▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s . ▁ ▁N amed ▁for ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Se v ast opol ▁during ▁the ▁Crime an ▁War , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁First ▁Pacific ▁Squadron ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Pacific ▁Fle et ▁and ▁was ▁station ed ▁at ▁Port ▁Arthur ▁( today ▁Lü sh unk ou ▁District , ▁Dal ian , ▁L ia oning , ▁China ), ▁a ▁Russian ▁naval ▁base ▁acquired ▁from ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁K w ant ung ▁Le ased ▁Territ ory . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁ships ▁to ▁use ▁Har vey ▁nick el - ste el ▁arm or ▁and ▁Pop ov ▁rad ios , ▁she ▁disp la ced ▁ ▁at ▁full ▁load ▁and ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁overall , ▁and ▁mounted ▁a ▁main ▁battery ▁of ▁four ▁ ▁guns ▁in ▁two ▁tw in ▁tur rets . ▁She ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁and ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁Her ▁sea ▁tri als ▁last ed ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁Se v ast opol ▁saw ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Rus so - J apan ese ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 4 – 0 5 . ▁S light ly ▁dam aged ▁during ▁a ▁surprise ▁attack ▁on ▁Port ▁Arthur ▁in ▁early ▁February , ▁the ▁ship ▁later ▁participated ▁in ▁several ▁attempts ▁to ▁break ▁out ▁from ▁the ▁bes ie ged ▁port . ▁The ▁most ▁notable ▁of ▁these