Stepan Makarov Stepan Osipovich Makarov ( ; – ) was a Russian vice - admiral , a highly accomplished and decorated commander of the Imperial Russian Navy , an oceanographer , awarded by the Russian Academy of Sciences , and author of several books . Makarov also designed a small number of ships . The town of Shiritoru on Sakhalin island , was renamed Makarov in 1946 in his honor . Early life . Stepan Makarov was born in Nikolaev ( now Mykolayiv , Ukraine ) in a family of a fleet praporshchik ( прапорщик по Адмиралтейству , an auxiliary officer ) . His family moved to Nikolayevsk na Amure in 1858 and Makarov attended school there . In 1863 , he joined the Imperial Russian Navy where he served as a cadet aboard a clipper of the Pacific Fleet . In 1866 he took part in the voyage of the corvette " Askold " from Vladivostok to Kronstadt " via " the Cape of Good Hope . Makarov served with the Baltic Fleet between 1867 and 1876 serving as flag captain to Admiral Andrei Popov . He transferred to the Black Sea Fleet in 1876 . Russo - Turkish War . Makarov was highly decorated for his service as a captain of the Russian torpedo boat tender " Velikiy Knyaz Konstantin " in the Russo - Turkish War of 1877 – 78 . He was one of the first to adopt the idea of torpedo boats and he himself went to action in torpedo boats . On January 16 , 1877 he was first in the World to launch torpedo es from a boat ( which itself was launched from a tender ) against an Ottoman Navy ship " Intibah " . Oceanographic expeditions . Makarov directed two round - the - world oceanographic expeditions on the corvette " Vityaz " ( 1886 – 89 and 1894 – 96 ) . He proposed the World ' s first icebreaker , the " Yermak " , oversaw her construction , and commanded her on two Arctic expeditions in 1899 and 1901 . Lake Baikal icebreakers . Makarov also designed two icebreaking steam ships to connect the Trans - Siberian Railway across Lake Baikal : the train ferry built in 1897 and passenger and package freight steamer built in about 1900 , based upon his study of similar vessels on the American Great Lakes . Armstrong Whitworth in Newcastle - upon - Tyne , England , built the ships in kit form and sent them to Listvyanka on Lake Baikal for reassembly . Their boilers , engines and some other components were built in Saint Petersburg . " Baikal " had 15 boilers , four funnels , was long and could carry 24 railway coaches and one locomotive on her middle deck . " Angara " is smaller , with two funnels . " Baikal " was burnt out and destroyed in the Russian Civil War . " Angara " survives , has been restored and is permanently moored at Irkutsk where she serves as offices and a museum . Russo - Japanese War . Makarov was appointed chief commander and military governor of Kronstadt in January 1900 . After the Imperial Japanese Navy ' s surprise attack at Port Arthur on 9 February 1904 , Admiral Makarov was sent to command the Imperial Russian Navy ' s battle fleet stationed there on 24 February ( some sources state March ) of that year . His leadership differed greatly from any other Russian naval officer during this war , offering diversity , aggression , and an ability to " " inspire confidence in his subordinates " " . Upon his assumption of command in early 1904 , Makarov greatly increased the activity in the Russian squadrons , as well as the general defense of Port Arthur . Until then the Russian fleet had generally done nothing but exist , as a fleet in being . Under Makarov ' s leadership , " " Russian squadrons put to sea nearly every day , constantly on the move , and ensuring that it was never taken by surprise outside the protection of Port Arthur ' s " " shore batteries . Unlike his predecessors , Makorov sought engagements with the Japanese , and kept his vessels in an order of battle in the roadstead of Port Arthur . When Japanese cruiser s bombarded Port Arthur from the Yellow Sea in March , his cruisers returned fire with such intensity that the Japanese ships were forced to withdraw . That same month the Japanese Navy tried to seal the port ' s entrance by sinking old steam ships as blockship s in the harbor ' s channel . Russian cruisers assigned to protect the entrance pursued the escorting Japanese warships and quickly put them to flight . On 13 April 1904 the Russian destroyer " Strasny " returning from patrol , tried to re - enter the mouth of the Port Arthur but was intercepted by Japanese destroyers . An engagement began between the opposing destroyers , and when observed by Makarov he immediately sent the cruiser " Bayan " to assist the " Strasny " , while he led three battleship s , four cruisers , and a group of destroyers into the Yellow Sea to seek battle with the surrounding enemy warships . The Japanese warships withdrew to nearly 15 miles out to sea , with Makarov in pursuit . With the arrival of enemy heavy units upon the scene , Makarov , now exceeding his gunfire support range from shore , turned about and headed back to Port Arthur ; and the Japanese fleet did not pursue . As his flagship , the battleship " Petropavlovsk " , moved closer to the harbour ' s entrance , she detonated a Japanese mine . Secondary explosions followed quickly in succession and " Petropavlovsk " sank , taking Admiral Makarov with her . The admiral ’ s remains and those of five of his officers were recovered from the wreck of the " Petropavlovsk " by Japanese salvage teams , and in 1913 , as a gesture of good will , the officers and crew of the Japanese cruiser presided over the funeral for the admiral in the military cemetery of Port Arthur . Monuments . There are monuments to Makarov in his native Mykolayiv , Ukraine , and in Vladivostok and Kronstadt , Russia . A number of ships have been named " Admiral Makarov " . An island in the Tsivolk group of the Nordenskiöld Archipelago was named after him . National University of Shipbuilding in Mykolaiv ( Nikolayev ) and State Maritime Academy in Saint Petersburg are named after him .