Here is what wrote the admin of the page “Big sailboats” on FB Konstantin Vasilchishin:
Today I wanted to tell you about an outstanding vehicle. Many times I read about him and admired. I have a collection of many photos of this giant.
The ship was superb in all respects. The biggest, most beautiful and the most modern at the time of construction. His name Preußen ( Rus. “Prussia”) — pyatimetrovy sailing ship with all-steel body. It was the largest ship in the world with square sails and pyatimetrovy the only sailboat in this class in the history of world sailing merchant fleet. Nothing like sailing the world’s merchant fleet was never seen again.
This miracle was built in 1902 on the Johann C. Tecklenborg shipyard at the order of the Hamburg shipping company F. Laeisz. At the same dockyard in 1926 was built the handsome “Kruzenshtern” (ex “Padua”). The port of Hamburg. It is noteworthy that “Prussia” has never been equipped with auxiliary engines. Only the sails and nothing more. The ship was gigantic. Full its displacement amounted to 11,100 tons. I mentioned “Kruzenshtern” was significantly less. Let me give some figures of his illustrious steel mast. Thus, the height of the largest of the masts from the spur to the truck was 68 m, diameter at the level of the upper deck is 0.9 m. the Length of the Rei, riveted from the bent 6 – and 12-mm sheets, up to 31,5 m, diameter — up to 0,65 m, total weight up to 6.5 tonnes To equip the giant rigging went 24 km steel cable, 17 km plant cable 700 m lifting chains and 1260 different blocks. For sails with a small crew (only 45 people) on the deck installed 8 spires and about 20 different manual winches. Admiration, for example, an ingenious hoist for the transfer of the Rei when you rotate the ship.
5 Nov 1910 Prussia, going to the English channel with a cargo of musical instruments in Chile, in the dark, collided with the British steamer “Brighton”. The collision with the sailing ship lost the bowsprit rigging, and was broken fore-mast. The collision occurred because of the irresponsibility and negligence of the captain of the British ship of the navigation rules. “Prussia” was trying to tow to port, but this was prevented by the storm. Trying to keep a large sailing ship at anchor was unsuccessful. The anchor chain broke, and Prussia sat down on the stones, with which to remove it has failed. The cargo was saved, but the ship was doomed. He was soon abandoned by crew and destroyed gradually in the shallows. By the end of the day, November 11, 1910, a huge 120-foot tri-deck hull was finally broken by the waves. After a week of fighting the ship a pile of metal slipped into the water.
So, because of the ignorance of the English captain were destroyed by one of the most remarkable sailing ships. That’s the sad history of sailing giant!
prussia
What do you think?