Cronstadt
island town petersburg
CRONSTADT, Or KRONSTADT, a strongly fortified seaport town of Russia and the great naval station of the Russian fleet in the northern seas, the seat of the Russian admiralty and of a military governor, is situated on the island of Kotlin, near the head of the Gulf of Finland, twenty miles west of St Petersburg, of which it is
the chief port, in 59° 59' 30" N. lat., and 29° 46' 30" E. long. The island of Kotlin, or Kettle (Finn., leetusari, or Rat Island) is of calcareous formation, and in general outline forms an elongated triangle, seven miles in length by about one in breadth, with its base towards St Petersburg and the mouths of the Neva, and its apex extending obliquely
seawards. The eastern or broad end is occupied by the town of Cronstadt, and shoals extend for a mile and a half from the western point of the island to the rock on which the Tolbaaken lighthouse is built. The island thus divides the approach by sea to St Petersburg into two channels ; that on the northern side is obstructed by s-hoals which extend across it from Kotlin to Lisi-ness on the
mainland, and is only passable by vessels drawing less than 15 feet ; the southern channel, the highway to the capital, is narrowed by a spit which projects from opposite Oranienbaum on the mainland, and, lying close to Cronstadt, has been strongly guarded by batteries. The town of Cronstadt is built on level ground, and is_ thus exposed to inundations, from one of which it suffered in 1824. Its
streets are regular and well paved ; the houses, with the exception of those belonging to the Government, are chiefly of one story. On the south side of the town there are three harbours - the large western or merchant harbour, capable of containing 1000 ships, the western flank of which is formed by a great mole joining the fortifications which traverse the breadth of the island on this side,
the middle harbour used chiefly for fitting out and repairing vessels, and the eastern or war harbour for vessels of the Russian navy. The Peter and Catherine Canals, communicating with the merchant and middle harbours, traverse the town. Between them stood the old Italian palace of Prince Menschikoff - the site of which is now occupied by a large building used as a school for pilots. Among other
public buildings may be mentioned the extensive naval hospital, the British seamen's hospital established in 1867, the civic hospital, admiralty, arsenal, dockyards and foundries, custom-house, barracks, exchange, several Greek churches, a Lutheran church, and English and Roman Catholic chapels. Defending the navigable passages are Forts Alexander, Risbank, Constantine, Peter the Great,
-Menschikoff, and Cronslott, all built of granite and armed with heavy guns. During the Russian war of 1854-55 Cronstadt was considered impregnable. Almost all vessels bound for St Petersburg touch at Cronstadt, and those drawing more than 8 to 10 feet of water load and unload here, the goods being conveyed to and from the capital in lighters. The port is ice-bound during the winter months from
November till April ; but in other months about 3000 vessels enter and clear. There is regular steam communication with St Petersburg, Peterhof and Oranienbaum, Revel, Helsingfors, Stockholm, Stettin, Lubeck, and Havre. The exports consist chiefly of tallow, corn, hemp, and flax, brought from the surrounding districts of the mainland. A very large proportion of the inhabitants are sailors, and
large numbers of artizans are employed in the dockyards. The ironclad turret ship " Peter the Great" (9600 tons) and the " Duke of Edinburgh " were built at Cronstadt in 1874-75. Cronstadt was founded in 1710 by Peter the Great, who took the island of Kotlin from the Swedes in 1703. The population at the census of 1867 was 45,115, but this varies very considerably at different times of the year,
the town-being very full in summer and partially deserted in winter.
User Comments