View source for Russian cruiser Izumrud

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|Ship image= Izumrud moored 01.jpg
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Russian Empire
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Russian Empire|naval}}
|Ship name=''Izumrud''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder= Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard, [[Russia]]
|Ship laid down= 1 January 1901
|Ship launched= 1 October 1903
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= January 1904
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Wrecked near [[Vladivostok]], 29 May 1905
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Protected cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=	{{convert|3103|LT|t|0|lk=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|111|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|12.2|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}
|Ship draught={{convert|5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
*3 shafts, 3 [[Steam engine#Multiple expansion engines|triple-expansion steam engines]]
|Ship speed={{convert|24|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|3790|nmi|lk=in}}
|Ship power=*16 [[Yarrow boiler]]s
*{{cvt|17000|ihp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship complement=350
|Ship armament=
*8 × [[120mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892|{{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] [[Canet gun]]s 
*4 × [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|{{convert|47|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] Hotchkiss guns
*6 × 7.62 mm Maxim [[machine gun]]s
*4 × {{convert|457|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=
*[[Krupp armour]]
*{{convert|32|-|76|mm|in|abbr=on}} on sloping [[Deck (ship)|deck]]
*{{convert|32|mm|in|abbr=on}} on [[Belt armor|belt]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
[[File:Wreck of Izumrud.JPG|300px|thumb|The wreck of ''Izumrud'']]
'''''Izumrud''''' ({{langx|ru|Изумруд}}, meaning "Emerald") was a [[protected cruiser]] of the [[Imperial Russian Navy]], and the [[lead ship]] in the two-ship {{sclass|Izumrud|cruiser|4}}. ''Izumrud'' and her [[sister ship]] {{ship|Russian cruiser|Zhemchug||2}} were based on the German-built {{ship|Russian cruiser|Novik|1900|2}}.

==Background==
''Izumrud'' was ordered as part of the Imperial Russian Navy's plan to expand the [[Russian Pacific Fleet]] based at [[Port Arthur naval base|Port Arthur]] and [[Vladivostok]] to counter the growing threat posed by the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] towards Russian hegemony in [[Manchuria]] and [[Korea]].

==Operational history==
''Izumrud'' was laid down at the [[Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard|Nevsky Shipyard]] in [[Saint Petersburg]], [[Russia]] on 1 January 1901. However, construction was delayed due to priority given to completion of {{ship|Russian cruiser|Novik|1900|2}}. The ''Zakladka'', or formal ceremony of laying a plate, took place on 14 June 1902.<ref>''Kronstadtski Viestnik'', quoted in {{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=21 June 1902 |page=12 |issue=36800}}</ref> ''Izumrud'' was launched on 1 October 1903. Construction continued to be plagued by delays, including an ice storm in December. However, with the start of the [[Russo-Japanese War]] in early 1904, construction efforts were greatly accelerated.

''Izumrud'' was formally commissioned in January 1904 and she was assigned to the Second Pacific Squadron of the [[Russian Pacific Fleet]].

===During the Russo-Japanese War===
Under the overall command of Admiral [[Zinovy Rozhestvensky]], ''Izumrud'' was part of the Second Pacific Squadron intended to relieve the [[Battle of Port Arthur|Japanese siege of Port Arthur]]. Captained by Commander [[Vasili Fersen]], she participated in the decisive [[Battle of Tsushima]] from 27–28 May 1905. At the end of the battle, Fersen refused to obey the order of [[Nikolai Nebogatov|Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov]] to surrender, and used her speed to escape through the Japanese blockade. However, on the night of 28 May, she ran aground in  [[Vladimir Bay]] {{Coord|43|54|N|135|30|E|display=inline,title}} in the Russian [[Primorsky Krai|Maritime Province]]. She was destroyed by explosive charges set by her crew, who later reached [[Vladivostok]] by land.<ref name=bucket>{{cite web|title=Russian protected cruiser Izumrud|url=http://www.shipbucket.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=451|publisher=www.shipbucket.com|accessdate=6 November 2012}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Brook|first=Peter|title=Warship 2000–2001|editor=Preston, Antony|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=2000|chapter=Armoured Cruiser vs. Armoured Cruiser: Ulsan 14 August 1904|isbn=0-85177-791-0}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=Gray|editor1-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 |year=1985 |location=Annapolis, Maryland|publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-85177-245-5 |last=Budzbon|first=Przemysław |pages=291–325|chapter=Russia}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905|editor1-first=Roger|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor2-first=Eugene M.|editor2-last=Kolesnik |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1979|isbn=0-8317-0302-4|url-access=registration |url= https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2|pages=170–217 |chapter=Russia |last1=Campbell |first1=N. J. M.|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite book|last=McLaughlin|first=Stephen|title=Warship 1999–2000|editor=Preston, Antony|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=1999|chapter=From Ruirik to Ruirik: Russia's Armoured Cruisers|isbn=0-85177-724-4}}
*{{cite book|last=Watts|first=Anthony J.|title=The Imperial Russian Navy|publisher=Arms and Armour |location=London |year=1990|isbn=0-85368-912-1}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Izumrud (ship, 1903)}}

{{Izumrud class cruiser}}
{{Russo-JapaneseWarRussianShips}}
{{1905 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Izumrud}}
[[Category:Izumrud-class cruisers]]
[[Category:1903 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built at Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard]]
[[Category:Cruisers of the Imperial Russian Navy]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Russia]]
[[Category:Russo-Japanese War cruisers of Russia]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1905]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Sea of Japan]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Russo-Japanese War]]