The Bayan Class
Armored Cruisers à la Française (1899/1903 & 1906/1911)
Is that not the image of a handsome warship? The lead ship photographed at Toulon on completion, 1903. A sweet enlargement
This class of armored cruiser, though an excellent design, had an unusual history. The first Bayan, designed by M. Lagane of La Seyne, was built by that famous yard at Toulon, France. She commissioned in the Imperial Russian Navy in 1903. Pride of the Asiatic cruiser squadron, she was sunk in port by the Japanese during the siege of Port Arthur in 1904. Subsequently the ship was raised by the Japanese victors, refurbished, and brought into their navy as HIJMS Aso. Meanwhile, as part of the considerable rebuilding in the Russian fleet between 1905 and 1914, three further ships of the same design were built at St. Petersburg. One of these three was named Bayan after the lost lead ship. Reflecting the poetic Russian soul, the name means "poet" or "bard".
Plans and Specifications
Specifications for the Bayan:
Dimensions: 449'9" x 57'6" x 21'3" Displacement: 7,775 tons. Armament: (2) 8"/45 cal. (2x1) in turrets, (8) 6"/45 in casemates, (16) 11-pdr, (8) 3-pdr; (2) 15" torpedo tubes. Armor: Harvey armor on prototype: belt: 7/2½", turret: 6/5¼", CT: 5½", casemate: 3¼"; deck: 1½". Last 3 ships: KC type throughout. Belt: 6"/3"; turrets and barbette tops: 8"; conning tower: 6½"; casemates: 3"; deck: 1½". Propulsion: (26) coal-fired Belleville boilers; (2) 4-cyl. vertical triple expansion engines, developing 16,500 hp, shafted to twin screw. Maximum speed: 21 kts. Fuel capacity: 750 tons of coal normal; 1,020 tons maximum. Endurance: 3,900 nautical miles @ 10 kts. Crew: 568.
Ships in class: Bayan I · Admiral Makarov · Bayan II · Pallada II
Metric Specifications:
Dimensions: 137m x 17.5m x 6.7m Displacement: 7,775 tons. Armament: (2) 203 mm/45 cal; (16) 11-pdr, (8) 3-pdr; (2) 381 mm torpedo tubes. Armor: on Bayan I, Harvey armor throughout: belt: 178/64 mm; turret: 154/133 mm; barbette: 170 mm; CT: 133 mm, casemate: 60mm; deck: 38 mm. Last 3 ships: KC type armor throughout. Belt: 154/76 mm; turrets and barbette tops: 203 mm; conning tower: 133 mm; casemates: 60 mm; deck: 38mm. Propulsion: (26) coal-fired Belleville boilers; (2) 4-cyl. vertical triple expansion engines, developing 12,304.1 kW, shafted to twin screw. Maximum speed: 39 km/hr. Fuel capacity: 750 tons of coal normal; 1,020 tons maximum. Endurance: 7,200 km @ 19 km/hr. Crew: 568.
Ships' Historíes
The first Bayan was built at La Seyne, Toulon. Immediately after commissioning in 1903, she was despatched to Port Arthur, where she was to be the most powerful cruiser in the Far East Squadron. Less than a year after her arrival, the Russo-Japanese War erupted. In that conflict she was present at the fiery death of the Petropavlovsk but missed the Battle of the Yellow Sea, being delayed in port for repairs. Most of the Squadron returned, battered and demoralized, after the August 8, 1904 battle. On September 19, 1904, Japanese 11-in/280-mm siege guns began to play on Port Arthur's inner roadstead. The seizure of Vysokaya Mountain eight weeks later allowed the Japanese to target the Russian ships with greater accuracy. On Nov. 22 an 11-in shell detonated one of the Poltava's shell rooms; the ship was a total loss. During the next four days the battleships Retvizan, Peresviet, Pobieda and cruiser Pallada all were sunk by the Japanese bombardment. Pictures
Port Arthur capitulated on Jan. 2, 1905 and the Russians conceded defeat in August; though under the treaty negotiated with the good offices of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, they salvaged surprisingly generous peace terms. The sunken warships at Port Arthur were carefully salvaged, one by one, by the Japanese, who rebuilt them and added them to the Mikado's fleet. Bayan became the Japanese armored cruiser Aso, serving the Japanese until 1920. Decommissioned in that year, she lingered for ten years, being sunk as a target in 1930.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Russia was attempting to restore its naval strength and catch up in the naval arms race then raging. Fulfilling its prewar plans, Russia built three more sister ships of the Bayan type. Aside from the use of a single mast amidships, in the Italian style, on a couple of the ships, they followed the original Bayan design closely. The new ships had Krupp Cemented type armor. The Admiral Makaroff was built at La Seyne, while the other two were Russian-built: Pallada at Galerniy Yard, and the second Bayan at New Admiralty.
