RUSSIA'S BLACK SEA FLEET

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2296, 2 November 1914, Page 6

RUSSIA'S BLACK SEA FLEET

ANI) COAST DEFENCES ,- j' The Russian Black :oea. Floaty so far . as-..is .■know.nj; consists of; the following .< battleships':—l.;:.-\ ' ■ ■' ~:..;■ ''■■•■'■}' Pre-Dreadnoughts: G. PobKidonosetz, 10,000 tons, sis 12-inch guns (old), and ■ seven 6-inch;; Tri Syiatiteba, 12,480 tons,' four 12-inch, eight 6-inchj four 47-inch; Rostislav, 8800.tons; four 10- '■ inch and eight 6-inch: Papteleimon, 12,480 -tons, four, 12-inch,- sixteen .6inch; Ivanzlatorist ; , and Efeteff,. 12,480 tons, four 12-inch, ; :four'B-inch) and twelve 6-inch. •..: ■'. '■■':. .... ' .'.. .;■. In addition, Russia has on the. Black Sea, ten ■ armoured some small : cruisers, .about.'2s .destroyers, l- 16 torpedo ,bbais, and 14' submarines': : . ' Three : Dreadnoughts;; each. ; to. carry ; twelve 12-inch guns, and two: powerfur cruisers are building. ' \. v V , .Sevastopol, tho.famous fortress town in te , Crimean Peninsula, is the. headquarters of the - Russian : Black Sea , Fleet. :. It is the, site of a.State dook-y yard; and has been strongly fortified.: Nikolaier (the site of semi-private shipyards), Kinburn, and Ochakov are other Black -Sea ports which have ! i received important defensive works/ Keitch: (commanding the straits of,the same, name between the Black Sea and the -Sea. of; Azov);.and Yenikale ,have_ been': made very strong, and Azov, Poti, and . Batum have ' been strengthened.- ; .: There is a flotilla also in 7; the Cae- ; pian.' Sea which ensures, the communi- ■ cations of. the: Trans-Caspian- railway. : between Baku and:Krasnovoduk. ' ' It was announced in the Dondott "Times" in June last that the approval by the Duma of the extraordinary credit of £10,000:000 for the, con'Struction of warships for the Black Sea. Fleet, : which ' was adopted in : consence of the Turkish purchase of bat--ips, would bo spent 'on one 27,000ton Dreadnought, two 7500-ton cruisers, eight torpedo-boats, and sissubmarines, to ibe built at Nikolaielf and'.commissioned not later than: the spring, ;of'. I9i7.v y ; ':•;;'- ■:. :;,-;■■:, .■.:'■■;'-;. -~;•;':