The San Francisco call., 1904-04-15
Togo's Crews Strike
From Beneath
the Sea.
Theory That Is Find
ing Supporters
in Russia.

PARIS, April 15.-The st. Petersburg
correspondent OF the Echo de Paris,
under this mornings date, sends the
following:
II learn that firm opinion prevails
in naval circles, based on kilograms
from the surviving officers, that the
loss of the Petropavlovsk and the in
5uries to the Pobieda were caused by
torpedoes launched by the japanese
and by submarine vessels. Hitherto IT
has not been believed that the Jap
anese had any submarine boats, but 1t
is now admitted that such boats might
have been received with the cruisers
bought from Argentina and brought
out from Genoa by English crews. 1t
is difficult TO verify this, but the ad-
miralty is of the opinion that the
cruiser brought out two submarine
vessels"
The st. Petersburg correspondent OF
the Echo de Paris says that 1t is be-
lieved that Niceroy Alexieff, who is 70
temporarily command the Russian fleet
at Port Arthur, will hoist his flag on
the battleship Peresviet.
The correspondent says that the bat
tleships Sevastopol and Peresviet are in
good order; that the repairs to the bat
tleships Retvizan and Cesarevitch ana
the cruiser Pallada are almost COM
Melted. and that the cruisers Novik,
Askold, Diana and possibly the Bayan,
as we'll as the gunboats BoDr ana
Otvashni and about q score of torpedo
boat destroyers and torpedo boats, are
IN good order.
Minister of Marine Pelletan has sent
the following telegram to Vice Admiral
Avollan, chief OF the Russian du
miralty:
I'VE are greatly grieved by the ter
rible calamity of which we nave
learned. The French navy sends 10 the
Russian navy profound feelings OF
sympathy for the death of SO many
brave men, and for the loss OF the great
admiral. who leaves a glorious memory
in the history of the Russian navy ana
in the science of naval warfare we
tender our congratulations that the
Grand Duke Cyril escaped death.
Similar messages of sympathy are
being sent to Russian officials Dy
numerous bodies throughout France. :,
President Loubet to-day telegrapheo
10 Emperor Nicholas his profound con-
dolences on the disaster to the Petro-
pavlovsk and the death of Vice Ad-
miral Makaroff. This dispatch, togeth-
er with those of Emperor William ana
the King of Italy, sent to-day, Is re-
garded here as significant OF the ac-
ceptance of the European governments
that the sinking OF the PetrOpaVloVSh
was due to an accident, and did not oc-
cur during a battle with the japanese
ships. The officials say coincidence over
the result of a battle might involve
questions of neutrality, whereas condo-
Iences over an accident do not Involve
neutrality.
Prior to the sending of Loubets tele-
gram the French embassy at ST.
Petersburg had received an official as
silrance that the accident was due TO
the Petropavlovsk striking NINE
which had become loosened from It's
moorings during the recent storm.
Some special dispatches received mere
assert that the japanese torpedoed the
Petropavlovsk. but the officials accept
the Russian version of the sinking OF
the battleship.
A dispatch to the iemps from 81
Petersburg says:
."The causes of the catastrophe at
Port Arthur are limited to two hypoth-
eses-a submerged Russian mine or an
EXPLOSION on board the Petropavlovsk.
Ali the victims are badly burned. and
the catastrophe was complete WITHIN
one minute and a half.
'"The fleet remaining at Port Arthur
is reduced to a strictly defense basis.
seThe commander of the Cesarevitch
nerished on the Petropavlovsk before
he had assumed command of the bat
tleship."
The gala performance of "Rigolette"
was given tonight by Sarah Bernhardt
and Raoul Gunsbourg in aid OF Grand
Duchess Vladimir's hospital train. 1t
was an immense success, the receipts
exceeding $15, 600.