Oct/26

Russian Warships in New York in 1893

No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in History, People, Photos

A squadron of ships from the Imperial Russian Navy visited the United States in the spring and summer of 1893 to express gratitude for the large-scale food aid provided by Americans during the Russian famine of 1891-1892, and to participate in the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America (the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago).

The Russian squadron in the Atlantic Ocean was commanded by Vice Admiral N. I. Kaznakov. The squadron included the armored cruiser “Dmitrii Donskoi”, the armored cruiser “General-Admiral”, the armored frigate “Admiral Nakhimov”, and the armored corvette “Rynda”.

The armored frigate “Admiral Nakhimov”.

New York (the Hudson River) served as the main base and point of arrival; the ships reached the city in April 1893. Russian delegations and officers made a special rail trip to Chicago for the World’s Columbian Exposition. Courtesy visits were also paid to other U.S. ports, including Philadelphia and Boston.

Sunday morning inspection.

The armored cruiser “General-Admiral”.

The American side gave the Russian sailors an enthusiastic welcome. The guests were struck by the scale of American infrastructure (such as the mechanization of coal loading), while the Americans were impressed by the proficiency and discipline of the Russian crews.

Visiting day.

Dynamo room.

Lieutenant Nikolai Nikolaevich Apostoli – at the time a junior flag officer on the staff of Vice Admiral N.I. Kaznakov, commander of the Atlantic squadron – left behind some interesting notes regarding this visit. Here are just a few examples.

The armored cruiser “Dmitrii Donskoi”.

“We passed the beacon (the Statue of Liberty), and a beautiful panorama of New York and the Brooklyn Bridge unfolded before our eyes – a bridge that immediately strikes one with its sheer size and height, allowing dozens of large, masted steamships to pass beneath it simultaneously.”

Serving out grog.

Inspection.

“Compared to the Neva, both banks of the river present a completely different picture: there are no beautiful buildings or clean embankments here; instead, the entire area is built up with sheds, large warehouses, factories, and wharves where hundreds of massive steamships from companies all over the world are moored. This immense steamship traffic particularly amazed us sailors, and we gazed with great curiosity at this anthill of activity.”

The Captain.

The Captain’s room.

“A parade was scheduled for the following day, and a composite battalion – complete with its standard and a band – was landed from our ships. The procession was led by a dozen carriages carrying admirals and ship commanders, followed by the crews in landing uniforms. It was a warm, clear day; crowds thronged the streets and packed every window and balcony, paying exorbitant prices for the vantage points.”

Wardroom.

“Unaccustomed to military uniforms, the Americans were dazzled by the splendor of the admirals’ attire; this time, they expressed their delight not only through shouting and whistling but – to create even more of a racket – by banging boards against the balcony railings.”

A group of sailors from the armored cruiser “Dmitrii Donskoi”.

“Our banner and the squad in white caps stood out from the rest; the sailors’ spirited appearance, impeccable alignment, and crisp rifle drill impressed the Americans, and the next day the newspapers were full of praise. It was amusing to watch the Argentines and Brazilians, who looked like a herd of sheep in the truest sense of the word.”

The crew of the ship “Rynda”.

“This parade marked the conclusion of the official festivities; the following day, the public was invited to tour the ships. They did not need a second invitation: private steamers arrived constantly, bringing crowds of curious onlookers who inspected the vessels with great interest.

More distinguished guests were invited to the officers’ wardroom, where they were treated to tea, wine, and fruit. It is impossible to list every invitation to clubs, dinners, and balls; one can only marvel at how we managed to endure all these receptions without suffering any ill effects on our health.”

Sailors from “Rynda”.

“Two weeks after arriving in New York, the British, German, and Spanish vessels – along with some of the American ones – departed, leaving only fifteen ships anchored in the river. Our crew went ashore and enjoyed themselves thoroughly; there were no incidents or desertions, whereas more than a hundred men deserted from the British squadron.

It is difficult to explain the high rate of desertion among British sailors; one can only attribute it to either dissatisfaction with the service or the temptation of joining American ships, where an ordinary seaman earned up to 25 dollars a month – equivalent to 50 rubles.”

Sailors from “Rynda”.

“Now that all official invitations have ceased, our stay in New York has become more appealing; we have the opportunity to go ashore in civilian clothes, avoid attracting attention, walk the streets freely, and get to know a city where there is much to learn. At every turn, one comes across something new – devices designed to replace manual labor with machinery.”

On the deck.

“Upon entering the shop, one is immediately struck by the limited number of sales clerks and the complete absence of errand boys to carry money to the cash desk. The cash desk is situated in the center, and wires run to it from all corners of the shop; along these wires, boxes containing payment and change travel back and forth on pulleys.

Fixed chairs stand in front of the counters, so customers do not crowd together but take their seats, allowing the clerk to move quickly from one to another without delay.”

Russian boat crews being towed to the competition site; Columbian naval parade.

“There are no tickets on horse-drawn streetcars, and the conductor rarely even needs to step inside; he collects the fare on the platform and, by pressing a spring, advances a counter on a device that always indicates payment has been made.

A building is under construction, yet no workers are to be seen: one machine saws the stone, another hoists heavy loads, a third lays the materials in place, and only five or six people are involved in erecting a twenty-story building – a process that takes no more than five or six months from the laying of the foundation.”

The armored corvette “Rynda”.

“Everything there is like that – wherever you look, the people themselves are like wound-up machines, always rushing somewhere, never stopping. On the other hand, prices are exorbitantly high; where something costs a ruble back home, or a franc in France, here it costs a dollar.

Hiring a carriage to the theater costs 20-30 rubles, and even a ride of just two or three blocks costs two rubles. Consequently, people in America rarely use cab drivers; instead, all street travel takes place via steam, electric, or horse-drawn railways.”

The armored corvette “Rynda”.