Steamship GORNI-STUDEN or GORNJI STUDENY and PARODIM or PORDIM were part of a series of five ship ordered by the Russian Defence Ministry in France in 1877/78 via D.S.Sov. Polyakov. The order was made shortly after the beginning of hostilities in the Liberation War. The aim was to use this ships for the passage of troops along or across the River Danuba.
Here are their names, GORNY-STUDEN or Gornji Sudeny, ABLANOVA or Ablanava, BOGOT or Bogota and BRESTOVITS or Brestovac.
After their construction the vessels were dismantled and transported in sections by rail, and assembled on the banks of the Danube in Austria-Hungary.
From there the ships would sail along the Danuba River to Romania.
The sections of the ships were assembled with bolts and screws, and between the sections was placed a rubber strip. Each ship had 11 sections.
During the two years in operation not any leak in the joining sections was observed. For the Liberation War (1877-1878) the steamers were to late.
To avoid a diplomatic row between the Russian government and Austria-Hungary they ordered the ships to be dismantled and sent by rail through Romania to Reni. The ships arrived there in May 1878, but then the need for transportation had decreased.
After the ships were assembled she took on crews and some were armed with a few (?) guns and joined the Russian Danube Flotilla.
On 21.February1879, the PORDIM and GORNI-STUDEN are involved in blocking Silistra, during the conflict between Romania and RI-Arab Tabia fort.
Thereafter the two ships are then used for the carriage of goods and passengers between Ruse and Reni. Civil servants were entitled to free travel on the ships.
06 December 1879 The Russian Danuba Flotilla ships were decommissioned and the GORNI-STUDEN and PORDIM transferred to the Bulgarian Navy, the first ships in the new formed Bulgarian navy.
PORDIM, where built till so far unknown, tonnage 100 ton other source give 160 ton, dim. 27.43 x 5.64 (max. 5.90m) with a draught bow 0.75m, aft 0.90m.
Powered by vertical 2-cyl high pressure steam engines 60 nhp (140 ihp), twin shafts, speed 11 km/h.
Crew 26.
Building cost of the iron hull 59,500 Rubles.
April 1880 sold to Ivan Stoyanov and then used as a merchant vessel.
Two years later scrapped.
Bulgaria 1981 25st sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.airgroup2000.com/forum/viewt ... p?t=226199 Mr. Andreas von Mach. Mr Gennadiy Sitnikov.
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