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Stepan Osipovich Makarov
(January 8, 1849 - April 13, 1904) Russia

Stepan Makarov

Admiral

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Stepan was born in Nikolaev, the son of Osip Makarov, a naval petty officer. His father was transferred to the Far East in 1858, and his wife and son went with him. There, in September 1858, Stepan Osipovich entered the Maritime Academy at Nikolaevsk-na-Amure; this school trained young men for the merchant marine.

His abilities came to the attention of Admiral P.V. Kazekevich, commandant of Nikolaevsk, in 1863, and the admiral petitioned the Naval Ministry to accept young Makarov as a naval cadet. He was sent to the Baltic Fleet in 1866, and he became an ensign in 1869. Makarov's inventiveness was first evident in 1870 when he invented the collision mat, a device eventually adopted by almost every navy.

Makarov was transferred to the Baltic Fleet. The Fleet's most probable opponent, the Turkish Navy, had no less than sixteen ironclads built or building. In 1876 Makarov proposed converting the fast steamship Velikii Kniaz' Konstantin into a mothership for spar-torpedo boats to counterbalance the Turkish naval superiority.

When the Russo-Turkish War broke out in 1877, the torpedo-boat carrying Velikii Kniaz' Konstantin was placed under Makarov's command. Always with an eye for detail, Makarov fueled her with Welsh coal because it produced less smoke than other coals; he also had the torpedo boats painted to harmonize with the sea. The attacks completely neutralized the material superiority of the Turks at sea. Makarov became a national hero, and was awarded several decorations.

After the war, in 1878, Makarov contributed to the design of the torpedo boat Sirena. He served in the Baltic Fleet from 1882 to 1886 on the staff of Admiral Popov, and circumnavigated the globe in the wooden screw corvette Vitiaz' in 1886-1889. In 1890, at the age of 41, he became Russia's youngest admiral. He invented a type of armor-piercing cap for shells.

Makarov became a squadron commander in the Baltic Fleet in 1896, in which year he was promoted to vice admiral. During this time he helped design the world's first purpose-built mine-layers, the Amur class. In early 1898 he again visited the United States, apparently in search of American shipyards capable of building warships for Russia.

In December 1899 Makarov was appointed commander of the Port of Kronshtadt. However, he continued his scientific work, and in 1901 he sailed from Zemlia Frantsa Iosifa and the northwestern coast of Novaia Zemlia.

In 1904, the Japanese attacked the Russian Port Arthur. Two miles from Port Arthur, Makarov's ship struck one or two mines in the newly-laid field; moments later, the magazines exploded, with such violence that the entire forward turret was thrown into the air. His ship sank within two minutes; some observers say they saw the admiral kneeling in prayer on the bridge as the ship went down.

Makarov was survived by his wife, who received telegrams of condolences from, among others, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Even the Japanese government issued a statement that recalled the admiral's scientific achievements.

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