The Russian navy in the Black Sea in 1854

In the Dutch annual naval publication Verhandelingen en Berigten etc. was an article published dealing with the navies acting in the Black Sea. The author used the United Service Gazette, part of the Nautical Magazine for the months Mai and June, just slightly changing the information; although without saying what he changed. The names of the ships were partly translated into Dutch. I made no attempt to rectify that.

Varna (admiral’s ship), 120 guns; De Twaalf Apostelen, 120 guns; Rostlias, 120 guns; Sviatoslaf, 120 guns; Selafond, 120 guns; De drie Svitatiley, 120 guns; Sultan Mahmoud, 80 guns; De drie Tsorchow, 84 guns; Uriel, 80 guns; Yagondib, 78 guns; Chabry, 80 guns; Czilem, 84 guns; Silistria, 80 guns and Catherina II, 80 guns.

frigates
Midia, 60 guns; Kovarna, 56 guns; Flora, 54 guns; Brallow, 60 guns; Mizifria, 56 guns; Zisopol, 52 guns; Kagul, 48 guns and Agathopol, 46 guns.

steamboats
Bessarbia, 6 guns; Gromonos, 6 guns and Grosney, 6 guns.

15 smaller vessels like brigs, corvettes and schooners.

It’s supposed that not all of these ships were fitted out. The navy was commanded by admiral prince Mentchikoff. Directly below him in the hierarchy came admiral Berch with vice-admiral Korniloff as head of his staff. The ships serving in the Black Sea were composed of the 4th and 5th divisions. The 4th division was commanded by vice admiral Salniapauski, who dismissed vice admiral Jourieff. The 4th division was composed of 3 brigades, each with 3 ships and 2 frigates. The 5th division was commanded by vice admiral Nakhimoff, with the same composition. The nominally crews of the ships numbered 1100 men. The governor of Swastopol was vice admiral Lermantoff. The military commanding officer was vice admiral Stankovitch, his successor vice admiral Regoudia. 

Source

Jacob Swart. Verhandelingen en Berigten betrekkelijk het Zeewezen en de Zeevaartkunde. Amsterdam, 1854, 2nd part, p. 164-165. Digitized by Google.