 Russian cruiser Askold on trials after construction at Kiel
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| History | |
|---|---|
 Russian Empire | |
| Name | Askold (Аскольд) |
| Namesake | Askold |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel, German Empire |
| Laid down | 8 June 1899 |
| Launched | 15 March 1900 |
| Commissioned | 25 January 1902 |
| In service | 1902 |
| Out of service | 1917 |
| Renamed | 1918 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1922 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement | 5,910 t (5,820 long tons) (full load) |
| Length | 132.5 m (434 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 15 m (49 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion | 3 shaft triple-expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 23.8 knots (44.1 km/h; 27.4 mph) |
| Range | 6,500 nautical miles (12,038 km; 7,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 580 officers and crewmen |
| Armament |
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| Armour |
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Askold (‹See Tfd›Russian: Аскольд) was a protected cruiser built for the Imperial Russian Navy. She was named after the legendary Varangian Askold. Her thin, narrow hull and maximum speed of 23.8 knots (44.1 km/h) were considered impressive for the time.
Askold had five thin funnels which gave it a unique silhouette for any vessel in the Imperial Russian Navy. This led British sailors to nickname her Packet of Woodbines after the thin cigarettes popular at the time. However, the five funnels also had a symbolic importance, as it was popularly considered that the number of funnels was indicative of performance, and some navies were known to add extra fake funnels to impress dignitaries in less advanced countries.[citation needed]