As the famous Russian song says, Baikal is sacred. Although this is the deepest lake on the planet of tectonic origin, it is often called a sea due to its unusual size. However, it is wrong, because Lake Baikal has fresh water, being the largest natural freshwater reservoir.
Description of Lake Baikal
As already noted, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake on the entire planet. Its lowest point is 1 km 642 m, which was discovered during scientific research in 1983. These figures were confirmed in 2002 during the implementation of the Russian-Spanish-Belgian project to study Lake Baikal. Taking into account that the surface of Lake Baikal is located 455.5 meters above sea level, its lowest point is 1186.5 meters below the boundary of the world ocean! This makes it possible to classify Baikal as the deepest continental depression.
The average depth of Lake Baikal also breaks records, as it exceeds the extremely low depths of most of the deepest lakes - it is 744.4 meters. In general, Baikal leads the trio of lakes, going down more than 1 kilometer - together with Tanganyika ( maximum depth– 1 km 470 meters) and the Caspian Sea (1 km 25 meters). It absorbs water into total 336 large streams and rivers (only permanent sources are taken into account), while only one flows out of it water source- Angara River.
Stock fresh water Lake Baikal accounts for about 19 percent of the world's freshwater lake reserves - 23,615.39 cubic meters. It contains more water than the 5 great lakes of the world, which include Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Baikal also has several islands (27) of varying sizes. The largest of them is Olkhon (71 km x 12 km), towering above the surface, located almost in the very central part. The largest peninsula of Lake Baikal is Svyatoy Nos.
Where is Lake Baikal located?
Lake Baikal is located in central zone Asian continent. It is located in Russia, at the border of Buryatia and Irkutsk region. Its shape resembles a giant crescent moon, stretching 620 kilometers from southwest to northeast. The width varies between 24 km...79 km. The surface area of Lake Baikal is (not taking into account the islands) 31,722 square meters. km. This figure is comparable to total area several European countries - such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium combined. In general, Lake Baikal is located in a natural basin natural origin, which is surrounded by hills and mountain ranges. From the west, its coast has a steep rocky topography, from the east it is gentle, with mountains retreating from the coastal zone tens of kilometers deep into the continent.
Animals and fish of Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal, like him coastal zones, are distinguished by the presence of unique representatives of the animal and flora, since most of them are endemic, that is, they are distributed specifically in this segment planets and are not represented anywhere else globe. Based on scientific information, Lake Baikal is home to about 2,630 species of animals and plants (two thirds of them are endemic). There are 27 species of fish that are not found anywhere else, which is explained by the presence of a considerable amount of oxygen in the water of Lake Baikal.
Small animals of Lake Baikal
The most famous endemic is epishura, a crustacean that forms about 80 percent of the biological mass of local lake plankton, being the basic link in food chain all other inhabitants of Lake Baikal. In addition, it plays the role of a filter “medium”, passing masses of water through itself and thereby making it much cleaner.
Oligochaetes are oligochaete worms, the next most important endemics (84.5 percent of them). They form up to 70, and according to some data, up to 90 percent of the nutritious biomass for predatory invertebrates and Baikal fish. Oligochaetes are also significant for the self-purification of Lake Baikal - they are the most important component in the mineralization of organic matter and the saturation of soils with oxygen (aeration).
Fishes of Lake Baikal
The most unique representative of fish in Baikal is the golomyanka, a viviparous fish. Its body consists of 30 percent fat, and it is characterized by frequent food migration from deep to shallow water (almost daily). In addition, Baltic sturgeon, pike, taimen, burbot, whitefish, grayling, and Baltic omul are found in abundance in the lake.
Birds of Lake Baikal
In general, there are about 236 species of birds on Lake Baikal, of which 29 species are waterfowl (mostly represented by ducks). Less common, but still found, are whooper swans and geese living along coastline. But most of all there are seagulls on Lake Baikal. Their colonies occupy large areas at the mouths of tributaries of the lake and on rocky isolated islands.
