Petropavlovsk

The Petropavlovsk was the lead ship of the Petropavlovsk class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy. She displaced 11,854 long tons (12,044 t) at full load and was 369 feet (112.5 m) long overall, and mounted a main battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns in two twin turrets. Petropavlovsk participated in the Boxer Rebellion, and during the Russo-Japanese War was the flagship of the First Pacific Squadron, taking part in battles against the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 31 March 1904, the battleship was sunk after striking two mines near Port Arthur. 652 men and 27 officers died, including the Fleet Admiral Stepan Makarov and renowned war artist Vasily Vereshchagin. The loss of Petropavlovsk and Makarov greatly hindered the Russians in the war.


Lowry mentions 2 famous warships docked in Dairen in Chapter 3 of Ultramarine which would have been impossible for Dana to have seen including the Petropavlovsk ; "We came to another wharf, passing slowly other great ships: Petropalovsk, Erzherzog, Franz Ferdinand -" (Pg.84).A rare exception to Lowry's usually accurate references without an immediate explanation other than she sank near Dairen.