The sun., 1903-10-25
TIE NAVAL FORCES IN TIE FAR
EAST.
Particulars oe Interest Aboat the Russian
German and French squadrons

Particuiars os Interest Abeat the Russian.
German and French sQuadrOns.
To rng EDIToR OF TRE Sun Sir AZ the
strength Of the Russian and japanese tightinr
squadrons In the Far East Ia now matte
OF public interest. II may be stated that tho
number Of Russian cruisers. armored and
protected. that were with the fleet undo,
Admiral Alexeien In the middle Of last mont
10 nine They were the Askold. Bogatyr
Boyarin. Diana, Gromoboi. Pallada. Rossia
Rurik and rsriAs. aggresatins in round
figures 7s 400 tons.
Tho Novik Of seOO tons ID not reokoned
for technical puIpoees with the squadron
ships. her special work being to act a. scout
and destroyer destroyer. For this reason
she has distinctive armament and hish
speed and Is the arst Of her class In any navy
She was Included among the cruisers in nv
statement Of Oct IL. The cruisers Admiral
Kornion. Admiral NachimON. Dmitri Don.
sko and Vladimir Monomakh. which formed
part Of the Russian squadron last year. hav.
all returned to the Baltic. where they ate
now being reHtted and moderpized.
The Tsarevitch. battleship. and Bayar.
armored cruiser. now beyond Sues on their
way to Port Arthur. are OF French con
struction. having been built at La Seyne,
and from results the builders appear to have
put their best work into both.
Tho defensive system OF the Tsarevi,ch
10 the most powerful Of any yet employed
and at her trials she attained q speed OF
10 knots with ease. one knot over ,h'
contract. The Bayan 10 also among IT.,
first OF her class. and besides being heavih
armored has the armament exceptional
well protected.
The Osliabia. battleship. and Aurora. pro
Sh1 has ipta l.I
to be added to the Asiatic squadron. The,
are new. having been commenced in 1897
but we're much delayed In compilation.
In the interesting article Oh the RUSSIA
and japanese war preparations in THE SuN
the other day. 1t was stated that the RussiaI-
had adopted the trick OF remaining thelr
torpedo boat destroyers This was done
or said to have been done. In the case Of fvc
built at Schichau in Germany. Damed the
Kasatka, Skat, Kit. Dolphin and Som. The
names substituted would probably tax q
Japanese to pronounce. however well he
might be able to deal with the boats on the
water.
Your London correspondent speaks Of an
understandin between Russia and Ger
many in relation to possible Russo-Japanes'
war, and says that the German attitude to
ard Russia will be one Of benevolence. As il
in anticipation OF something Of the kind. the
German Admiral on the Asiatic station re-
Gently took all the ships Of his squadron up to
yladivostock. where the greater part Of tn"
Russian feet happened to be at the moment
During their stay three liberty days ashof'
were given the crews, and they and the Officers
Of the respective squadrons fraternized III
the most approved manner
In addition to the above. II is not without
interest to know that the French have =
smart squadron in the China seas OF four
armored cruisers with . total OF $1,000 tons
and Of II knots speed and over and Il resery"
of two smaller cruisers Of pearly 1000 tor-
each, and 10 knots speed. with third class
battleship Of $500 tons and iih knots speed
In connection with the present strained
situation in the Far East 1t is worth noting
that In 1900 French naval writer predicted
that the catastrophe Of European war would
probably spring from events in that distant
part OF the world r.
NEW YORK, Oct. "a.