Black-throated loons and gray herons are also often seen. And in early autumn and late summer, over 30 species of waders walk along the Baikal shores, stopping at Lake Baikal during the migration period. There are especially many birds in shallow bays and in the deltas of rivers flowing into the reservoir. However, the iconic representative of Lake Baikal is the eagle. In the Baikal region you can find about 7 species of this powerful and unique bird: the sea eagle (long-tailed and white-tailed), the dwarf eagle, the great spotted eagle, the steppe eagle, the imperial eagle and the golden eagle.
Animals of Lake Baikal
Among these representatives of the animal world, sables, which live in the Baikal forests, and the seal, which have become endemic during evolution, are especially distinguished. Nerpa is the Baikal seal. Its ancestors are believed to have been Arctic seals, which in ancient times came here along the Yenisei and Lena rivers. Today this is the top of the trophic pyramid of the Baikal ecosystem.
Secrets of Lake Baikal
Due to its origin, deep water and unique fauna, Lake Baikal is considered one of the most mysterious on the planet. Riddles and secrets are reflected mainly in the properties of water, bottom topography and some other related features. Yes, freshwater large lake Baikal itself attracts the attention of scientists from all over the world, since it has a lot of oxygen and very few organic impurities, suspended and dissolved mineral particles. Thanks to this Baikal water equated to distilled. It is so transparent that boulders and various items freely visible at a depth of 40 meters.
The change in color of water in Lake Baikal is shrouded in mystery – from intense blue to rich green. Scientists attribute this mainly to seasonality and the development of microorganisms. With excellent visibility of the bottom, when Baikal is clean, it has blue tint. Green appears simultaneously with the arrival of summer and the emergence of a mass of animal and plant organisms that begin active development.
Another secret of Lake Baikal is the highest speed of sound propagation in water on the entire planet, which is why a special, separate formula was developed for Lake Baikal, which is not applicable to the propagation of sound in any other body of water. In addition, Baikal is always cold: even in summer the temperature is upper layers water does not exceed plus 9 degrees, and at a depth of plus 4 degrees. The only exceptions are its individual bays, temperature regime which reaches plus 15 degrees in summer.
In winter, Lake Baikal freezes completely (except for a separate zone at the source of the Angara River), the ice remains on it until the first ten days of May inclusive. However, it presents the scientific world with many mysteries. Experts have discovered an unusual ice cover that is unique to Lake Baikal. These are cone-shaped ice elevations 6 meters in height. Inside - empty, very reminiscent of tents. Sometimes they are located singly, and sometimes in groups. There are also several other types of ice cover on Lake Baikal - osenets, kolobovnik and sokui, each of which has a unique appearance and its own special form.
The mystery is also represented by the dark rings recently discovered on the lake, appearing in various parts of it, which is clearly visible on satellite images. Researchers explain them by the rise of cold deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the upper layer, resulting in anticyclonic currents. The edges of the rings have a darker tone due to the extreme high speed movements of vortex water exchange.
Conflict in the choir
Some time ago, our choir suffered a reorganization and 3 victims were transferred to contralts. I disagreed with my transfer, tried to persuade them to remain in altos, but still, after talking with the priest (he...
Baikal- a lake of tectonic origin located in the southern part Eastern Siberia, on the border of the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region
Baikal itself
Lake Baikal stretches from southwest to north for 636 kilometers. The width of the lake varies from 25 to 80 km. Square water surface is 31,722 km. sq.. The length of the coastline is 2100 km. Baikal is the deepest lake on earth - its maximum depth is 1642 meters. The lake has huge reserves of fresh water - 23,615 km. cubic meters, which is 20% of all world reserves.
Area around
Lake Baikal is surrounded on all sides by hills and mountain ranges. At the same time west coast-precipitous and rocky, while the eastern coast is flatter. 336 streams and rivers flow into the Lake. The largest tributaries: Upper Angara, Selenga, Turka, Barguzin, Sarma, Snezhnaya. Only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara. There are 27 islands on Lake Baikal, the largest of which is Olkhon, which is 71 km long and 12 km wide. largest peninsula- Holy Nose
Climate
The huge water mass of Lake Baikal has strong influence on the climate of the coastal area. Summers here are cooler, and winters, on the contrary, are milder. Spring comes 10-15 days later compared to surrounding areas, and sometimes lasts longer. climate features are determined by Baikal winds, which even have proper names- sarma, barguzin, kultuk, verkhovik.
