Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05
RUSSO-JAP ANESE WAR
How the Gear and the Mikad0
Are Preparing to Fight.
THEIR GREAT NAVIES
a VISIT TO THE FoRTIFICATION
OF KRoNSTADT.
&ussia's Ice Breakers Where the
Fleets Are-The Question
of Supplies.
THEIR GREAT NAVIES
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Upeclai correspondence OF The Evening star
Copyright. 1903. by Frank G. Carpenter)
ST. PETERSBURG.
The prospect Of war with Japan calls
attention to the enormous Increase going on
in the navy of Russia. l see Russian men
of-war everywhere. / found several new
ones building in the Vulcan shipyards at
Stettin. Germany; others have been con-
structed at Kiel by the Krupps. and there
are a large number under way IN the ship
yards of Russia. This country has now one
of the largest navies of the world. and 1t
has vast number of mercantile vessels
which can be brought into use in time of
war
The car has six great battle ships with
an aggregate tonnage of more than 10000.
He has three armored cruisers aggregating
more than $4,000 tons and ten cruisers of
about $1,000 tons. In addition there are
twenty destroyers. fourteen torpedo gun
boats and fifteen torpedo boats either built
or building. For the past ten years Russia
has been steadily adding to her navy. and
has had ships constructed for her in the
United States. England, Germany and Dem
mark. in addition to those made at home.
She has big feet here on the Baltic guard
Ing St. Petersburg and other ports There
is another feet in the Black sea and the
Mediterranean and another in the far east
protecting Manchuria and eastern Siberia.
A Visit to Kronstadt.
l took the steamer at Nicolas bridge the
other day and went out to kronstadt the
little island at the mouth Of the Neva
which guards the entrance to the Russian
capital. When Peter the Great built ST.
Petersburg he said that he wanted 1t as a
window through which he could look out
Upon Europe. Kronstadt Is the steel bars
of that window. 1t is only twenty miles
away and is reached by sea canal sixteen
miles long and more than twenty feet
deep This leads into the Gulf of Finland
and 1t ends only short distance from
Kronstadt.
In coming In to st. Petersburg you must
pass kronstadt and as you do so you
make your way in and out through islands
covered with forts There are about a
half dozen such island forts in addition to
kronstadt itself. They rise from the sea
looking like mighty floating batteries and
enectualy protect this gate to the great
Russian empire.
kronstadt itself Is low. 1t is walled in
from the sea, and you look at il You
can see forest of masts back of the walls
and among them the smokestacks of
steamers. out of many of which the black
smoke is pouring
The war han Dor is at the southeast end
of the island. There were five great boats
inside II during my visit. Near this is the
middle harbor. in which all sorts of naval
repairs are made. and not far away are
the admiralty buildings. an arsenal the
naval school and a great marine hospf-
tai.
The Notifications are very nowerf,,, ,,d
the island altogether contains some az tho
strongest forts OF the world There is onita
city upon II with something like 81 ooo
people 1t has two divisions one de-
voted to the navy and the other TO mer-
camille interests.
Russian Sailors.
During my stay saw many of the naval
officers and men. The sailors are fine
looking fellows. big framed. broad Shout
dered and as general thing bearded They
are said to be the equals of any other ma
ton as to seamanship. and they are as
brave as the kossacks and other Russian
soldiers on land.
The car is fond of the navy. He fire.
quently comes to Kronstadt to look over
the Notifications and not long ago he and
the czarina held there a review of the ma
rineS-
II war should arise between Russia and
Japan all the cars shipping In Chinese
waters will be pressed into service. There
are many ships in the volunteer fleet which
, can ca, be used as TRANSPORTS or cruisers.
These ships are about fifteen in num-
Der and are now running between
Odessa. Vladivostock and Port Arthur
Hhey carry troops, provisions and emf
grants by the thousands 1 understand
.nat Russia Is quietly planting colonies
eiohg the Chinese Eastern railroad and that
sne VIII eventually Russianize Manchuria
these colonies win also do effective work
perhaps men.
huss1a's Great Ice Breakers.
IN adoltion to her merchant vessels and
| 8eh-ot-war Russia has now some of the
most effective ice-breaking steamers of the
world. She has enormous oati,e, :, ,o,i,a-