The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13
THE RUSSIAN roLUN1EEB FLEET.
IT'S Origin. Present Size. Employment, and
Prospects.

An account In the London scientific journal.
Engineering. of Russia's volunteer feet. as
It stands to-day. Is noteworthy not only from
the facts collected regarding II, but from the
conclusion that this feet should no longer be
viewed with the distrust 1t so long inspired.
since it 'deserves the best wishes of the Eng
lish people"
The origin of this peculiar organization Is In
teresting. In the last war between Russia
and Turkey the formers navy was recog-
nized t" be weak. and some patriotic subjects
of the Gar resolved to create by private effort
n force OF auxiliary cruisers that might be use
full in case n naval power should intervene on
the side OF Turkey. Subscriptions were start
ed in the chief towns, and In a few months
about 5000. 900 roubles were collected. With
these the Alsatia. the Lothariugia. and two
other steamers belonging to the North Ger
man Lloyds were purchased. Not very long
after ward peace was concluded, so that the
work OF the four vessels proved 10 In ve consist
ed chiefly OF conveying the sick and the wound
ed and TRANSPORTING troops from San Stefano
to the Black Sea ports.
In casting about for q new sphere of duty for
tho volunteer feet. It was decided to have
them ply between Russia's European ports and
Vladivostock. But the first operations OF the
fleet as a commercial venture were not encour-
aging. There were no profits. and there was
talk Of turning the n over to the Black Sea
trade. However. the direction of them was
transferred to the Minister OF Marine. md
presently an era Of prosperity for the feet
began. The hunters increased, and now the
fleet is managed by n committee representing
the Treasury. War, Navy. and Audit Offices.
the President. who is generally an Admiral.
ueing selected By the Minister of Marine. The
chief executive officer Is known rs the inspec-
tor. and the present ~n"umben OF the Office Is
Col. Linden. who for a long time mad been a
naval attache In England, representing the
Russian Government.
AT present the volunteer feet possesses
rving from 1000 10 5000 tons OF cargo. excIu-
s,re Of bunker coal; They, are the kher:on.
val, Kostroma. Ntini-NovGorod. and Khaba-
roysk. The first four can make nineteen knots
have feen built In England. where also t-n
other vessels are TO. be .oonstructed. Tho
been given up and turned over TO the Admiral
" AS training ships.
,ts oassrs IL Is, i the t,s.' s,ar port Th IRON nas which ,hron the
the Suez Canal. and reach Vladivostock In
about forty days. On the WAY, they call at
pore. and NaRasaki as the principal ports. only
two or three years ago no more than seven or
eight voyages were made each year, but. under
the present management. no fewer than TWEEN
ty-two voyages ARE carried out within the year.
Thus vladiyostock has increased in impor-
great service in building M the Asiatic shores
OF Russia. The feet Is also used in transport
ing materials for the Siberian railway, and so
adds largely to ITS earnings: while being of
public service in that way. 1t also carries out
immigrants and ~convicts. tho latter being
sent out to the island of Saghalien, not far
from Vladivostock. 1t takes back To Odessa
soldiers whose term has expired: teas from
Hantow. tho tea trade being entirely In It's
hands, ana no less than $4,000 tons being
carried last year; copra. castor seeds, and
other produ g.
/. is also worthy OF note that ''the freezing
Of. Vladivostock harbor IL not now an insuper-
able obstacle to The passing OF ships. Last
winter vessels entered the port oven when the
:rozen surface had reached a thickness OF
twelve inches. A canal through the ice four
miles long was cut out by saving. the huge
frozen masses being crushed or towed away by
the Government vessel Siloch. The operations
were tuccesgfn.l. but In order to do the work
still more efficiently In future, an Ice breaker
is being constructed at Copenhagen"
Altogether. Engince,tnq concludes that. al
though the Volunteer Fleet still has at Oressa
guns ready to be mounted for war purposes, yet
It's chief functions are commercial, and that
tho building up of Asintic Russia may help
British manufacturers In any event. So long
as all the ships of the feet come from English
yards, the latter cannot complain.