Russian battleships Poltava and Sevastopol visited Sabang, Dutch East Indies in March 1901

The Poltava as the Japanese Tango

Gangut-class

An item reported that the Russian battleships Poltava (1) and Sebastopol (2) visited Sabang, Dutch East Indies between respectively 7-13 and 8-12 March 1901.(3)

The Dutch newspaper De Locomotief dated 8 March 1901 reported that the effects of the outbreak of the plague at Singapore [Singapore?] became clear. Two large Russian warships were to visit Sabang, Dutch East Indies to bunker coal needed to continue their voyage towards Hong Kong. Without stopping. It were two of the newest Russian battleships to be add to the Russian squadron in the Chinese Sea. The edition dated 26 March 1901 referred to tidings received from Sabang (4) reported that while the Poltawa was at Poeloe Weh a tragic incident occurred when the anchor was lifted and an officer mortally was wounded dying a day later.

Notes

1. Laid down at the New Admiralty Shipyard, St. Petersburg, Russia on 19 May 1892, launched on 6 November 1894, commissioned in 1899, sunk after hits by Japanese gunfire on 5 December 1904, captured by the Japanese forces at Port Arthur in January 1905, refloated in July 1905, renamed Tango and commissioned in the Japanese navy on 22 August 1905, reclassified as 1st class coastal defence ship in 1916, sold back to Russia on ¾ April 1916, renamed Chesma, in hands of the Bolsheviks in October 1917, captured by British forces in March 1919, recaptured by Soviet forces and stricken on 3 July 1924. Of the Petropavlovsk-class consisting of the Poltava, Sevastopol and Petropavlovsk, preceded by the Imperator Aleksandr II-class and succeeded by the Tri Sviatitelia.

2. Part of the Gangut-class consisting of the Gangut, Petropavlovsk, Sevastopol and Poltava, preceded by the Andrei Pervozvanny-class and succeeded by the Imperatritsa Maryia-class. Laid down by Baltic Works, St. Petersburg, Russia on 16 June 1909, launched on 10 July 191, commissioned on 30 November 1914, renamed Parizhskaya Kommuna on 21 March 21 March 1921, retaining her original name on 31 May 1943 and stricken on 17 February 1956.

3. Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Zeemacht 1900-1901.

4. The coal bunker station at Sabang was used by Dutch and foreign war and merchant ships.