?6.)

    Som. Shtshuka.

These two vessels, which are of the Holland-Bubnoff type, have a submerged displacement of about 150 tons. Petrol and electric motors are used for surface and submerged propulsion, and the speed is 9?? knots and 7 knots, above and below, respectively. Their armament consists of two bow tubes with four 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their complement¹³ is about fifteen officers and men.
98
Sterliad Class.
(Completed 1905?6.)

    Sterliad. Bialuga. Peskar.

These three vessels are also of the Holland-Bubnoff type. They have a submerged displacement of 150 tons. The petrol motors for surface propulsion are of 160 H.-P. The speed is 9?? knots and 7 knots, above and below, respectively. Their armament consist of two bow tubes with four 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their complement is eleven to fifteen officers and men.
Sig.
(Completed 1906.)

A submarine of the Lake type; similar in almost every respect to vessels of the Ostr class.
Makrel Class.
(Completed 1907.)

    Makrel. Okun.

Two vessels of the Improved Holland-Bubnoff type. They have a submerged 99displacement of about 200 tons. The petrol motors are of 300 H.-P., and the electric engines of 150 H.-P. Their speed is 10 knots on the surface and 8 knots when submerged. They are fitted with two bow tubes and two stern holders, and carry six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their complement is fifteen officers and men.
Lossos Class.
(Completed 1907.)

    Lossos. Ludak.

Two somewhat smaller submarines of the Holland type. Intended either for the Black Sea or Far Eastern Flotilla. Similar to those of the Sterliad class.
Karp Class.
(Completed 1907?8.)

    Karp. Karas.

These two submarines are of the Germania, or Krupp type, and have a submerged displacement of 250 tons. They have Krupp-Nuremburg heavy-oil 100engines of 400 H.-P., and electric motors of 160 H.-P. Their speed on the surface is 12 knots, and 8 knots when submerged. The surface range of action is about 1,000 miles, and the submerged endurance about three hours at full speed. Their armament consists of two bow torpedo tubes and four torpedoes are carried. Their complement is fifteen officers and men.
Alligator¹⁴ Class.
(Completed 1908?9.)

    Alligator. Kaiman. Drakon. Krokodil.

Four submarines of the improved Lake type. They have a submerged displacement of 500 tons. Their speed is 15 knots on the surface and 10 knots when submerged. They are fitted with two bow and two stern tubes, and carry six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their complement is seventeen officers and men. (See also page 96.)
101
Minoga Class.
(Completed 1908.)

    Minoga. Potschovy.

Two small submarines of the Holland-Bubnoff type, which were built in sections to facilitate transport by rail. They have a submerged displacement of about 150 tons, and a speed of 12 knots and 9 knots, above and below, respectively. Their complement is eleven officers and men.
Akula.
(Completed 1909.)

A large submarine of the Holland-Bubnoff type. Her displacement is about 570 tons, and her speed 16 knots on the surface and 10 knots when submerged. The armament consists of two bow and one stern tube, with six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. The complement is 20 officers and men.
102
Kaschalot Class.
(Completed 1909?12.)

    Kaschalot. Kit¹⁵. Krab. Morsh. Narval. Nerpa. Tinlen.

These seven vessels are among the most modern submarines in the Russian flotillas. They are of the Holland-Bubnoff type, and have a submerged displacement of about 500 tons. Heavy-oil engines of over 1,000 H.-P. drive them at a maximum surface speed of 16 knots, and electric motors of 550 H.-P. give them a submerged speed of just over 10 knots an hour. Their surface cruising range is about 3,000 miles. Their armament consists of two bow and one stern tube with six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. They are also fitted with a small, quick-firing, high-angle gun for defence against air-craft. Their complement is 21 officers and men.
Russian Submarines Building.

At the commencement of the war there were nineteen Russian submarines in 103course of construction. Very little information concerning these boats can be obtained, except that their submerged displacement ranges from 800 to 1,500 tons, and their anticipated surface speed is 20 knots. Some of the 800-ton vessels have already been completed, and the first twelve will be named: Svitza, Leopard¹⁶, Pantera, Ruis, Kaguar, Tiqr, Yaguar, Vepr, Wolk, Baro, Gepard, and Tur. These vessels have a speed of 16 knots on the surface and 10 knots when submerged. Their complement is 25 officers and men.

1 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

2 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

6 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

7 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

8 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

9 torpedoes   

鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮

参考例句：

• We top off, take on provisions and torpedoes, and go. 我们维修完，装上给养和鱼雷就出发。
• The torpedoes hit amidship, and there followed a series of crashing explosions. 鱼雷击中了船腹，引起了一阵隆隆的爆炸声。

10 foundered   

v.创始人( founder的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Three ships foundered in heavy seas. 三艘船在波涛汹涌的海面上沉没了。 来自辞典例句
• The project foundered as a result of lack of finance. 该项目因缺乏资金而告吹。 来自辞典例句

11 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

12 radius   

n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限

参考例句：

• He has visited every shop within a radius of two miles.周围两英里以内的店铺他都去过。
• We are measuring the radius of the circle.我们正在测量圆的半径。

13 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

14 alligator   

n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)

参考例句：

• She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。
• Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

15 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

16 leopard   

n.豹

参考例句：

• I saw a man in a leopard skin yesterday.我昨天看见一个穿着豹皮的男人。
• The leopard's skin is marked with black spots.豹皮上有黑色斑点。