El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-15
RUSSIA'S FLEET.
Volunteer Steamships Built by Pri-
vate Subscription.
Engaged in Commercial Pursuits But
Intended for War Purposes In the
Event of international Dis
turbances-

The origin of this peculiar organiza-
ton 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 czar re-
solved to create by private effort Il
| force of auxiliary cruisers that might
| be useful in case naval power should
intervene on the side of Turkey. Sub
| scriptions were started in the chief
towns, and in few months about
100000 roubles were collected. With
these the Alsatia, the LOtharingia, and
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
ly of conveying the sick and the wound
ed and transporting troops from San
Stefano to the Black sea ports.
In casting about for n new sphere of
duty for the volunteer fleet, it was de-
cided to have them ply between Rus
sia's European ports and N1adivOstock-
But the first operations of the fleet
as Il commercial venture were not
encouraging. There were no prof
its, 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
ly an era of prosperity for the fleet
began. The numbers increased, and
now the fleet is managed by a commit
tee representing the treasury, war.
navy and audit offices, the president.
who is generally an admiral, being Sc
lected 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 &,
long time had been a naval attache in
England, representing the Russian gov
eminent.
At present the volunteer fleet pos
sesses 13 large steamers, each capable
of carrying from 1900 to 5000 tons of
cargo, exclusive of bunker coal. They
are the Kherson, Petersburg. Saratoff,
OIel, Vladimir, Noronej, Kiav. Ekater
inoslav, Tambov, Yaroslaval, Kostroma.
Nijni-N 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 be constructed. The orig
inal. acquired in Germany, have been
given up and turned over to the admir-
atty as training ships.
Odessa is the principal port from
which the steamers OF the fleet start.
They pass through the SueZ canal, and
reach NladivOStock in about 40 days.
On the way they call at Port Said
Perrin, or Alden, Colombo. Singapore
and Nagasaki 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
NladivostocE has increased in impOr-
tance, and the volunteer fleet has rem
dcred a great service in building up
the Asiatic shores of Russia. The fleet
is also used in transporting materials
for the Siberian railway, and so adds
largely to its earnings, while being OF
public service in that way. 1t also car
ries out immigrants and convicts, 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 $4,000 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 |
DOW an insuperable obstacle in the pass
ing of ships. Last winter vessels en-
tered the port even when the frozen |
surface had reached a thickness of y |
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
er is being constructed at Copenhagen"
Altogether, Engineering concludes
that, although the volunteer fleet still
has at Odessa guns ready to Dc 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
omplain.-London Engineering.