View source for Russian cruiser Rossia

{{Short description|Russian armored cruiser}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Rossiya1895-1922-1.jpg
|Ship caption=''Rossia''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Rossia''
|Builders=
|Operators={{navy|Russia}}
|Class before={{ship|Russian cruiser|Rurik|1892|2}}
|Class after={{ship|Russian cruiser|Gromoboi|1899|2}}
|Cost=
|Built range=1893–1896
|In service range=
|In commission range=1896–1922
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=1
|Total ships completed=1
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships scrapped=1
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=Russian Empire
|Ship flag={{Shipboxflag|Russian Empire|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Rossiya'' ({{langx|ru|Россия}})
|Ship namesake= [[Russia]]
|Ship operator=Imperial Russian Navy
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Baltic Shipyard|Baltic Works]], [[Saint Petersburg]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down= October 1893<ref group=Note>All dates used in this article are [[Old Style and New Style dates|New Style]]</ref>
|Ship launched= 30 April 1896
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned=Late 1896
|Ship fate=Sold for [[scrap]], 1 July 1922
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship type=[[Armored cruiser]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|12195|LT|t}} 
|Ship length={{convert|485|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|66.6|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|26.2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*32 Belleville [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{convert|14500|ihp|lk=in|abbr=on}} + {{convert|2500|ihp|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=3 shafts, 2 [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion steam engines]] + 1 TE cruising engine 
|Ship speed={{convert|19|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|7740|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
|Ship complement=839 officers and crewmen
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[203mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892|{{cvt|8|in|0}}]] guns
*16 × single [[152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892|{{cvt|6|in|0}}]] guns
*12 × single [[75mm 50 caliber Pattern 1892|{{cvt|75|mm|1}}]] guns
*20 × single [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|{{cvt|47|mm|1}}]] guns
*18 × single {{cvt|37|mm|1}} guns
*5 × {{cvt|15|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armor=*[[Harvey armor]]
*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|5|-|8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|2|-|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Conning tower]]: {{convert|12|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''''Rossia''''' ({{langx|ru|Россия}}) was an [[armored cruiser]] of the [[Imperial Russian Navy]] built in the 1890s. She was designed as a long-range [[commerce raiding|commerce raider]] and served as such during the [[Russo-Japanese War]] of 1904–05. She was based in [[Vladivostok]] when the war broke out and made a number of sorties in search of Japanese shipping in the early months of the war without much success.

''Rossia'', along with the other armored cruisers of the Vladivostok Cruiser Squadron, attempted to rendezvous in the [[Strait of Tsushima]] with the main portion of the [[Pacific Fleet (Russia)|Pacific Fleet]] sailing from [[Port Arthur naval base|Port Arthur]] in August 1904, but were delayed and had to return to port without them. They encountered a Japanese squadron of four armored cruisers between them and their base shortly after they turned around. The Japanese sank the oldest Russian ship, {{ship|Russian cruiser|Rurik|1892|2}}, and damaged ''Rossia'' and {{ship|Russian cruiser|Gromoboi|1899|2}} during the [[Battle off Ulsan]], but both Russian ships were repaired within two months.

After the end of the war ''Rossia'' returned to [[Kronstadt]] where she underwent a three-year refit that strengthened her armament. She was fitted with [[Naval mine|mine rails]] in 1914 and laid one minefield during [[World War I]] that damaged two German light cruisers. She was reconstructed beginning in late 1915 to further strengthen her armament, but played no part during the rest of the war as her crew became involved in revolutionary activities in 1917. She was taken over by the Bolsheviks in late 1917, but was put into reserve in 1918 and sold for scrap in 1922.

