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Japanese cruiser Asama, the main opponent of the Varyag. Displacement 9700 tons, armor belt 88—178 mm., Speed 21.5 knots, armament four 203 mm., Fourteen 152 mm. guns, five torpedo tubes. Crew 726 people

The Japanese have six cruisers (two – armored, four armored) and three destroyers. Do they really want to attack the Russian ships in the bay? In addition to many transport ships from different countries, the port of Chemulpo is home to British, French, Italian cruisers, as well as one American gunboat. Come here, the Japanese, start scattering shells, before the whole world they will look like bloodthirsty aggressors. What will the «Mistress of the Seas» and her powerful overseas ally say to that?… Rear Admiral Sotokichi Uriu simply cannot believe his eyes when the Varyag and Korean at 11 in the afternoon, obediently, like a drake and a duck, leave the bay. Not long before that, Rudnev did not even deign to invite the captain of the Koreyets to the officers’ meeting. The gunboat commander, desperately trying to understand the elder’s intentions, joins in behind the cruiser. The speed of his ship is barely 12 knots. It is hardly possible to act effectively in such a pair. Photo – «Varyag» and «Korean» immediately after leaving the battle

…You can imagine how it should have been… Here are the captains of the «Varyag» and «Koreyets» surrounded by naval officers. «Vsevolod Fedorovich (Rudnev), we will meet the enemy here, at the base of the fairway. They will go into the bay one at a time, and will be subjected to the crossfire of our guns and torpedoes "-" Yes, Grigory Pavlovich (Belyaev), we will do so. Well, if the battle is not in our favor, I will give such and such a conditional signal. Have you recorded? By then it will definitely be evening or night. In any case, if you see that I give full speed ahead, go on a free course for a breakthrough, preferably away from me. This is how we disperse their powers. In case of destruction of the propulsion system, I officially authorize surrender… Of course, with the preliminary flooding of your ship. "Option. Both ships pull rubber until nightfall. The Japanese themselves need this… Then they go to the breakthrough in various directions, at first as quietly as possible, upon detection – scattering torpedo-shells around. Then there are many additional questions, scenarios of the future battle are being played… None of this happenedPhoto – «Varyag» and «Korean» withdraw from the battle

How was it really? «Varyag» goes along the fairway, and stumbles upon concentrated fire from two Japanese cruisers. The nasal rangefinder is destroyed almost immediately. However, even with this device, in ideal conditions for shooting, the gunmen of the «Varyag» in training firing a year earlier did not achieve a single hit by shells of the main caliber in the target shield. In total, out of 145 shells, only 3 hit the target. The officers of the Russian fleet care very little about this. At the same time, the artillerymen of the Japanese Imperial Navy, according to some sources, shoot off two barrels until they are completely worn out and, in any case, are considered heroes of their country. In addition, «Varyag» fires with armor-piercing shells, and the Japanese – high-explosive fragmentation. The explosive content in the former is minimal. And the most offensive thing is that when firing from long distances, falling into water or a weakly armored hull, they simply do not burst. Zeroing in such conditions is impossible. Smoke from Japanese shells, even exploding in the water at a considerable distance from Russian ships, obscures observation devices and sights. Shrapnel, a blast wave destroy various mechanisms, disable or demoralize the crew. … The Varyag’s propulsion system is in order. A breakthrough is still possible. But nevertheless, much to the surprise of the Japanese, the ship lays on the opposite course. It is followed by «Korean». … Photo – «Varyag» is out of action after being hit by eight or ten 152 mm. shells. The fire in the aft compartment will soon be extinguished

«Korean» before the battle with the masts chopped off to complicate aiming. Speed 13.5 knots (25 km. H), crew of 12 officers 162 sailors, weapons (quite solid) two 203 mm. guns, one 152 mm., four 37 mm, one torpedo tube

For some reason, the «Korean» is in a more advantageous position. Shells from Japanese ships fly over it. Own projectiles – do not reach the enemy. A sufficiently skilfully set smoke screen, coupled with a bit of luck, protects the Korean from any serious damage and loss of life. Nevertheless, by four in the afternoon, both ships return to the bay. The Japanese are biding their time. Despite the fact that most of the Varyag’s guns are in order, Rudnev refuses to continue the fight under more favorable conditions. The option of a second breakthrough, now in the middle of the night, is also not considered. The captain of the second rank, Belyaev, has to obey. He sets fire to his «Korean» and blows up at a distance from the coast quite in good faith.

«Korean». Blasted so blasted

The Russian civil steamship «Sungari» is also located in the Chemulpo Bay. It is flooded in shallow water. Later, the Japanese will raise it and put it into operation.

«Varyag» evacuates the team (photo). The bodies of thirty dead remain on the ship (although there is an opportunity to bury them on land). Andreev’s banners and various kinds of naval documents are not taken away. Later, all these manuals-instructions help the Japanese to put the cruiser into operation as soon as possible. Captain Rudnev and his officers do not pay attention to the disabling of guns and many valuable mechanisms. By agreement with the Japanese command (who have acquired at least some kind of combat experience), Russian sailors are freely leaving for Russia. From now on, they are free to serve in any fleets except the Pacific. It is perplexing why the permission of the Japanese command is necessary for this, because the sailors are stationed on ships of neutral countries. What is the difference between this state of affairs and how they would simply surrender? Honoring them, dinners with Emperor Nicholas II, rain of orders cause ferment among both officers and lower ranks. This is the reward for failure. The sailors of the Koreyets, who also fought the battle, but deftly maneuvered and did not allow casualties in their crew, are excluded from this list. And soon, according to the formed suicidal pattern – honor for losing, without comprehending the options leading to victory, the Second Pacific Squadron of Admiral Rozhdestvensky will move to Tsushima. Fate itself gives a chance to use the opponent’s mistake to both sides. The Russian commander, Captain Rudnev, does not allow opponents to make their very big wrong move. The samurai, on the other hand, are using the mad battle between Rozhdestvensky’s squadron and English trawlers at Dogger Bank, waiting for a solution to the conflict, a whole month under the sights of British battleships, and capture Port Arthur in time. The second, now real, stunning defeat, quite natural, without taking into account the mistakes of the first battles, pushes the Russian Empire to the edge of the abyss