PLASTUN

[aukepalmhof]

150 Years ago the first Russians arrived in Uruguay.

150th Years ago the first Russians arrived in Uruguay when de Russian Emperor Alexander II sent a official letter to the President of Uruguay, Gabriel Antonio Pereiro, in which he wrote that he wanted close relationship between the two countries, and friendship between the subjects of both countries.
The document was a testimony of the official recognition of the Republic Uruguay by Russia and a answer to a letter in which the Uruguayan President, in name of his nation expressed desire to enter diplomatic relations with Russia.

According to the records available, the first ship under the flag of Russia that entered Montevideo Bay was the clipper PLASTÜN together with two other Russian vessels, who were on a round the world voyage.
The crew of the PLASTÜN were the first Russians who landed on Uruguayan soil.
Among them was a doctor Alexéy Vladimirovich Vysheslãvtsev (1831-1888), who later published after he returned to Russia a book on the voyage. (Vysheslavtsev was transferred to the korvet NOVIK in Montevideo.) He did also see the explosion on board of the PLASTUN and the loss of 73 of her crew.
This book was the beginning of the Russian emigration to Uruguay.
After the change of the political regime in Russia in 1917, Uruguay was the first nation in South America which recognizing the USSR in 1926.
Immediately thereafter the commercial and cultural relations improved.
Already in 1928 Soviet sportsmen received Uruguay soccer players of labour clubs.
The most interesting episode was the visit of the famous Russian scientist and a specialist in botany Nikolai Vavilov in 1932, who worked in the agricultural station Estncuela, which till today still keeps carefully the memory on his visit.

A special page in the relations between the Soviet Union and Uruguay are the years of World War II, when in Uruguay a campaign of solidarity arose with the battle of the USSR against the German fascists.
Along with the Uruguay people and the many emigrants who had arrived from Russia, money was collected, clothes, gifts that were send to Russia. The people of the small country city San Javier alone collected 40 thousand pesos.
The Russian colonists did have a great contribution in the development of the economy of Uruguay particular in the agriculture section.

Today we can emphasize with satisfaction that in the 150 years passed, both countries have had a good relationship not dimmed by conflicts or disputes, relations that can serve as a paradigm of equality and mutual respect between different States in area and inhabitants.

The vessel depict on the stamp is the PLASTÜN, a screw clipper belonging to the Razboinik class of which 6 vessel were built. She was built in the winter of 1855-1856 in Arkhangelsk in the White Sea for the Russian Imperial Navy.
Displacement 650 tons.
Powered by sail and a 150 nhp steam engine.
Armament 6 guns.

After completing sailed to St Petersburg, where her steam engines were fitted in.
There after she joined the Baltic Fleet.
She was built for speed to break the British blockade and obstruct her merchant shipping during the Crimean War, but before she was in service the war ended.
During the years 1857 till 1860 she made with other Russian warships a voyage around the world.
It was the first long voyage made by Russian screw driven warships.
The squadron sailed via the Atlantic Islands and Cape of Good Hope to Singapore, China and Japan, and visited Russian ports on the Pacific Ocean.
On the return voyage as a ship of the squadron of Admiral A.A. Popov she visited Polynesia, and via Strait Magellan , she arrived in Montevideo.
The PLASTÜN sank after an ammunition explosion on 18 August 1860, in which 73 of her crew were killed.

More info on this ship welcome.

Uruguay 2010 $37 sg?, scott?

Source: http://www.correo.com.uy wikipedia. http://www.simbirsk.com/content/view2.p ... upagfiyiyt

[aukepalmhof]

PLASTUN: built at Archangel’s builder unknown.
05 January 1855 laid down.
23 June 1856 launched as the PLASTUN.
Tonnage 548 tons (bm), dim. 152 pp x 27.10 x 12.11ft (maximum draught).
Armament 1 – 60 pdr, 2 – 24 pdrs. guns.
Steam engine of 150 nhp, manufactured by Izhora Works, St Petersburg, speed 9 knots.
Range under engine 700 mile.
16 July 1856 commissioned.

18 August 1860 during a mutiny she exploded off Gotland in the Baltic.
03 September 1860 stricken from the Russian Navy list.


Re PLASTUN.

From Mr, G Sitnikov in Russia I received some images of drawing of Russian warships who were in the squadron of Admiral A.A. Popov in the Pacific.
While the PLASTUN was the first ship that arrived in Montevideo, by comparing the drawings with the ship depict on this Russian stamp the STRELOK has been depict.
She was also in the squadron of Admiral A.A. Popov but I can not find she ever made a call at Montevideo.

The STRELOK was also built in Arkhangelsk by the shipbuilder Mitrofanov
05 January 1855 laid down.
20 June 1856 launched five sisters the RAZBOYNIK, DZHIGIT, PLASTUN, NAEZDNIK and OPRICHNIK.
Details the same as the PLASTUN.
26 July 1856 commissioned.

Assigned to the Pacific.
16 July 1866 decommissioned.
04 November 1878 stricken and sold for breaking up.

Source: Russian Warships in the age of Sail 1696-1860 by John Tredrea and Eduard Sozaev