When to go to Baikal
Characteristics
Briefly the main characteristics of Baikal
- Length - 363 km.
- Width - 79.5 km.
- Area -31722 sq. km.
- Volume - 23615 cubic meters. km.
- The average depth is 744 meters.
- The maximum depth is 1637 meters.
- There are 27 islands on Lake Baikal.
- 29 fish species are endemic
Depth
Lake Baikal is the deepest in the world - 1637 meters, the depth was established in 1983. At the same time average depth it is also very large - 744 meters. In 2002, these data were confirmed and a depth map was compiled.
- The area of Baikal is equal to the area three countries- Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands.
- Baikal is the deepest lake on earth
- The lake contains 19% of the world's fresh water
Baikal is located almost in the center of Asia within 51°29′–55°46′ N. w. and 103°43′–109°58′ E. d. The length of the lake is 636 km, the maximum width is 81 km, the length of the coastline is about 2000 km. Area 31,500 km2. In terms of area, Baikal ranks 7th among the lakes in the world after the Caspian, Victoria, Tanganyika, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world - 1637 m, its average depth is 730 m.
Scheme map of the Baikal Basin
In addition to these generally accepted lake parameters, there are others. So, according to bathymetric data electronic card lake Baikal, compiled by an international team of authors, there are some differences in the morphometric characteristics of the lake. By volume water mass(23,000 km 3) Baikal ranks 1st among freshwater lakes in the world, containing 20% of the world's and 80% of Russia's water reserves. There is more water than in all of the Great American Lakes combined.
If we assume that the flow of water into the lake due to tributaries stopped, then a river equal to the water content of the Angara would begin to flow out in 383, and it would take more than six months (about 200 days) to fill the bowl of Baikal with all the rivers of the globe. The lake level, after its regulation by the Irkutsk reservoir, is maintained at 456–457 m above sea level. u. m. 336 rivers flow into Baikal (according to I.D. Chersky) and one Angara flows out. The area of the drainage basin is 588 thousand km 2, with 53% of it falling on the territory of Russia and 47% in Mongolia.
Source: Baikal Studies: textbook. allowance / N. S. Berkin, A. A. Makarov, O. T. Rusinek. – Irkutsk: Irkutsk Publishing House. state University, 2009.
Baikal passport
Geological age of Baikal:
Pre-rift (pre-Baikal) stage (Cretaceous – late Eocene) – 70–25 million years
Rift stage – 25 million years before modern times.
Baikal coordinates: 51°29’ – 55°46’ N. and 103°43’ – 109°56’ E.
Lake area – 31,570 km 2
Drainage basin area – 588,092 km2,
including:
in Russia – 53.6%
in Mongolia – 46.4%
Lake length – 636 km
Maximum width (Ust-Barguzin village – Onguren village) – 79.5 km
Minimum width (delta of the Selenga River - Buguldeika) - 25 km
Coastline length – 2100 km
Maximum depth – 1637 m
Average depth – 758 m
Water volume – 23,000 km 3
Lake bottom relative to sea level – 1183 m
Thickness bottom sediments(according to geophysical data):
Southern Baikal – 700 m
delta river Selenga – 8500 m
Northern Baikal – 4500 m
Sediment accumulation rate – 0.42 mm/100 years
Thickness earth's crust:
under Siberian platform– 36–42 km
under the mountain ranges of the Baikal region - 45–55 km
The smallest thickness to the base of the crust in the center of the Baikal depression is 34 km
Thinning of the earth's crust under the Baikal rift – 3–7 km
The highest height of the ridges surrounding Lake Baikal (Barguzinsky ridge) is 2,840 m
Rift gap amplitude (between greatest height ridges and the foundation fall into
dines of Baikal) – 12,977 ( greatest depth ocean (Mariana Trench in the Pacific
ocean) – 11,022 m)
The magnitude of the vertical displacement of pre-rift strata along faults along the shores:
For the Southern basin – 8–8.5 km, for the Central basin – 9 km, for the Northern