==Design==
''Rossia'' was originally intended to be a repeat of the armored cruiser {{ship|Russian cruiser|Rurik|1892|2}}, but the Director of the Naval Ministry wanted the armor to cover more of the ship's side. However the design went through a number of changes during late 1892 and early 1893 and incorporated a number of technological advances that had recently become available. One notable change was the deletion of ''Rurik''{{'}}s sailing rig.<ref name=m51>McLaughlin, p. 51</ref>

===General characteristics===
''Rossia'' was {{convert|485|ft|1}} long [[length overall|overall]]. She had a maximum [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|68.6|ft|1}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|26.2|ft|1}}. She displaced {{convert|12195|LT|t|0}}, only {{convert|65|LT|t|0}} more than designed. ''Rossia'' was sheathed in wood and copper to reduce [[biofouling|fouling]]. She was considered to be a good sea boat with a smooth roll&mdash;attributable to her [[tumblehome]] sides.<ref name=m547>McLaughlin, pp. 54, 74</ref>

===Propulsion===
In an effort to extend her range, ''Rossia'' was built with an unusual machinery arrangement. One large [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|vertical triple expansion (VTE) steam engine]] drove each of the outer [[propeller shaft]]s while a small cruising VTE engine drove the center shaft. At full speed the center propeller had to be uncoupled as there was not enough steam to drive all three engines simultaneously; the outer propellers were uncoupled when cruising.<ref>Watts, p. 89</ref> The two main engines were designed for a total of {{convert|14500|ihp|kW|lk=in|0}}, but they developed {{convert|15523|ihp|kW|0|abbr=on}} on trials and drove the ship to a maximum speed of {{convert|19.74|kn|lk=in}}. The cruising engine developed {{convert|2500|ihp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Thirty-two Belleville [[water-tube boiler]]s provided steam for the engines.

She could carry a maximum of {{convert|2200|LT|t|0}} of coal. This gave her a radius of action of {{convert|7740|nmi|-1|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}.<ref name=m547/> In 1898, some of the first large warship trials of oil fuel were carried out.<ref name="The Engineer" >{{Cite journal
  |journal=The Engineer
  |title=Battle of the Boilers
  |author=Engineer-Rear Admiral Scott Hill
  |date=July 1955
  |url=http://www.jneweb.com/entityfiles/5/462/jnepaperfilename/v08b3p13a.pdf
  |pages=351–360
  |access-date=2014-01-29
  |archive-date=2014-02-02
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202181622/http://www.jneweb.com/entityfiles/5/462/jnepaperfilename/v08b3p13a.pdf
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

===Armament===
''Rossia''{{'}}s main armament consisted of four [[203mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892|{{convert|8|in|adj=on|0}}]] 45-[[caliber (artillery)|caliber]] Pattern 1892 guns, one at each end of the ship on each side, [[sponson]]ed out over the tumblehome of the ship's sides. They were protected by [[gun shield]]s.<ref name=m74>McLaughlin, p. 74</ref> The guns could be depressed to −5° and elevated to 18°. They fired {{convert|193.5|lb|adj=on}} projectiles at a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|2950|ft/s}} which gave a range of {{convert|12000|yd|abbr=on}} at 13° elevation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_8-45_m1892.htm|title=Russian 8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892 203 mm/45 (8") Pattern 1892|date=11 September 2006|publisher=navweaps.com|access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref>

Her secondary armament consisted of sixteen [[152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892|{{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}}]]/45 Pattern 1892 guns. One gun was mounted under the [[forecastle]] and another in the stern; neither gun could fire to the side. The remaining guns were mounted in hull [[embrasure]]s.<ref>Brooks, p. 37</ref> In their pivot mounts the guns could depress to -6° and elevate to +20°. They fired {{convert|91.4|lb|adj=on}} Pattern 1907 [[Explosive material#High explosives|high explosive]] projectiles at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2600|ft/s}}. This gave a range of {{convert|12600|yd|abbr=on}} at maximum elevation. ''Rossia'' carried 210 rounds per gun.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_6-45_m1892.htm|title=Russian 6"/45 (15.2 cm) Pattern 1892 152 mm/45 (6") Pattern 1892 |date=12 January 2009|publisher=navweaps.com|access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>
 
Defense against [[torpedo boat]]s was provided by a variety of light-caliber weapons. Twelve {{convert|75|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} [[75mm 50 caliber Pattern 1892|Canet Pattern 1892]] 50-caliber guns were mounted in sponsons on the upper deck, protected by gun shields.<ref>Watts, p. 90</ref> The gun fired {{convert|10.8|lb|kg|adj=on}} shells to a range of about {{convert|8600|yd|0}} at its maximum elevation of 21° with a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2700|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. The rate of fire was between twelve and fifteen rounds per minute.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_29-50_m1891.php|title=Russian 75 mm/50 (2.95") Pattern 1892 – French 7.5 cm/50 (2.95") Canet Model 1891 |publisher=navweps.com|access-date=11 February 2020}}</ref>

