▁and , ▁after ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁her ▁h ull ▁and ▁de cks ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁K ron stadt ▁where ▁her ▁arm or ▁and ▁guns ▁were ▁installed . ▁Se v ast opol ▁was ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁and ▁Nikol ai ▁Ch ern is he v ▁became ▁her ▁captain , ▁a ▁post ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁retain ▁until ▁ 1 7 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁when ▁Nikol ai ▁Ess en ▁assumed ▁command . ▁ ▁Se v ast opol ▁began ▁her ▁sea ▁tri als ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁after ▁their ▁conclusion ▁into ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Navy . ▁She ▁and ▁her ▁sister ▁ships ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁Port ▁Arthur , ▁which ▁was ▁then ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Squadron ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Pacific ▁Fle et . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁Pop ov ▁rad ios ▁were ▁installed ▁on ▁Se v ast opol ▁and ▁her ▁sister ▁Pol t ava , ▁the ▁first ▁Russian ▁batt les hips ▁to ▁have ▁them . ▁They ▁were ▁also ▁painted ▁white , ▁the ▁same ▁color ▁as ▁the ▁other ▁ships ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Pacific ▁Squadron . ▁She ▁then ▁left ▁for ▁Port ▁Arthur , ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁As ▁Russia ▁was ▁not ▁at ▁war ▁with ▁any ▁Far ▁East ▁countries ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁Se v ast opol ▁stayed ▁in ▁port , ▁in active . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁Port ▁Arthur ▁▁ ▁After ▁the