Russian frigate Rurik (1851)

For other ships with the same name, see Russian ship Rurik.
History
Russia
NameRurik
NamesakeRurik
BuilderGamla Warfsbolaget i Åbo
Launched30 October 1851
General characteristics
TypeSteam-powered frigate
Displacement1500 tons
Propulsion
  • 24 foot paddle
  • 300 horsepower steam engine by Cowie & Erikson, Turku
Speed11 knots (20 km/h)
Armament12 guns

Rurik (Рюрик) was a steam-powered frigate of the Imperial Russian Navy. She was ordered by the Senate of the Grand Duchy of Finland for the Finnish naval equipage (Suomen Meriekipaasi). She was named in honour of Rurik, the semi-legendary founder of ancient Russia.

Rurik was designed by Johan Eberhard von Schantz.[1] She was built in Turku at Gamla Warfsbolaget i Åbo[2] and launched in October 1851.[3][4] At the time of her construction she was the largest ship ever built in Finland. The Scottish engineer William Crichton was recruited to supervise construction of the steam engine.[5] Later he took over the engine builder Cowie & Ericsson and renamed it W:m Crichton & C:o.[5]

Although financed by Finns, the ship ended up serving as an escort vessel to the Russian Imperial Yacht. She survived the Crimean War, and later served in the Russian Baltic Fleet.

  1. ^ "von Schantz, Johan Eberhard" (in Finnish). Biografiakeskus. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ^ Lehti, Aarni; Immonen, Karl (2006). Porin puiset sotalaivat [The imperial sloops of war from Pori] (PDF) (in Finnish). Pori: Porin kaupungin painatuskeskus. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Rurik -- ångfregatten", Åbo Tidningar (in Swedish), no. 84, p. 1, 31 October 1851, retrieved 3 July 2014
  4. ^ "Krigsångfregatten Rurik", Åbo Underrättelser (in Swedish), no. 84, p. 1, 31 October 1851, retrieved 3 July 2014
  5. ^ a b Keisarin messinkilelu oli antimagneettinen erikoisuus (in Finnish) (Turun Sanomat) [1]