A total of twenty [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|{{convert|47|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}}]] [[Hotchkiss gun]]s were carried.<ref name=m74/> They fired a {{convert|3.3|lb|kg|adj=on}} shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1476|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} at a rate of 20 rounds per minute to a range of {{convert|2020|yd|m}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_47mm_Hotchkiss.htm|title=Russia 47 mm/5 (1.85") Hotchkiss gun 47 mm/1 (1.85") Hotchkiss gun [3-pdr (1.4 kg) Hotchkiss guns] |date=1 December 2006|access-date=22 December 2009}}</ref> Eighteen {{convert|37|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} Hotchkiss guns were also carried.<ref name=m74/> They fired a {{convert|1.1|lb|kg|adj=on}} shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1450|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} at a rate of 20 rounds per minute to a range of {{convert|3038|yd|m}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_37mm_Hotchkiss.htm|title=Russia 37 mm/5 (1.5") Hotchkiss Gun 37 mm/1 (1.5") Hotchkiss Gun [1-pdr (0.45 kg) Hotchkiss Guns]|date=1 December 2006|access-date=22 December 2009|publisher=navweaps.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504015350/http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_37mm_Hotchkiss.htm|archive-date=4 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Five above-water {{convert|15|in|adj=on|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s were mounted.<ref name=m74/> The exact type of [[torpedo]] carried likely changed over ''Rossia''{{'}}s lifetime: the original fifteen-inch Whitehead torpedo only had a maximum range of {{convert|440|yd|m|1}} at a speed of {{convert|29|kn}} and a {{convert|57|lb|kg|1|adj=on}} warhead. These were later replaced by an improved model with two speed/range settings and a {{convert|141|lb|kg|1|adj=on}} warhead. Its maximum range was {{convert|980|yd|m|1}} at a speed of {{convert|25|kn}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTRussian_PreWWII.htm|title=Russia / USSR Torpedoes Pre-World War II|date=19 November 2008|publisher=navweaps.com|access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>

===Armor===
''Rossia'' used newly developed [[Harvey armor]] which saved considerable weight over the steel armor used by ''Rurik'' for the same amount of protection. Her waterline [[Belt armor|belt]] extended from the stern to {{convert|80|ft|1}} short of the bow. It extended {{convert|4|ft|6|in|1}} above the waterline and {{convert|4|ft|1}} below the waterline. It was {{convert|8|in|mm|0}} thick amidships, but reduced to six inches fore and abaft the machinery spaces and to {{convert|5|in|0}} at the stern. The belt tapered to a thickness of {{convert|4|in|0}} at its lower edge. It was closed off at the forward end by a {{convert|7|in|adj=on|0}} transverse [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]. A protective {{convert|2.5|-|3|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[deck (ship)|deck]] ran forward from the bulkhead to the bow. The main armored deck was {{convert|2|in}} thick, but a five-inch [[glacis]] projected above it to protect the tops of the engine cylinders. The [[conning tower]] had walls {{convert|12|in|0}} thick. The funnel uptakes were protected by {{convert|3|in}} of armor between the lower and middle decks.<ref>Campbell, p. 189</ref><ref name=m54>McLaughlin, p. 54</ref>