basin – 5–5.5 km
Amplitudes horizontal displacements strata (spreading) surrounding Baikal – up to 100–150 km
Speed (observed) tectonic divergence shores of Lake Baikal – 0.7–2 cm/year
Transparency (Secchi disk) – up to 40 m
The average water level at the Pacific mark after flow regulation is 456.41 m
Average water level before flow regulation – 455.67 m
Average amplitude of intra-annual changes in water level:
after flow regulation – 0.94 m
before flow regulation – 0.82 m
Time minimum level in the annual cycle:
after flow regulation – May
before flow regulation – April
Time of maximum level in the annual cycle:
after flow regulation – October
before flow regulation – September
Water surface temperature:
in bays and litters – from 0°С to +23–24°С
Water temperature in the 0–50 m layer (Southern Baikal) – +3.8–6.5°С
Water temperature at a depth of more than 50 m – +3.5°С
The number of Epishura in the 0–50 m layer (Southern Baikal) is 310–1000 thousand specimens/m2
Average annual biomass of Epishura in the 0–50 m layer (Southern Baikal) – 5.2–11 g/m2
Average annual air temperature:
Southern Baikal – –0.7°С
Middle Baikal – –1.6°С
Northern Baikal – –3.6°С
Date of freezing (in full) – 12/14/1877 – 02/06/1959
Date of autopsy (in full) – 04/17/1923–05/26/1879
Source: Baikal: nature and people: encyclopedic reference book / Baikal Institute of Nature Management SB RAS; [rep. ed. Corresponding member A.K. Tulokhonov] - Ulan-Ude: ECOS: Publishing House BSC SB RAS, 2009. - 608 pp.: color. ill.
Literature
- Atlas of Baikal // ed. G.I. Galazia. M.: Federal service on Geodesy and Cartography of Russia (FSG and KR SB RAS), 1993. - 160 p. Atlas of Baikal. - M.: Publishing house. GUGK, 1995.
- Vikulov V. E. Regime of special environmental management (experience of organization in the territory of the Lake Baikal basin): dis. . doc. geogr. Sciences / V.E. Vikulov. -Ulan-Ude, 1983.
- Public Administration natural resources Baikal region. - M.: Publishing house NIA Priroda, 1999. - 244 p.
- Grushko Ya.M. Around Baikal: a guide / Ya.M. Grushko. Irkutsk, 1967. -252 p.
- Kozhov M.M. Baikal and its life / M.M. Kozhov. Irkutsk: Vost.-Sib. book publishing house, 1963.
- Logachev N.A. Relief and geomorphological zoning. - In the book: Baikal region and Transbaikalia / Series: History of the development of the relief of Siberia and the Far East. - M.: Nauka, 1974.-
- Ainbund M.M. Currents and internal water exchange in Lake Baikal Text. / MM. Ainbund. L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 19888. - 247 p.
- Kozin A.Z. Geological and geographical description of Baikal Electronic resource. / A.Z. Kozin.
- Votintsev K.K. Hydrochemistry of Lake Baikal. // M.: Publishing house. USSR Academy of Sciences, 1961. - p. 311.
- Grafov S.V., Kolotilo L.G., Potashko A.E. Location of Lake Baikal. Admiralty No. 1007. - St. Petersburg: GUNIO, 1993.
- Gusev O.K.,
From the history of the award
This cross is the most famous award. A sign known in military history Russia as the "St. George Cross" is the most legendary, revered and widespread award of the Russian Empire.Institution.
The original name of the award was “Insignia of the Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George.” It was established by the Highest order of Emperor Alexander I of February 13 (23), 1807. The task is to encourage and celebrate the courage of lower ranks. The name of the first recipient is known - Yegor Ivanovich Mitrokhin, non-commissioned officer of the Cavalry Regiment - for the battle at Friedland, in Prussia on December 14, 1809, “for skillful and brave execution of orders.” Friedland is current city Pravdinsk.Award rules.
Unlike all other soldier’s medals, the cross was awarded exclusively for a specific feat, for “this insignia is acquired only on the battlefield, during the siege and defense of fortresses, and on the waters in naval battles". The list was clearly and down to detail regulated by its Statute.
