Russian frigate Rurik (1851) Informations

Rurik (Рюрик) was a steam-powered frigate of the Imperial Russian Navy. She was ordered by the Senate of the Grand Duchy of Finland for the Finnish naval equipage (Suomen Meriekipaasi). She was named in honour of Rurik, the semi-legendary founder of ancient Russia.

Rurik was designed by Johan Eberhard von Schantz. She was built in Turku at Gamla Warfsbolaget i Åbo and launched in October 1851. At the time of her construction she was the largest ship ever built in Finland. The Scottish engineer William Crichton was recruited to supervise construction of the steam engine. Later he took over the engine builder Cowie and Ericsson and renamed it W:m Crichton and C:o.

Although financed by Finns, the ship ended up serving as an escort vessel to the Russian Imperial Yacht. She survived the Crimean War, and later served in the Russian Baltic Fleet.

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