The Standart

[Mike]

There was another reason for the Standart's cruises around Europe: to provide the yacht's officers with an opportunity of a "long voyage" sailing, mandatory for their promotion. Otherwise they should have wished to be transferred to other ships, in spite of the IF and court officilas' desire of keeping the Standart crew as permanent as possible. For the same reason the yacht's officers were sometimes temporarily posted at battle ships leaving for circumnavigation voyages, or sailing from Kronshtadt to Vladivostok, after which they returned to serve aboard the Standart.

[PAVLOV]

I agree, I for one, would have loved to have gone on a cruise from St Petersburg to Yalta on a beautiful yacht like the Standart.
What was wrong with these people

[Constantinople]

And if she had accepted that marriage proposal, she might have been in Bucharest and not Yekaterinburg in 1918.

[Douglas]

I agree, I for one, would have loved to have gone on a cruise from St Petersburg to Yalta on a beautiful yacht like the Standart.
What was wrong with these people

Me too Pavlov but that was a long voyage.  The IF were conscious of how they spent their time and where they spent it.  Their life was a routine of palace rotation throughout the year.  That long of a voyage would greatly upset their usual Imperial progression through the seasons.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

I was thinking of more of 'a quick trip' to all those places....
Just a dinner (certainly a sumptuous feast) on board the yacht for the various royal and presidential families and then a quick kiss and goodbye.
Two to three weeks tops and then rest at Livadia.

Routine has its place but it is boring year after year;  and the diplomatic plusses would be worth it!!

Larry

[Constantinople]

I would like to know if the Standart ever went through the Bosphorous and if so when?

[Douglas]

Tsar waiting for his family members to dock at the landing...Finland. Note the tennis racket on the pier.


Small boats from the Standart bringing Imperial family to island in Finland

[Douglas]

Here is the Standart anchored in the Neva at St. Petersburg in 1909.  The white steam yacht at the left is "Vanadis".   She was owned by American,  Cornelius  Billings (September 17, 1861 in Saratoga, New York – May 6, 1937 in Santa Barbara, California). He retired at age 40 to devote his time and resources to breeding trotting horses.  This photo is new to me.

 

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi Douglas,

Interesting photo!!
I wonder if Billings was visiting Aunt Meichen at the time of GD Vladimir's death (1909)?
I've seen a picture of them and several others at a race track in Paris around 1902 or 1903...  Saw it many years ago, so don't know where to find it.
I can see them being friends as he was interested in art and horticulture, as they were...
Too bad the picture can't talk!!

Larry

[PAVLOV]

Yes what a very interesting picture. Mr Billings yacht looks almost larger than the Standardt, and had very elegant lines.
Perhaps GD V invited him to dinner, she appears to have gotten on well with the American rich. I think she was keen on showing off a bit, and impressing foreigners with her Palaces and jewellery.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi Pavlov,

Yes, I can see Billings being wined & dined by the Grand Duchess...
And in return, he entertaining her on board that beautiful yacht.  Oh, for the good old days!!!

Larry

[blessOTMA]

Standart:  starboard side. One can see the device that lowered the small boats and then the staris they were rowed to to take on passengers

[Vive_HIH_Aleksey]

I wonder if I could ask about the officers on the Standart... For my novel, two of my characters are officers on the Standart, young, in their early/mid 20s. I'm wondering what social class they would have been (and likewise, their families)?

Thanks in advance!

[Mike]

All Standard officers, except a few mechanical engineers, were graduates of the Marine Corps to which only members of hereditary nobility were admitted. Mechanical engineers, who studied at another navy school, were also carefully selected for the service aboard the Standard according to their social status.

[Vive_HIH_Aleksey]

Thank you so much, that's very helpful! I'm glad I found this out before actually writing it; I originally had them be middle class or peasants. Now that I know that they would have been aristocrats, that makes things even more interesting for my novel!