It is characteristic that not only a soldier could receive an award for the feat indicated there. The future Decembrists Muravyov-Apostol and Yakushkin, who fought at Borodino with the rank of ensign, which did not give the right to an officer's award, received St. George's crosses No. 16697 and No. 16698. There is a known case of the general being awarded a soldier's award - Count Mikhail Miloradovich in a battle with the French in a soldier's ranks in the battle near Leipzig received the St. George Cross, 4th degree. The vicissitudes of fate - in 1825 he was shot at Senate Square Decembrist Kakhovsky.Privilege.
The lower rank - holder of the St. George Cross in the army was relieved of corporal punishment. The soldier or non-commissioned officer awarded him received a salary one third more than usual, for each new cross the salary was increased by another third until the salary doubled. The additional salary remained for life after retirement; widows could receive it within a year after the death of the gentleman.Award block of times Crimean War: Insignia of the military order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, medals - “For the defense of Sevastopol” and “In memory of the Crimean War of 1853 - 1854 - 1855 - 1856.” The block was tied to the uniform with strings.
Degrees.On March 19, 1856, four degrees of awards were introduced, and awards were made sequentially. The badges were worn on a ribbon on the chest and were made of gold (1st and 2nd) and silver (3rd and 4th). The numbering of characters was no longer general, but began anew for each degree. “Either his chest is covered in crosses, or his head is in the bushes” - that’s all about him.
Full Knight of St. George - all four degrees of the cross, 1st and 3rd degree - block with a bow. The two medals on the right are “For Bravery”.
The only one who received crosses 5 times was Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny, and because of his love for fighting. He was deprived of his first award, the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, in court for assault on a senior in rank. I had to receive the award again, this time on the Turkish front, at the end of 1914. He received the St. George Cross, 3rd degree, in January 1916 for participating in the battles near Mendelij. In March 1916 - awarded the cross of the 2nd degree. In July 1916, Budyonny received the St. George Cross, 1st degree, for the fact that five of them brought 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie.Women.
There are several known cases of women being awarded the cross: this is the “cavalry maiden” Nadezhda Durova, who received the award in 1807; in the lists of cavaliers she is listed under the name of cornet Alexander Alexandrov. For the battle of Dennewitz in 1813, another woman received the St. George Cross - Sophia Dorothea Frederica Kruger, a non-commissioned officer from the Prussian Borstell brigade. Antonina Palshina, who fought in World War I under the name Anton Palshin, had St. George's Crosses three degrees. Maria Bochkareva, the first female officer in the Russian Army, commander " women's battalion death" had two Georges.
For foreigners.
For non-believers.
From the end of August 1844, a special cross was installed to reward military personnel of other religions; it was different from regular topics that in the center of the medallion the coat of arms of Russia was depicted - double headed eagle. First a complete gentleman The cross for the Gentiles was given to the police cadet of the 2nd Dagestan Cavalry Irregular Regiment Labazan Ibrahim Khalil-ogly.
St. George's Cross.
The award began to be officially called the St. George Cross in 1913, when the new Statute of the “insignia of the Military Order” was approved, and the numbering of crosses began anew from that time. The new statute also introduced lifelong allowances: for the 4th degree - 36 rubles, for the 3rd degree - 60 rubles, for the 2nd degree - 96 rubles and for the 1st degree - 120 rubles per year, for gentlemen of several degrees an increase or the pension was paid only for highest degree. A pension of 120 rubles in those days was quite a decent amount, the salary of a skilled worker in 1913 was about 200 rubles a year.About numbering.
The first crosses of 1807 were not numbered. This was corrected in 1809, when it was ordered to compile exact lists gentlemen, crosses should be temporarily removed and numbered. Their exact number is known - 9,937.
Numbering allows you to determine who the award belonged to. This cross of the 4th degree - junior non-commissioned officer of the Grenadier Corps of the engineer battalion Mikhail Bubnov, order dated July 17, 1915 No. 180, distributed by Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich on August 27 of the same year (RGVIA archive, fund 2179, inventory 1, file 517 ).
