33.2 Romanian Navy – Romanian Maritime Hydrography
History
The developing of the Romanian Navy began to stand out once with the Union of
Romanian Principalities in 1859, event that led to the unification of the fleets of the
two Romanian states, on the 22nd of October, 1860, named Fleet Body, under the
command of Colonel Nicolae Steriadi, representing the structure that constituted
the nucleus of the future leadership of the Romanian Navy.
During the Romania Independence War (1877–1878), the Romanian Flotilla led
naval actions, installation of riverine mine dams, enemy ships attack and artillery
fire support.
Until 1882, the Romanian ships used for the river navigation the Russian maps,
and for the maritime navigation the English ones. Once with the Romanian military
ships presence increasing on Danube as well as the foundation of the Navy Children
School, the need of the Romanian charts and nautical documents had increased.
Mihail Draghicescu, Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Flotilla ordered to
be made hydrographical measurements on Danube, i.e. during the instruction
marches on the river as well as the students practice performing on board of the
Romanian vessels, in order to accurately acknowledge the fairway and the navigation obstacles (Ciorbea 1996a, b).
Thus, during the years 1882–1883, Mihail Draghicescu together with the crews
from Fulgerul (the Lightning) and Lebada (the Swan) vessels, have achieved an
extensive hydrographical data, that later were used for drawing up the first Romanian
Danube chart. In 1895, this map was reproduced at 1:28,000 scale and it was
continuously updated by the military crews while they were fulfilling the missions
on Danube. The map had been used in very good conditions until 1904 (Bologa 1998).
Between 1885 and 1886, from Grivita gunboat board, there were executed the
first hydrographical survey on the Romanian Black Sea littoral, respectively in
Sulina – Gura Portitei (Portita Mouth) area.
In 1887 was made the first Romanian chart of Romanian littoral waters, without
hydrographic details (see Fig. 33.3).
The first Romanian hydrographical research structure was the Special Section for
the Hydrographical Works from Danube and Black Sea, founded in 1897 and led by
Lieutenant Commander Alexandru Catuneanu (see Fig. 33.4), hydrographer specialist having specialized studies in France and participant in two hydrographical
campaigns in Far East and Caledonia. On 30th of June, 1897, several officers had
been detached to this hydrographical unit and under his command they began the
hydrographical survey of the Romanian coasts. The hydrographical surveys had
been performed up to 10 km from the coastline, respectively on survey lines spaced
at 2500 m one from each other (Draghicescu 1943).
Beginning with 1893, a group of hydrographical and hydrological researchers,
led by Grigore Antipa (see Fig. 33.5), has conducted several works campaigns
aboard of the cruiser Elisabeta, Navy Ship Mircea and gunboat Grivita. For
9 months, during Antipa’s expedition around the Black Sea aboard of a military
550
R. Bos ¸neagu
History
The developing of the Romanian Navy began to stand out once with the Union of
Romanian Principalities in 1859, event that led to the unification of the fleets of the
two Romanian states, on the 22nd of October, 1860, named Fleet Body, under the
command of Colonel Nicolae Steriadi, representing the structure that constituted
the nucleus of the future leadership of the Romanian Navy.
During the Romania Independence War (1877–1878), the Romanian Flotilla led
naval actions, installation of riverine mine dams, enemy ships attack and artillery
fire support.
Until 1882, the Romanian ships used for the river navigation the Russian maps,
and for the maritime navigation the English ones. Once with the Romanian military
ships presence increasing on Danube as well as the foundation of the Navy Children
School, the need of the Romanian charts and nautical documents had increased.
Mihail Draghicescu, Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Flotilla ordered to
be made hydrographical measurements on Danube, i.e. during the instruction
marches on the river as well as the students practice performing on board of the
Romanian vessels, in order to accurately acknowledge the fairway and the navigation obstacles (Ciorbea 1996a, b).
Thus, during the years 1882–1883, Mihail Draghicescu together with the crews
from Fulgerul (the Lightning) and Lebada (the Swan) vessels, have achieved an
extensive hydrographical data, that later were used for drawing up the first Romanian
Danube chart. In 1895, this map was reproduced at 1:28,000 scale and it was
continuously updated by the military crews while they were fulfilling the missions
on Danube. The map had been used in very good conditions until 1904 (Bologa 1998).
Between 1885 and 1886, from Grivita gunboat board, there were executed the
first hydrographical survey on the Romanian Black Sea littoral, respectively in
Sulina – Gura Portitei (Portita Mouth) area.
In 1887 was made the first Romanian chart of Romanian littoral waters, without
hydrographic details (see Fig. 33.3).
The first Romanian hydrographical research structure was the Special Section for
the Hydrographical Works from Danube and Black Sea, founded in 1897 and led by
Lieutenant Commander Alexandru Catuneanu (see Fig. 33.4), hydrographer specialist having specialized studies in France and participant in two hydrographical
campaigns in Far East and Caledonia. On 30th of June, 1897, several officers had
been detached to this hydrographical unit and under his command they began the
hydrographical survey of the Romanian coasts. The hydrographical surveys had
been performed up to 10 km from the coastline, respectively on survey lines spaced
at 2500 m one from each other (Draghicescu 1943).
Beginning with 1893, a group of hydrographical and hydrological researchers,
led by Grigore Antipa (see Fig. 33.5), has conducted several works campaigns
aboard of the cruiser Elisabeta, Navy Ship Mircea and gunboat Grivita. For
9 months, during Antipa’s expedition around the Black Sea aboard of a military
550
R. Bos ¸neagu