Russian navy reorganizing according to Dutch newspapers in 1856

The newspaper Provinciale Overijsselsche en Zwolsche Courant 29 July reported that according to Russian tidings the reorganisation of the Russian Baltic Fleet seriously continued. She was still to number 3 divisions. Nine ships of the line which were heavily damaged during the bombardment of Sveaborg and no longer seaworthy were transferred into block ships and were in the future to be replaced by screw steamships. This item was confirmed by the newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 28 July.

The newspaper Dagblad van Zuidholland en ‘s-Gravenhage dated 2 August published a news item dated St. Petersburg 22 July reporting that the reorganisation of the navy and replacing the sailing ships was executed with all means. In advance of the latest was consisted the fleet almost complete of sailing ships and nowadays there were some steam ships of the line and a large number of steam gunboats. Last April were even 6 steam gunboats launched and in May 2 screw steam corvettes and 4 screw steam sloops all build at Russian Yards. At Archangelsk was within 5 months a 150 hp steam clipper build.

The newspaper Bredasche Courant dated 17 August published an item dated Frankfurt 13 August reporting the emperor attended the naval review of the Baltic fleet at Cronstadt. There was especially interest in the recent all in a few months newly build gun sloops and bomb galliots based on the models used by the British and the French and of which no least of 80 were anchored in one line stretching from Kronstadt to the Newa. It was said that within a year there were 300 of such vessels. At the naval review was a fleet present of 113 ships including 33 ships of the line, frigates and corvettes and the above mentioned gun sloops and bomb galliots.