The numbering of crosses was renewed several times - according to different designs The numbering font can be used to determine which period the award belongs to. When during the First World War the number of awards exceeded a million, the designation 1/M appeared on the reverse, on the upper ray of the cross.St. George's ribbon.
It is traditionally believed that the colors of the ribbon - black and yellow - mean “smoke and flame” and are a sign of a soldier’s personal valor on the battlefield. Another version is that these colors are based on the life of St. George the Victorious and symbolize his death and resurrection: St. George went through death three times and was resurrected twice.
There is a simpler version. The colors of the ribbon when establishing the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George in 1769 were established by Catherine II and for the color of the ribbon she took the colors of the imperial standard: black and yellow-gold, excluding white.Certificate of acceptance of the St. George Cross into the Fatherland Defense Fund
Due to the shortage of precious metals, by decree of Nicholas II in 1915, the gold content in St. George's crosses of the 1st and 2nd degrees was first reduced to 600 thousandths - crosses of the 3rd and 4th degrees continued to be made from 990 silver. In 1917, the crosses began to be made from base metals, and the letters ZhM (yellow metal) and BM (white metal) began to be minted on the crosses themselves.
At this time, the government was collecting donations for the Fatherland Defense Fund. One of these collections was the collection of awards from precious metals to the state fund. In the army and navy, lower ranks and officers everywhere handed over their awards of silver and gold. The archives contain documents confirming these facts.After February 17th.
Left: St. George's Cross with a laurel branch. This was awarded to officers who distinguished themselves in battle after February 1917. To receive an award, a decision of a meeting of lower ranks was required. Right: Posters 1914 - 17
After October, by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of December 16, 1917, signed by V.I. Lenin, “On the equal rights of all military personnel,” orders and other insignia, including the St. George Cross, were abolished. But at least until April 1918, holders of St. George's crosses and medals were given a “surplus salary”. Only with the liquidation of the Chapter of Orders did the issuance of money for these awards cease.
Against the Bolsheviks.
In the years Civil War in the White Army, awarding military decorations was rare, especially in initial period- among the White Guards it was considered immoral to award military awards to Russians for their exploits in the war against the Russians. General Wrangel, in order not to award the St. George Cross, established special order Nicholas the Wonderworker, who was equated with St. George.Cross to the Great Patriotic War.
Legend claims that during the Great Patriotic War the possibility of restoring the award and resuming the award of the St. George Cross was considered, but was rejected due to its religious background. The Order of Glory, a soldier's award - a star on the block of the St. George Ribbon, has a very similar award status with the St. George Cross.1945. Demobilized soldiers who arrived in Leningrad. On the right is a participant in three guard wars, Private F. G. Vadyukhin. Famous photograph, indicating an unusual rule for the Red Army that appeared during the war - holders of the Crosses of St. George were unofficially allowed to wear these awards.
Philip Grigorievich Vadyukhin born in 1897 in the village of Perkino, Spassky district, Ryazan province. Drafted into the Red Army on October 16, 1941 by the Vyborg RVK of the city of Leningrad. He was a shooter, then a medical instructor in the 65th Guards rifle regiment 22nd Guards Rifle Division of Riga. In addition to the St. George Cross and the Guards Badge, the photo shows four stripes for wounds, the Order of the Red Star, the Order of Glory of the third degree (he was awarded for assisting 40 wounded and evacuating 25 wounded under enemy fire on December 26-31, 1944 in the area of the village of Muzikas in Latvia ) and two medals “For Courage”.Nowadays.
The Russian military order of St. George and the sign "St. George's Cross" were restored in Russian Federation in 1992 by decree of the Presidium Supreme Council Russian Federation dated March 2, 1992 No. 2424-I “On state awards Russian Federation". 11 people were awarded.
St. George's Cross at the Mint
The dream of every warrior, starting from a simple private and up to the commanders of entire armies, from the smallest cog in a complex machine that protects the homeland from enemy attack, right up to its most gigantic levers and hammers, is, upon returning home after a battle, to bring, as physical evidence personal courage and military valor, a silver or gold cross of St. George on a two-color, black and yellow ribbon.
