Birthday anniversary of Voin A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian navigator, hydrographer, reorganizer of the naval education

14 (26) July 1822, in Maloarkhangelsk County, Orel Province, in a noble family was born Voin Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian explorer, Rear Admiral (1865), geographer, hydrographer, writer and educator, reorganizer of naval education system.

At the age of eight, Voin entered the Marine Department of Alexander Corps in Tsarskoye Selo, from where, 3 years later he enrolled in the Sea Cadet Corps.

In 1837, Rimsky-Korsakov was promoted to naval cadet and sailed on the frigate "Proserpina" to many ports of the Baltic Sea; a year later he graduated in the rank of midshipman and joined the Baltic Fleet. In 1838, midshipman Rimsky-Korsakov navigated on the frigate "Alexander Nevsky", in 1839 – on board of the brig "Patroclus," in 1840 and 1841 - on board of the frigate "Melpomene". In the period from 1843 to 1853 he served as a lieutenant, senior officer and commander on various Russian vessels.

In 1853, under the command of Admiral E. Putiatin and leading the screw schooner "Vostok", Voin navigated from Portsmouth to the shores of Japan, and from there - tp the mouth of the Amur River. He made a comprehensive study of Sakhalin Island, detailed its map, determined the existence of rich deposits of minerals, gathered a lot of scientific information about the nature of the island, its climate, lifestyle, everyday life, customs and rituals of indigenous islanders, conducted a hydrographic survey of the Tatar Strait, went on his ship to Amur estuary. In his report Voin expressed his views on the prospects and methods of resource development of that land and use of Amur as a transport way.

Upon completion of the study of the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka, Rimsky-Korsakov stated in the note his proposals on settling the eastern border regions of Russia and the development of trade and economic relations between the Russian Far East, China, Japan and America. After completing the task entrusted to him, Voin returned the schooner and, taking command of the corvette "Olivuts" returned on it to Kronstadt.

For distinguished service, in 1853 Rimsky-Korsakov was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander, and in 1855, for his scientific work, was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 2nd class and promoted to Captain 2nd rank.

In 1858 and 1859 Rimsky-Korsakov commanded the artillery training ship "Prokhorov," and in the intervals between the summer campaigns of these years he was sent to France and England to study the gunnery training in these countries. In 1858, for the distinguished services, he was promoted to Captain 1st rank, and in 1860 appointed Head of the Main Staff of the Commander of the Kronstadt port.

In December 1861, Captain 1st rank Rimsky-Korsakov was appointed the Director of the Sea Cadet Corps. From that moment, a number of reforms in the education and training in the Corps began, and then, following its example, in other naval educational institutions. On the initiative of Rimsky-Korsakov, cadets of the Sea Corps began to participate in training cruises in the summer to study navigation in practice. Administration sought to develop in alumni a sense of self-observation, duty and honor, while a system of supervision over them was replaced by a system of trust.

In January 1865 Rimsky-Korsakov was promoted to rear admiral and confirmed in his appointment as the director of the Sea Cadet Corps. In the summer of the same year, commanding a detachment of ships of the Corps in the Gulf of Finland, he was ordered to direct the work of raising the armored boat “Smerch” sunken during the passage from Helsingfors to Gangut. For his efforts in raising the "Smerch", Rimsky-Korsakov was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class and donated 1, 110 rubles. In 1866, after the inspection by Emperor of vessels of a detachment of the Sea Cadet Corps in Kronstadt road, he gained the monarch's favor.

Voin regularly published his views on the issues of maritime education and training, as well as the memories of the voyages and technical articles in the "Marine Collection".

In 1871, due to deteriorating health, Rimsky-Korsakov was given a holiday to go abroad, and 4 (16) November died in Pisa, Italy. He was buried in St. Petersburg, at the Smolensk cemetery.

Islands in the Sea of Japan and in the Gulf of Peter the Great have been named after Voin A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Lit.: Boин Aндpeeвич Pимский-Kорсаков [Электронный ресурс] // Военно-морской флот России. Б. д. URL:http://www.navy.su/persons/18/va_rimsky-korsakov.htm; Дёмин Л. М. Сквозь туманы и штормы: (Мореплаватель Воин Андреевич Римский-Корсаков). М., 1986; Коргуев Н. Обзор преобразований в Морском Кадетском Корпусе с 1852 года. СПб., 1897. С. 21—24; Кротков А. С. Морской Кадетский Корпус. СПб., 1901. С. 182—188; Общий Морской список. СПб., 1894. Т. 3. С. 357—360; Римский-Корсаков В. А. Балтика — Амур: Повествование в письмах о плаваниях, приключениях и размышлениях командира шхуны «Восток». Хабаровск, 1980.