Soviet freighter Georgiy

[jerryasher]

I have the briefest of citations that the ship was seized in 1927 in Chinese waters. Georgiy is a 1,258 ton freighter originally built for China Navigation Co. then in 1905 became Okhotsk of Russian Gov, and in 1906 sold to a Russian and became Amur, then Japanese, but, still named Amur until in 1909 it was sold to H.H.Keyserling, served with RVF later. In 1927, apparently after being seized is reregistered as Chinese. Tai Chow. When and where was she seized?

[lupodimare89]

Greetings! It's the first time i heard of this episode, but also there are not that many online users active and interested on the Soviet Far East naval events, compared to the European one. I have a contact and could ask him. I could say that despite closeness, the episode occurred 2 years before the 1929 conflict, so it was likely a border-police incident rather than a military confrontation.

[jerryasher]

Thank you lupodimare89: Yes, please share this with your friend. I suspect, guess, speculate, that this was not a border-police incident. Like you I note lack of interest in Soviet Far East Naval and Maritime events. I would be very interested in riverine events. Suspect Georgiy as clandestine carrier of support to Soviet policy, possibly logistical support to the Guomindang 1923=1927. No information. For instance, a Soviet ship docked in Shanghai on April 1, 1927 carrying the man who would lead the Party from April 1927-But do not know the name of the ship which came from Vladivostok. Love to pick your brain regarding all Soviet ships providing the logistical support for the Guomindang. Hope I didn't scare you off. Many thanks for sharing.

[GregSingh]

Sources seem to vary.

According to one Russian source, "Georgiy" was sold, not seized...:

27.12.1926 г. решением Правления АО "Совторгфлот" в связи с плохим техническим состоянием выведен из эксплуатации и затем продан за границу. С 1927 г. принадлежал китайской компании Tai Chow Shing Kee Steam Navigation Co., имел наименование «Tai Chow» и был приписан к Шанхаю.

On December 27, 1926 by the decision of the Management Board of Sovtorgflot due to poor technical condition it was decommissioned and then sold abroad. Since 1927 it belonged to the Chinese company Tai Chow Shing Kee Steam Navigation Co., had the name "Tai Chow" and was assigned to Shanghai.

Source: http://www.retroflot.com/dobrovoljnyj_f ... orgij.html


BTW I had a look into some Soviet diplomatic correspondence and found a note from March 5th, 1927 complaining about seizure of Soviet freighter "In Memory of Lenin" which happened on 28th of February in Nanking.

Perhaps it's unrelated incident or your source had ships/places mixed up...

[jerryasher]

Thank you Greg: Clearly one way of another Georgyi was in Shanghai in 1927. I think the diplomatic correspondence refers to the Pamyat Lenina of 2,372 tons built as Yakut then renamed Kishinev and in 1925 Pamyat Lenina. also a Sovtorgflot vessel. Its seizure was a major incident. One because it was seized by forces allied to Zhang Zuolin, 2. Taken off and detained was the wife of Michael Borodin, the charismatic advisor to the Guomindang 3. accused of being a courier of Russian instructions. She was scuttled in late March when the forces allied to Zhang retreated to the north bank of the Yangzi.