==Operational history==
''Rossia'' was built by the [[Baltic Shipyard|Baltic Works]] in [[Saint Petersburg]]. Construction began in October 1893 although she was not formally [[laid down]] until 20 May 1895 and launched on 30 April 1896. After her launch, she was towed to [[Kronstadt]] for fitting-out,<ref name=m77/> but on 26 October, she was pushed onto a sandbar by a storm. She was refloated on 15 December.<ref name=Cherneyshev>{{Cite book |title=Погибли без боя. Катастрофы русских кораблей XVIII–XX вв. |trans-title=They died without a fight. Catastrophes of Russian ships of the XVIII-XX centuries |language=Russian |first=Alexander Alekseevich |last=Chernyshev |publisher=Veche |year=2012 |url=http://www.maxima-library.org/mob/b/389880?format=read |access-date=2021-11-15 |archive-date=2022-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819231457/http://www.maxima-library.org/mob/b/389880?format=read |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Rossia'' entered service in late 1896 and participated in [[Queen Victoria]]'s [[Diamond Jubilee]] [[Fleet Review]] in June 1897 at [[Spithead]]. She returned to Kronstadt to finish her trials before sailing for the Far East in October. She reached [[Nagasaki]], [[Japan]] on 10 March 1898 and remained in the Pacific until the beginning of the [[Russo-Japanese War]] in 1904.<ref name=m77>McLaughlin, p. 77</ref>

===Russo-Japanese War===
[[File:Rossiyaballoon.jpg|left|thumb|''Rossia'' and her observation balloon]]
At the start of the Russo-Japanese War, ''Rossia'' was under the command of Captain Andrei Parfenovich Andreev, and was the [[flagship]] of the [[Vladivostok]] Cruiser Squadron under the overall command of Rear Admiral [[Karl Petrovich Jessen|Karl Jessen]]. The other ships in the squadron were the armored cruisers {{ship|Russian cruiser|Gromoboi|1899|2}} and {{ship|Russian cruiser|Rurik|1892|2}} as well as the [[protected cruiser]] {{ship|Russian cruiser|Bogatyr||2}}. The squadron made a number of sorties against Japanese shipping early in the war, but only one was reasonably successful when the [[Transport ship|transport]] ''[[Hitachi Maru]]'', carrying eighteen {{convert|28|cm|adj=on|sp=us}} [[siege gun|siege howitzer]]s and over 1000 troops intended for the [[siege of Port Arthur]], was sunk in June 1904.<ref>Brook, pp. 34</ref> On an earlier sortie in May 1904 ''Rossia'' flew an [[observation balloon]] off her [[Deck (ship)|quarterdeck]] to (unsuccessfully) locate Japanese shipping; the first use of an aerial device by a warship on the high seas during a time of war.<ref name=m51/>

====Battle off Ulsan====
{{main|Battle off Ulsan}}

During the war the bulk of the Russian Pacific Fleet was located in [[Port Arthur naval base|Port Arthur]] where they were blockaded by the Japanese. On 10 August 1904 the ships at Port Arthur attempted breakout to Vladivostok, but were turned back in the [[Battle of the Yellow Sea]]. Admiral Jessen was ordered to rendezvous with them, but the order was delayed and his ships had to raise steam, so he did not sortie until the evening of 13 August. ''Bogatyr'' had been damaged earlier when she grounded and did not sail with the squadron. By dawn he had reached the island of [[Tsushima Island|Tsushima]] in the [[Tsushima Strait]] between Korea and Japan. He turned back for Vladivostok when he failed to see any ships from the Port Arthur squadron. {{Convert|36|mi|0}} north of the island he encountered the Japanese squadron commanded by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Kamimura Hikonojō]] tasked to patrol the Tsushima Strait. The Japanese force had four modern armored cruisers, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Iwate||2}}, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Izumo||2}}, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Tokiwa||2}}, and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Azuma||2}}. The two squadrons had passed during the night without spotting the other and each had reversed course around first light. This put the Japanese ships astride the Russian route to Vladivostok.<ref>Brook, pp. 34, 37</ref>

[[File:RossiaRightSideDamage.jpg|thumb|right|''Rossia''{{'}}s right side after the [[Battle off Ulsan]]; note the holes in the ship]]Admiral Jessen turned to the northeast when he spotted the Japanese at 5:00&nbsp;a.m. and they followed suit, albeit on a slightly converging course. Both sides opened fire around 05:23 at a range of {{convert|8500|m|yd|sp=us}}. The Japanese ships concentrated their fire on ''Rurik'', the rear ship of the Russian formation. She was hit fairly quickly and began to fall astern of the other two ships. Admiral Jessen turned southeast in an attempt to open the range, but this blinded the Russian gunners and prevented any of their broadside guns from bearing on the Japanese. About 06:00 Admiral Jessen turned 180° to starboard in an attempt to reach the Korean coast and to allow ''Rurik'' to rejoin the squadron. Admiral Kamimura followed suit around 06:10, but turned to port, which opened the range between the squadrons. ''Azuma'' developed engine problems around this time so the Japanese squadron slowed to conform with her best speed. Firing recommenced at 06:24 and ''Rurik'' was hit three times in the stern, flooding her steering compartment so that she had to be steered with her engines. Her speed continued to decrease, further exposing her to Japanese fire, and her steering jammed to port around 06:40.<ref>Brook, pp. 39, 43</ref>

