Russian cruiser Kherson used for search for naphthalene according to the Dutch newspaper De locomotief dated 23 October 1899

An item reported that the cruiser Kherson (1) of the Russian voluntary fleet left Singapore towards Sumatra with a board a representative of a large Russian oil firm to investigate further a piece of land on Sumatra where naphthalene well were to be found. An earlier investigation was very promising and the exploitation was to start immediately after the arrival of the necessary equipment. The newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 24 October confirmed this item adding that the Russian firm was located at Baku.

Note

1. Launched on 19 October 1895 at the shipyard of R.&W. Hawthorn, Leslie&Co. Ltd.. Hebbunen and completed in May a year later. During the war with Japan served she as the Lena and afterwards given back to her owners the Russian Volunteer Fleet Association, Odessa. She was finally broken up in 1924.