Titanic wars like the current one entail many victims on the altar of people's love and devotion to the fatherland. But the same war will give birth to many deeds, many truly heroic deeds will be crowned highest award to the brave - the St. George's Cross.
We are literally trying to do the impossible, Baron P.V. Klebek, head of the Petrograd Mint, told our employee, in order to satisfy possible speed orders given to us by the Chapter of Orders for the production of St. George's crosses and medals. The premises of the Mint are so small, so inconsistent with the actual needs of the present time, that the only palliative was the introduction of almost continuous work for the whole day, with the exception of those intervals that are necessary for lubricating the machines and apparatus of the Mint.
Thanks to such intensive work, we were able to achieve that there were no delays in satisfying these enhanced orders for coins, St. George crosses and medals. During the last four months of the past year, the Mint minted one silver change coin worth 8,700,000 rubles or more than 54,000,000 circles; A million rubles worth of copper coins were minted during the same period; for this it was necessary to knock out about 60,000,000 copper circles.
For 1915, we have already received an order for the production of a silver coin for 25,000,000 rubles and a copper coin for 1,600,000 rubles, which will total over 406,000,000 circles. St. George's crosses and medals are produced in a special "medal" department of the Mint. Upon receipt of an order from the Chapter of Orders for the production of the required number of crosses and medals, the required number of gold and silver bars is released from the metal treasury of the Mint to the medal department. Upon receipt of the ingots in the medal department, the metals are sent to the smelter, where precious metals are alloyed with the required amount of pure copper in graphite crucibles.The silver and gold from which St. George's crosses and medals are made are prepared very high quality, higher than the gold and silver used to make coins. For the latter, nine hundred parts are taken per thousand parts noble metal and one hundred parts of copper. To make St. George's crosses and medals, only ten parts of copper and nine hundred and ninety parts of pure electrolytic gold or silver are taken per thousand parts.
The ligation process in the crucible occurs within three, three and a half hours. After this, the sufficiently melted and mixed mass of metal is poured into special forms, “molds”, in which, when cooled, the metal is obtained in the form of strips, about eight inches long, a square inch thick and weighing: silver strips 20 pounds, gold strips 35 pounds.These strips are rolled through special rollers into ribbons slightly wider than the width of the cross and medal. The next stage in the production of crosses and medals is cutting the ribbon, i.e. cutting metal pieces from tapes by machine, equal to the contours cross and circles equal to the contours of the medal. The resulting crosses and circles are cleaned with files from burrs or burrs and go to special department, where they are cleaned and polished with sand.
The crosses cleaned in this way go under the so-called pedal press, where the minting of St. George's crosses takes place, i.e. extrusion on both sides of the cross on one side of the image of St. George the Victorious, on the other side the cipher and designation of the degree. The medal is minted on one side with a portrait of the Sovereign Emperor, on the other “for bravery” and a designation of the degree. Both crosses and medals, as is known, have four degrees. The first and second degrees of both medals are gold, the third and fourth are silver.
When minting, the metal is flattened along the edges and therefore the crosses from the medal press are sent to a special machine for cutting, which gives the cross its final appearance. From under this machine, the cross comes in for final finishing and sanding of the edges with files, after which a special machine punches the eyelet, which completes the machine processing of the crosses. All that remains is to stamp a serial number on each cross and medal.
Before the current war, only orders awarded to officers were called Crosses of St. George. The lower ranks received silver and gold insignia of the military order. The medals were issued “for bravery” and the name “St. George Medals” was received only shortly before the start of the second Patriotic War. Therefore, the numbering of all manufactured by the Mint for real war Crosses in medals are counted from the first number.