The Pallada began her wartime service with a flourish. Together with the Bogatyr, she happened on the scene where the German cruiser Magdeburg had run aground in the Gulf of Finland during the first weeks of the War. Their capture of the German ship's clumsily-disposed-off codebooks proved to be an intelligence coup, greatly assisting the British war effort at sea. Unfortunately the Pallada did not live long to enjoy her feat. She was torpedod and sunk by U-26 in the same waters Oct. 11, 1914. The torpedo detonated her magazines and she perished in minutes, taking with her the entire crew of 597.
The remaining two ships saw Baltic service in the Great War. Both the Admiral Makarov and the second Bayan took place in the Battle of Gotland, June 30 - July 2, 1915, ending in a German retreat with the loss of a minelayer and a destroyer. In October 1917, both ships fought at the Battle of Moon Sound, defending the Russian-held Gulf of Riga against a German armada including König-class dreadnoughts. Both big cruisers were also involved in the Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet. This exploit involved the movement of the Baltic Fleet from its forward base at Talinn through the icy Gulf of Finland to Kronstadt. Preceded by two fleet icebreakers, a force consisting of six battleships, five cruisers, 59 destroyers and TBs, twelve submarines, and several fleet auxiliaries was moved to Kronstadt between Feb. 25 and March 12, 1918. Four 355-ton submarines (proud products of Electric Boat in the U.S.) were scuttled before departure, and one was crushed in the ice during the operation.
Following the conclusion of the Russian Civil War, the two surviving Bayans were sold for scrapping. They were dismantled in Germany starting in 1922.
A Bodacious Barrage of Bayan-class Beauties
Now is that not the image of a handsome warship? The lead ship at Toulon on completion, 1903. Enlarge
The Bayan at Port Arthur, where she was the most powerful cruiser in the squadron. In the background of this shot the Retvizan blows a cloud of smoke from Number One funnel; on the right can be seen the flanks of one of the French-style battleships: the Tsesarevich for example. Enlarge
The fate of the Bayan: being bombarded at Port Arthur, where she was sunk by Japanese shellfire. Patched and raised soon after the Japanese took over the colony, she was mustered into the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1908 and served years as HIJMS Aso. Click here for photos of the siege of Port Arthur.
The Bayan I proved to have the longest career of any in her class, albeit mostly in Japanese service. Here she is as HIJMS Aso, at Yokosuka in 1924, long after most of the ex-Russians had been sold or junked from the Emperor's fleet. She had new Miyabara boilers installed and her 8" single turrets replaced with shielded 6" mounts, as seen here. Enlarge
The second Bayan in an exciting photo postcard. Enlarge
The Admiral Makaroff getting underway. Enlarge
The Admiral Makaroff -- quarter view. Enlarge
The unfortunate sister Pallada at anchor during WWI. Enlarge
A forest of masts and funnels: the three remaining sisters in the class - Kronstadt, c. 1912 - 1914. Enlarge
Though these were clearly the best armored cruisers in the Russian fleet (with the exception of the British-built Rurik II), they really did not get a fair chance to shine in combat. With their speed, dashing lines, and formidable armament, they have remained durable favorites of naval artists, architects, and modelpmakers in the long century since they left the high seas.
