Vasily Stepanovich Sawoiko

Vasily Sawoiko

Vasily Zavoyko ( Russian Василий Степанович Завойко ., Scientific transliteration Vasilij Stepanovič Zavojko ; born July 15 ^{. Jul} / 27. July  1812 ^greg. In Prokhorovka in Poltava Governorate , Russian Empire ; † February 16 ^jul. / 28 February  1898 ^{greg .} in Velyka Metschetnja in Podolia Governorate , Russian Empire) was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy .

biography

Sawoiko was born in a noble family of Little Russia in the Poltava Governorate. He studied as a prospective naval officer at the Naval School of Nikolayev and took part in the Battle of Navarino in 1827 . From 1835 to 1838 he made two circumnavigations of the earth.

In 1840 he was hired by the Russian-American Company and soon became the administrator of the port of Okhotsk . He came to the conclusion that the port was rather unsuitable for trade because it was too far from the Lena catchment area . Because of this, he advocated the creation of Ajan . While exploring the landscape there, Sawoiko discovered the mouth of the Amur . The exploration of the area was later continued by Gennady Nevelskoi , who also discovered the Tatar Sound . Sawoiko's report on the potential importance of the Amur led to the research expedition in 1846 and ultimately to the annexation of the Primorye region to the Russian Empire .

In 1850, Sawoiko was appointed military governor of Kamchatka and head of the port of Petropavlovsk by the governor-general of Eastern Siberia, Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky . A quay , a foundry and new army barracks were built there under the direction of Sawoiko . Sawoiko supported the agricultural development of Kamchatka.

During the Crimean War and the siege of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in 1854 by the English and French, Sawoiko was able to organize a successful defense of the city against the outnumbered opponents and repel the landing forces. A British flag could even be captured.

In 1855, Sawoiko was responsible for relocating the main Pacific port of Russia from Petropavlovsk to the Amur estuary, where the city of Nikolayevsk on the Amur was founded. The operation succeeded in spite of rough winter seas and the presence of numerically superior enemy naval units.

In 1856, Sawoiko returned to Saint Petersburg , where he served as the general auditor of the fleet. As a result, he received several high honors and was promoted to admiral. He was married to Juliana Wrangell and had a total of 11 children: five sons and six daughters. He died at the age of 85 on his estate in Podolia . The village of Jelisowo was named in honor of Sawoiko from 1897 to 1924.

literature

• Ždanko, M. Pamjati admirala Vasilija Stepanoviča Zavojko. Vladivostok, 1908.
• Zavojko VS Oborona Petropavlovska protiv anglo-francuzskoj eskadry v 1854-m godu. [Iz zapisok]. Soobšč. Ju. Barten'ev. - RА, 1898.