New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22
THE RUSSIAN FLEET.
FORMER VISITS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN
AND THEIR MEANING-THE BLACK
SEA FLEET READY

forth keep a strong detachment OF his navy In
Mediterranean waters probably with land sta
ton in some French port. call attention to the
growth of the Muscovite- Mongol empire as sea
| power especially in the waters of Southern Eu-
rope. 1t is most fitting that Russia should be a
strong sea power for as every schcolboy knows.
| Peter the Great the real founder Of the present
| empire was a practical shipwright ana sailor.
| and his creation of a Russian navy was one OF
the most noteworthy features of his reign. But
one may go back further still in Russian naval
| history for Peters father. Alexis Michaovich
was builder of ships also, and actually put
small fleet in the Caspian Sea. This greatly ex-
ercised the mind OF the Sultan, and accordingly,
when Peter respectfully begged permission to
put lust one merchantmen in the Black Sea-
the Commander of the Faithful replied no; he
| would sooner admit giaour into his serago
| for he added when other ships than those of
| Turkey sail the waters Of the Euxine, the en-
blem of Islam will be no more the crescent, but
| the waning moon.
| Peter did not let this discourage him altogeth-
| or. Despite the fact that the Turkish navy was
all-powerfu In the Black Sea he launched upon
| its waves several merchant vessels, which he
presently equipped with guns and transformed
| into formidable ships Of war. He also built a
| considerable navy in the Baltic, and gave Russia
| for the first time place among naval powers
| He even contemplated sending ships into the
Mediterranean. but never actually attempted to
do so. That feat was reserved for Catherine ii,
| and curiousy enough was only effected through
| tn" aid of Il number of English officers.
1t was in III. Russia was at war with Tur-
key. Her armies. under the ferocious Suvarof,
were driving the hosts OF Islam before them on
| the land. Then Catherine planned to strike at
the Turks by sea as we'll She would send fleet
| into the Mediterranean to battle with the Turk
! ish navy True she had no harbOr there: but the
| Grand Duke of Tuscany rcmeded this defect by
! placing Leghorn at her disposal. Then she had
| no officers competent to undertake so venturous
| 4 task Alexis Orloff was admiral Of her fleets,
and was competent to manage them for harbor
defence and in the Baltic. But to go around into
| the Mediterranean and engage the skilled mari
| ncrs Of Turkey was another matter. She must
| look elsewhere for officers Fortunately for her,
| the British Government was ready TO assist her.
It not only permitted but actually encouraged
its naval officers to enter the Russian service,
retaining their names meanwhile on It's own
active list. Thus. among many others Admiral
tlphnstonc Admiral Grieg. and Captain Dug
dale were employ by Catherine. and were sent
in actual charge Of the Medterrane mean fleet
Alexis Orion retaining the nominal command.
Of the Turkish squadron In the famous battle in
the Bay Of Tchesme This planned by FL
phinstone and carried ont by him. assisted by
Grieg and Dugdae. Tho attack was made AT
night. Elphinstone scnt Grieg with the bulk of
the fleet to guard against the escape of the Turk
ish ships. Then he sent Dugdale against them
with nreships. a device hitherto unknown to
Russians and Turks. These engines Of destruc-
don were lowed in as close as possible to the
Turkish ships gnited. and abandoned. Dugdale
himself was aboard the foremost. which he last
encd with graphing irons 10 one Of the Turkish
ships Then he sp;nng overheard and escaped
by swimming. The battle RACED all night Sev-
eral Turkish ships destroyed by the fire.
ships the others by Russian guns. In the morn
ing il was seen that Turkeys power in the Med
iterranean was practically annihilated
Soon the after the story Of the Turkish fieet
became strangely commingled with romance and
intrigue. Prince Radzvill. the Polish patriot, in
desperate resistance 10 Russa's evident inten-
ton to crush and absorb his country. conceived
the audacous design Of putting forward pre-
tender To the Russian crown. This was no other
than Princess Tarakanon daughter Of the Car
ina Anne who had been passed over In the line
Of succession in favor Of Catherine. She was
moreover. "A pure Russian. while Catherine was
holr German or NOR, and this Prince RadZwill
r.ckonod would count strongly in her favor.
But tho ambitious project came to naught. In
the first place Catherine checkmated Radzwill
bv threatening to cOnt!scatr his property in lith-
uana: whercupon that prudent patriot conclud-
ed that II would he best 20 Jet the pretender look
ont for herself. Next. Catherine determined TO
oct Princess Tarakauon ont Of the way alto
eeihcr. For this purpose she made use or Alexis
OroN. This commander had been covered with
flor no bat lD of TCnss-
me. and was a brilliant figure in the social
world and was. moreover. singularly unscrupu-
lols and brutal. Princess TarakanOff was young
and susceptible So Catherine set Oron to
making love To the fair pr tt ndcr, who was liv-
ing i'm Rome while he wih his fleet at Leg
norm He did this most persistently and pas
sionatcly. He also avowcd himself a firm adj
hcrent To the PrinCcsss cause, and offered TO
place the whole fleet at her service to enforce
her claim to the Russian crown. In the end
he won her heart. She engaged herself to
marry him Then he invited her TO leave Rome
and visit the fleet at Leghorn. where brilliant
fctc should be given in her honor and where
he would formally avow his fealty 10 her as
the rightful Empress and turn the fleet over TO
her possession. TO this the unfortunate prin-
cess assented. She went to Ieghorn. where
splendid festivities were held in her honor Then
she visited the fleet. and went aboard Oroffs
flagship. TO be proclaimed Empress. She stood
upon the deck and the officers came forward To
do her honor. Orom approached her. with rev.
crent courtesy. Then throwing off the mask. |
he exclaimed
"Prn So You are my prsoner"'
With his own hands he bound her delicate |
wrists with cords. and babe his crew carry her |
below and lock her in a cabin. Then he set sail
for s.. Petersburg. where the Princess was
turned over to the Empress, and thrown into |
a Dungeon for the remainder of her life.
This unexamped infamy could not. of course, |
be end ircd by Elphinstone. He quilted the fleet |
at the moment of the Prncesss arrest, stripped |
off his Russian uniform and trampcd it into |
the mul of the street. Then, arrayed in the |
Uniform of British admiral he fastened to |
st. Petersburg. rushed into the Empress's pres |