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THREE CENTURIES AND ONE CENTENARY
Independent Military Review. April 14-20, 2006. By Victor Myasnikov
In 1720 a young peasant, Yefim Nikonov submitted a proposal to Tsar Peter's consideration for building a "hidden boat" able to move under water. The first model of the Russian submarine was laid down in March, 1720 and it was decided to name the model just as "Model". But, because of unknown reason, it was written "Morel" on the keel desk. The wooden boat, having this mysterious name and looking like a tun, was being tested and improved during the period of ten years. Tsar Peter I dead, later on Empress Catherine I dead, but Nikonov, working as carpenter, was still unable to avoid leakage in oar sockets, although the boat dived and moved under water. Finally, Nikonov was exiled to Astrakhan …
113 years after, Karl Schilder, native of Baltic Germans, built an all-metal submarine equipped with a periscope. It was armed with powder rockets. It may be said that this is the time when missile submarines appeared. But this submarine also did not size up to invested treasury money. The reason was clear: oars are far from being the best driving mechanism …
In 1856 a boat built by Wilhelm Bauer, a Bavarian subject, started on an underwater trip. It was already equipped with a pusher-type propeller, which was foot driven. Two seamen were treading upon steps on driving wheels. On the Coronation day of Alexander II the boat dived with a naval orchestra playing the anthem. The internal acoustic was quite good, but it was the only known advantage of this boat …
The first motor-powered submarine was built by Ivan Alexandrovsky. The boat
was 33 meters long and running into 363 tons displacement, its ship's company
comprised of 20 people. It was the first boat visited by a Chief of State. And
it was the first boat crushed by water pressure when diving to 30 meters …
There are many such dramatic stories in the book "Russia's Submarine Forces. 1906 - 2006" published on the centennial of the Russian submarine forces. It is true that the first combat submarine "Dolphin" was commissioned already in 1902, but we usually count time from tsar's decrees. The deluxe edition is a memorial perpetuating the history of underwater navigation and heroism of Russian seamen. The book is illustrated with rare photographs and drawings. It is such a pity this luxurious volume will be too expensive for the majority of submarine force veterans.
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