Imperial Russian Navy

The Imperial Russian Navy is presented through a brief but consequential account of Admiral Stepan Makarov’s command during the Russo-Japanese War ending in 1905. Makarov leads his battleships against the Japanese fleet near Port Arthur, drives it back into the Yellow Sea, and then loses his flagship to a mine on the return voyage. The account’s force lies in that reversal: the battle is won, the homeland’s shores are in sight, and yet the admiral and ship are lost.

Makarov’s Command

On April 13, 1904, with Port Arthur under attack, Makarov led the Navy’s battleships into the fray. The Japanese fleet was driven back into the Yellow Sea, giving the encounter the shape of a successful naval action before the narrative turns to what followed.

Victory and Loss

As Makarov’s flagship returned to port over calm seas, it struck a Japanese mine and began taking on water. Makarov ascended to the helm in full military dress and went down with the ship. The scene sets the achievement of the battle against the suddenness of the loss: calm water and a visible homeland offer no protection from the mine.

The Navy in the Count’s Recollection

The Count recalls the episode as one of the stories told by his godfather, alongside the maxim that had guided him during house arrest: to master his circumstances. Makarov’s fate supplies a different, sobering example. He had won the battle and was returning home, but could not control what happened next. The Navy’s only detailed appearance in this passage therefore carries both a historical account of command and a personal reflection on the limits of mastery.