Admiral Jessen made another 180° turn in an attempt to interpose his two ships between the Japanese and ''Rurik'', but the latter ship suddenly turn to starboard and increased speed and passed between Jessen's ships and the Japanese. Admiral Kamimura turned 180° as well so that both squadrons were heading southeast on parallel courses, but Admiral Jessen quickly made another 180° turn so that they headed on opposing courses. ''Iwate'' was hit around this time which knocked out three six-inch and one twelve-pounder guns, killing 32 and wounding 43. The Japanese squadron opened the range again when it made a 180° another turn to port. The Russians reversed course for the third time around 07:45 in another attempt to support ''Rurik'' although ''Rossia'' was on fire herself. Her fires were extinguished about twenty minutes later. Admiral Kamimura circled ''Rurik'' to the south at 08:00 and allowed the other two Russian ships to get to his north and gave them an uncontested route to Vladivostok. Despite this, Admiral Jessen turned back once more at 08:15 and ordered ''Rurik'' to make her own way back to Vladivostok before turning north at his maximum speed, about {{convert|18|kn}}.<ref name=b3>Brook, p. 43</ref>

[[File:RossiaSideDamage.jpg|thumb|left|A close-up of ''Rossia''{{'}}s starboard side after the battle]]About this time Admiral Kamimura's two elderly protected cruisers, {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Naniwa||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Takachiho||2}} were approaching from the south. Their arrival allowed Kamimura to pursue Jessen with all of his armored cruisers. They fought a running battle with the Russians for the next hour and a half; scoring enough hits on them to force their speed down to {{convert|15|kn}}. ''Azuma''{{'}}s engines again broke down during this chase and she was replaced in the line by ''Tokiwa''. The Japanese closed to a minimum of about {{convert|5000|m|yd|sp=us}}, but Admiral Kamimura then opened the range up to {{convert|6500|m|yd|sp=us}}.<ref name=b3/>

About 10:00 Kamimura's gunnery officer erroneously informed him that ''Izumo'' had expended three-quarters of her ammunition and he turned back after a five-minute rapid-fire barrage. He did not wish to leave the Tsushima Strait unguarded and thought that he could expend his remaining ammunition on ''Rurik''. By this time she had been sunk by ''Naniwa'' and ''Takachiho'' which had closed to {{convert|3000|m|yd|sp=us}} of ''Rurik'' in order to finish her off. They had radioed Admiral Kamimura that she was sunk, but he did not receive the message. Shortly after the Japanese turned back ''Gromoboi'' and ''Rossia'' were forced to [[heave-to]] to make repairs.<ref>Brook, pp. 43, 45</ref>

''Rossia'' suffered only 44 dead and 156 wounded; far less than ''Gromoboi''{{'}}s 87 dead and 170 wounded. This was attributable to ''Rossia''{{'}}s captain's policy of ordering the gun crews for his quick-firing guns on the engaged side to lay down and those on the unengaged side to go below, in contrast to the other ship keeping her light guns manned at all times. ''Rossia'' had been hit nineteen times on the starboard side of her hull and nine on her port side, plus other hits in her funnels, boats and decks. She had half of her guns knocked out and a fire caused by the ignition of excess propellant charges. Despite this number of hits, she was not badly damaged because her waterline belt was not penetrated by any hit. She was repaired within two months by the rudimentary facilities available at Vladivostok. ''Rossia'' made no further effort to interfere with Japanese shipping during the war.<ref>Brook, pp. 45–47</ref>

