Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-22

American bluejackets Fastened to the
scene of the disturbance and restored
quiet.
WASHINGTON. Feb. I9.-General
Miles. on the occasion OF his Euro
pean tour several years ago. and sew.
eral other American military men al.
SO have had the privilege of becom.
ing personally acquainted with Rus.
sian army men and methods By at.
tending maneuvers, reviews. etc. in
the land of the czar Very few Amer.
lean naval officers, however. profess
10 have an intimate or expert knowl.
edge of the Russian navy. 1t has a..
ways been the policy OF Russia to
work under cover, and foreigners have
had little opportunity to acquaint
themselves with the details regarding
the growth and development of her
navy.
An American naval officer of wide
experience in his profession has lust
returned 10 Washington after the com.
pletion of period Of duty on the Pa.
cific station, which service brought
| him in close contact with Russian
ships and men and afforded opportun.
| ity for many Interesting observations
A result OF these observations and OF
knowledge previously gained by a
| study OF the subject is embodied In
he following interesting statement
regarding the Russian navy. Its for
eign origin. its officers, senmen and
discipline,
In endeavoring TO estimate the
value OF the Russian navy on The per.
sonal side, it is well to remember that
1t was not indigenous to tho soil. The
czars, from Peter the Great TO the
present ruler. have experienced great
difficulty In finding efficient seamen.
The Russians, in general. have an
aversion to the sea, and the long win.
ters in the Baltic are an additional i'm
pedinent to the learning OF the sea.
mems ar,- In the early history OF
he Russian navy the most prominent
part was played by English and Scotch
officers many OF them Jac1biles. who
took service with the Russians.
Russian officers OF tho present day.
so Tar as can be estimated, are OF two
classes. Some OF them, like Admiral
Makaroif. are men of science and oil
professional discernment, and doubt.
less of eidcient qualities. These give
very favorable impression. and do
not in general differ much from our
own officers. Others are of more
lethargic class. probably not lacking
in courage. but showing little alert.
ness, and much given TO vodka drink.
ing In such men there must be some
strain of coarseness or even brutality,
and the fact that every officer, and
even petty officers, can punish any
man of lower rank. and does so, may
lceonnt for the atmosphere OF sever.
ity marked in some Russian ships
Many experts hold the opinion that
considerable number Of the officers
IRE incompetent. fhey have the eX.
elusive patriotism OF the Russian.
and however genial they may be to
foreign visitors. they never admit
them TO any really intimate friendship.
and are reluctant 10 discuss service
matters. The smartness Of the Amer
lean officer is rarely found in them,
and some OF them are sloyonly.
Russian sailors are conscripts.
serving seven years on the active list
and three in the reserve, and they are
organized in 'equlplgcs In each OF
which the company OF battleship Is
the nucleus, the men of smaller YES
sells making additional companies.
There Is comparatively little sea
training, and this organization is an
attempt TO carry on the sea work on
shore. The man Is genorally--for OF
course, there are eNceptions-of far
lower level than his American or
British confrercs. The tub is little
known TO him in many ships. squalil
dirt is his element, and his room rs
often more desirable than his com
enormous advances In the last few
years, but still the old Influences ex-
lst There IS still the despotlc power
still the men are cowed by it's exer.
else. and still their personal condition
leaves much to be desired. They are
apt to be sluggish but there is some
hing Of religious fervor in them. and
they may be expected TO act and fight
with courage and endurance, If with
little Initiative in handling arms and
machinery.
Probably the darkest spot in the
state Of the Russian navy Is the sc.
verify Of its punishments. A story Is
told that, within comparatively recent
years the whole company of flag
ship. officers and men, were deported
10 the Siberian mines for mutnous
conduct British officers have told
me of meetings with Russian ships in
ports, of evidences OF hard treatment,
OF the Russian ships putting to sea
md returning with a man the less.
who had been hung at the yardarm
or the example OF his ship mates.
at is commonly stated that Rus.
sian officers have been known to
knock down their men. They are Ger.
lainly able to order the last-a com.
mander fifteen strokes, captain
twenty-five. and the captain OF an
'equipage' fifty The system ls RIG.
i'd one, and contributes little to the