During the Russo-Turkish War, there was an episode that still sparks debate among historians. On December 15, 1877, the boats "Sinop" and "Chesma," launched from the steamship "Grand Duke Konstantin," conducted the first torpedo attack in history on Turkish ships anchored at the Batumi roadstead.
"...At midnight," wrote Captain-Lieutenant S. Makarov, who led the operation, "the boats entered the roadstead and spotted two ironclads. Lieutenant Zatsarenny decided to attack the three-masted ship of the 'Mahmudie' type. The boats took advantageous positions and then approached to about fifty fathoms. Lieutenant Zatsarenny was the first to launch a mine, earning the honor of the first combat shot with this powerful weapon of war... The mine moved swiftly, aimed well, and exploded directly under the smokestack of the ironclad... Cries of terror resounded, and strong gunfire erupted along the shore. Following Lieutenant Zatsarenny, Lieutenant Sheshinsky from the 'Sinop' boat launched his mine. The mine exploded under the mainmast of the ironclad, and the explosion was followed by more cries of despair."
However, some time later, a scandal erupted: it became known that the 'Mahmudie' had not been sunk and that the torpedoes allegedly missed and were found on the shore unexploded. This cast doubt on Makarov's report and caused the renowned naval commander considerable distress. Let us delve into the circumstances of this matter.
The scandal began with a report in the English newspaper "The Times." In January 1878, it published two correspondences containing highly contradictory information. One mentioned three unexploded torpedoes, while the other mentioned two. However, since the actual serial numbers of the launched torpedoes were provided, the information gained credibility with the Russian command.
On closer examination of these correspondences, it becomes evident that the facts were deliberately distorted. It is no secret that the Turks, eager for British subsidies, went to great lengths to conceal their losses from the English. For instance, they hid the fact that in August 1877, Makarov’s boats, using towed mines, destroyed the ironclad 'Asari Shefket' at the Sukhumi roadstead. Confirmation of the sinking of this ship arrived from Turkey only two years later. The Turks also widely practiced a peculiar kind of deception—renaming damaged or sunken ships with the names of those still in service. Seeing them undamaged, foreign correspondents promptly reported this to their newspapers. It appears that a similar story occurred with the 'Mahmudie,' damaged by Russian torpedoes. As for the accuracy of the data regarding the torpedo serial numbers, this is not surprising: at that time, numbers were engraved on all parts of the torpedoes, even the smallest ones. Therefore, finding any remnants of a torpedo made it easy to determine its number.
A. GRIGORYEV, Captain 3rd Rank, Moscow