Russian battleship Oslyabya

History
Name	Oslyabya
Builder	Admiralty Shipyard, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Laid down	1 January 1898
Launched	1898
Commissioned	January 1902
Fate	Sunk at the Battle of Tsushima, 27 May 1905
General characteristics
Class and type	Peresviet-class battleship
Displacement	13,500 long tons (13,717 t)
Length	132.4 m (434 ft)
Beam	21.8 m (71 ft 6 in)
Draught	8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Propulsion	3 shaft reciprocating vertical triple expansion (VTE) engines 30 Bellevile-type coal-fired boilers 15,051 shp (11,224 kW) 2,100 tons coal
Speed	18.33 knots (21.09 mph; 33.95 km/h)
Range	5,600 nmi (10,400 km)
Complement	778
Armament	• 4 × 254 mm (10 in) guns • 11 × 152 mm (6 in) guns • 20 × 75-mm guns • 20 × 47-mm guns • 6 × 37-mm guns • 5 × 381-mmtorpedo tubes
Armour	Belt: 9 in (230 mm) Deck: 2.5 in (64 mm) Barbette: 8 in (200 mm) Casemates: 5 in (130 mm) Conning tower: 6 in (150 mm)

The Oslyabya (Russian: Ослябя) was a battleship of the Peresviet-class. She was named for Rodion Oslyabya, a 14th century monk of the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra and a hero of Battle of Kulikovo.

The Oslyabya was part of the Second Pacific Squadron sent to the Far East, serving as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Baron Felkerzam. She was sunk on 27 May 1904 at the battle of Tsushima, early in the engagement. Of her crew, 515 lost their lives, while 250 were rescued. Felkerzam had died before the battle, and his coffin went down with the ship.

The Oslyabya was the first armored battleship ever sunk by gunfire alone, without any torpedo hits. (Busch, p. 160)

References

• Busch, Noel F., The Emperor's Sword: Japan vs. Russia in the Battle of Tsushim
• Gibbons, Tony: The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships and Battlecruisers
• Tomitch, V. M., Warships of the Imperial Russian Navy (1968) Volumne 1, Battleships