===Interwar period===
''Rossia'' returned to Kronstadt, arriving on 8 April 1906, where she was given a lengthy refit that was finished in 1909. Her engines and boilers were reconditioned, her [[mainmast]] was removed and she received additional six-inch guns. Six more guns in lightly armored [[casemate]]s were added on the upper deck, positioned on each side in the intervals between the main-deck six-inch guns. In addition the bow gun was moved to the upper deck to allow it to fire to each side. This increased the ship's broadside by four guns.<ref>McLaughlin, pp. 54, 77</ref>

''Rossia'' represented Russia at King [[George V]]'s Coronation Fleet Review in June 1911. She departed Kronstadt in September 1912 for a training cruise to the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]] and the [[Virgin Islands]], returning to the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] in time to visit [[Copenhagen]] in March 1913 in company with the protected cruisers {{ship|Russian cruiser|Aurora||2}} and {{ship|Russian cruiser|Oleg||2}}. She left for another training cruise to the [[Azores]] in September 1913 and was cruising in the [[Mediterranean]] in April 1914.<ref name=m77/>
[[File:RossiyaAfter1906.jpg|thumb|''Rossia'' after the 1905 refit.]]

===World War I===
''Rossia'' served as the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Brigade of the [[Baltic Fleet]] during [[World War I]]. She was modified to serve as a fast [[minelayer]] with a capacity of one hundred [[naval mine]]s before the war.<ref name=g5>Budzbon, p. 295</ref> In January 1915 she laid a minefield in company with ''Oleg'' and ''Bogatyr'' between [[Kiel]] and the [[Mecklenburg]] coast that damaged the German [[light cruiser]]s {{SMS|Augsburg}} and {{SMS|Gazelle|1898|6}}.<ref name=m77/> She was reconstructed beginning in October 1915 at Kronstadt to increase her armament. Her forecastle deck was removed as well as the fore and aft six-inch guns. They were replaced by two eight-inch guns mounted on the centerline forward and another pair was mounted on the [[quarterdeck]]. These additions increased her broadside to six eight-inch, but only seven six-inch guns.<ref name=m54/>

''Rossia''{{'}}s crew took an active part in the [[Russian Revolution (1917)|revolutionary movements in 1917]]<ref name=m77/> and came under control of the Soviet [[Red Fleet]] in September 1917.<ref name="g5"/> The [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]] required the Soviets to evacuate their base at Helsinki in March 1918 or have them interned by newly independent [[Finland]] even though the [[Gulf of Finland]] was still frozen over. ''Rossia'' sailed to Kronstadt in what became known as the [[Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet|'Ice Voyage']] and was placed into reserve shortly after her arrival. She was sold to a German company for scrapping on 1 July 1922. While being towed to Germany in the [[Baltic Sea]], she broke free from her tow and ran aground on the Dyvelseye Shoal on the coast of [[Estonia]] on 16 October 1922.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty reports |date=18 October 1922 |page=18 |issue=43165 |column=D }}</ref> She was refloated in August 1923,<ref name=Cherneyshev/> towed to [[Kiel]], and broken up.<ref name=m77/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==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 journal|last1=Frampton |first1=Victor|last2=Head |first2=Michael |last3=McLaughlin |first3 =Stephen |last4=Spurgeon |first4=H. L. |title=Russian Warships off Tokyo Bay|journal= Warship International |date=2003 |volume=XL |issue=2 |pages=119–125 |issn=0043-0374 |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|Rossiya (ship, 1896)}}
*[http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/rossia.htm Site in English with photographs]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070220233819/http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/russia/cruisers/rossiya/rossiya.html UKonline]

{{Cruisers of the Imperial Russian Navy}}
{{Russo-JapaneseWarRussianShips}}
{{WWI Russian ships}}
{{1896 shipwrecks}}
{{1922 shipwrecks}}
{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossia (1896)}}
[[Category:World War I cruisers of Russia]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Russia]]
[[Category:1896 ships]]
[[Category:Cruisers of the Imperial Russian Navy]]
[[Category:Russo-Japanese War cruisers of Russia]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1896]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1922]]
[[Category:Ships built at the Baltic Shipyard]]