The numbers are stamped out with special hand punches, and exceptional attention is required from the master, since an error in the number cannot be corrected and a damaged cross must, like a defect, go back to fusion. The renumbered crosses and medals go to the last packaging compartment, in which the rings are first threaded into the ears of the crosses and medals and then these latter are packed into special bundles, 50 pieces each, for delivery to the Chapter of Orders. The rings threaded into the ears are made of gold and silver wire, also 990 standard, which is drawn on special machines also in the medal department of the Mint. It is also necessary to mention the side work that is closely connected at the Mint with the production of St. George's crosses and medals. This is the testing of metals from which all ordered crosses and medals are made.After strips of metal come out of the melting department, from the first, last and middle bands For this batch, small pieces of metal are taken and sent to a special “assay” department of the Mint, in which department the determination of the metal sample is carried out using extremely precise instruments. Let us also mention automatic stamp-cutting machines that produce stamps for medals and crosses.
Manager of the medal department, mining engineer N.N. Perebaskin shared information about the progress of work with our employee.
During the entire Japanese campaign over the course of a year and a half, we only had to make up to one hundred and thirty thousand crosses. Now, for the period from July 24th (the day when we received the first order from the Chapter of Orders), we were ordered 266,000 St. George crosses until January 1st. and 350,000 St. George medals. Having energetically taken up the implementation of this order, we managed to deliver 191,000 St. George crosses by January 1 of this year. and St. George medals 238,000 pieces. We melt 12 poods a day to make crosses. silver and up to 8 poods. gold. A thousand gold crosses weigh 1 pood 11 pounds of metal, 1,000 silver crosses weigh 30 pounds, 1,000 gold medals weigh 1 pood 22 pounds, silver crosses weigh one pood.
The St. George's ribbon is a symbol of the Second World War. The black and orange ribbon has become the main attribute modern day Victory. But as statistics show, unfortunately, not all citizens of the Russian Federation know its history, what it means, and how to wear it.
St. George's Ribbon: what it means, its colors, history
The St. George's ribbon, bicolor orange and black, appeared simultaneously with the soldier's Order of St. George the Victorious, which was established on November 26, 1769 by Empress Catherine II. This award was given only for feats in battle in the form of encouraging loyalty and courage for the good Russian Empire. Along with it, the recipient received a considerable lifelong allowance.
There are several versions of color decoding. According to the first, black symbolizes smoke or gunpowder, and orange symbolizes fire. According to another version, the colors were taken from the old coat of arms of Russia. Historians also say that black and orange colors were imperial and state, this is a symbol of black double headed eagle and a yellow field.
The first to receive the Order of St. George were the participants sea battle in Chesme Bay. Medals on the St. George ribbon were first awarded in August 1787, when Suvorov’s army defeated the Turks.
The ribbon changed slightly and during the Soviet era began to be called the “Guards Ribbon.”
During the Great Patriotic War, the block of the very honorable “soldier’s” Order of Glory was covered with it.
How to wear the St. George's ribbon?
For 13 years in a row, on the eve of May 9, the “St. George Ribbon” campaign has started, during which volunteers hand out ribbons and tell people how to wear it correctly.
Nowadays, there is a tradition of decorating clothes with the St. George Ribbon as a sign of respect, memory and solidarity with Russian soldiers. However official rules according to its wearing today, no. It is important to remember that this is not a fashion accessory, but a sign of respect for fallen soldiers. Therefore, the St. George Ribbon must be treated with care and respect.
It is recommended to wear the St. George ribbon on the left side near the heart - as a sign that the feat of the ancestors will forever remain in it. It can be mounted in the form different figures using a pin. You should not use the ribbon as a decoration on the head, below the waist, on a bag, or on the body of a car (including on the car’s antenna). It would be indecent to use it as shoelaces or lacing for a corset. If the St. George ribbon has deteriorated, it is best to remove it.
There are several ways to tie a St. George's ribbon so that it looks beautiful and meets the bounds of decency. To do this, the main thing is to use your imagination, or use the Internet, where you can find step-by-step instructions.
The standard and easiest way is a loop. To do this, the ribbon is folded crosswise and attached with a pin.
Lightning or zigzag. The tape will need to be folded in the form English letter"N".
A simple bow is most often used to tie a ribbon in kindergartens and schools.
A person with a St. George's ribbon tied in a tie will look elegant. It will need to be wrapped around the neck so that the ends are of different lengths. Afterwards you need to cross them and thread the right one around the left one to make a loop. Next, you need to pull the end out of the loop and thread it through the eyelet.
