The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-01-21
RusslA's VOLUNTEER FLEET.
Great Ships Intended Either for War or
Commerce.

Great ships Intended Either for War
Commerce.
The origin of this peculiar organiza-
ation is interesting. In the last war be-
tween Russia and Turkey the formers
navy was recognized to be weak, and
some patriotic subjects of the ear re-
solved to create by private effor! n
force of auxiliary cruisers that might
oe useful in case a naval power should
intervene on the side of Turkey. Sub
scriptions were started in the chief
towns, and in q few months about
100000 roubles were collected. With
these the Alsatia, the Lotharingia, and
1.-Two other steamers belonging to the
North German Lloyds were purchased.
/ Not very long afterward peace was
concluded, so that the work of the four
vessels proved to have consisted chief
" of conveying the sick and the wound
I'd and transporting troops from San
Stefano to the Black sea ports.
|, In casting about for a new sphere of
Iauty for the volunteer fleet, it was de-
Sded to have them ply between Rus
sfR's European ports and Nladivostock.
But the first operations of the fleet
as, a commercial venture were not
! Encouraging. There were no prof
| it's, and there was talk of turning them
over to the Black sea trade. However,
| the direction of them was transferred
to the minister of marine, and present
/ - an era of prosperity for the fleet
| began. The numbers increased, and
now the feet is managed by a commit
tee representing the treasury. war.
navy and audit offices, the president,
who is generally an admiral, being Sc
| lccted by the minister of marine. The
chief executive officer is known as the
inspector, and the present incumbent
of the office is Col. Linden, who for y
long time had been a naval attache in
| England, representing the Russian gov
eminent.
| At present the volunteer fleet pos
sesses 10 large steamers, each capable
of carrying from 5000 to 5000 tons of
| cargo, exclusive of bunker coal. They
are the Kherson, Petersburg. Saratotf,
O1el Vladimir, Noronei, Kiav. Ekater-
inoslav. Tambov. Yaroslaval. kOstruna.
Niini-Novgorod and Khabarovsk. The
first four can make 10 knots and the
others 13 knots. All Of them have been
built in England. where also two other
vessels are to he constructed. The orig
inal, acquired in Germany, have been
Piven up and turned over TO the admir-
atty as training ships.
Odessa is the principal port from
which the steamers of the feet start.
They pass through the Suez canal. and
reach Nladiv0stock in about 40 days.
On the way they call at Port Said,
Perrin, or Alden, Colombo, Singapore
and Nagasalli 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 man
agement, no fewer than % voyages
are carried out within the year. Thus
| Nladivostock has increased in impor
| tance, and the volunteer fleet has rem
dered a great service in building up
the Asiatic shores of Russia. The fleet
!, is also used in transporting materials
| FOR rhe Siberian railway, and so adds
largely to its earnings, while being OF
public service in that way. It also car
ries out immigrants and couvicts. the
latter being sent out to the island Of
Saghalien. not far from Nladivostosk.
1t takes back to Odessa soldiers whose
terms have expired; teas from HankoW,
! the tea trade being entirely IN its hands,
and no less than 5000 tons being car
ried last year; copra, castor seeds and
other produce.
1t is also worthy of note that the
freezing of Nladivostock harbor is not
how an insuPerable obstacle in the pass
ing of ships. Last winter vessels en-
tered the port even when the frozen
surface had reached thickness of II
inches. y 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 success
ful, but in order to do the work still
more efficiently in future, an ice break
rr is being constructed at Copenhagen"
Altogether. Engineering concludes
that, although the volunteer fleet still
has at Odessa guns ready to bc mount
ed for war purposes, yet its chief func-
tions are commercial and that the
building up of Asiatic Russia may help
British manufacturers. In any event,
so long as all the ships of the fleet come
from English yards, the latter cannot
complain.-London Engineering.
Companion of the Dog Star.