Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-19
BALTIC FLEET
Fastening to Avenge Dis
asters in Far East.
Expected to Rendezvous About
Christmas at Minic0y.
A Fight May Be Expected, Early in
Januery.

CORRESPONDENCE of The Associated Press.)
London, Dec. 1.-THE WarshipS or
the Russian Baltic fleet. comprising
the best of the remaining element or
the Russian navy, are, today. on all
sides of the African continent working
their way singly or in groups to Sc
cret rendezvous somewhere in the In
dian ocean. They are accompanied by
q host of volunteer cruisers, transports,
repair and store ships and golfers. and
had Africa been the objective of the
hostile movement they could hardly
have surrounded that continent more
completely. Some are hurrying for
ward at full speed, others are waiting
in more or less friendly ports. coailng
and provisioning the while. while still
others. Stragglers or ships which have
had, for one reason or another, tenn
porarily to drop out of the line, are
| working their way from port to port
| through the Mediterranean to the East.
They are being reported almost daily
| from some African port or another.
hut the time is approaching rapidly
when the last ship will clear from the
| last port whence news of her move
ments can be cabed to the outer
world, and the entire fleet Will then be
on the last stage Of its journey to that
| secret meeting place in the Indian
| ocean known only to the Russians
| themselves, where the concentrated
fleet will make it's final preparations
| to advance into waters wherein the
| japanese may be expected to attack it.
| From the Baltic to the East Indies the
| voyage of these vessels is comparative
! ly free from the danger of hostile OPP
| erations on the part of the enemy, but
from the Straits of Malacca or the
Straits of Sunda north, naval experts
say that an attack may be expected at
any time.
The approximate location of the Sc
has been determined by outside OBJ
servers with reasonable accuracy. Ma
val experts who are familiar with the
Indian ocean have worked the matter
out with quite convincing certainty.
1t is not at all probable that the Rus
sian detachment coming through the
Red sea under Rear Admiral Folker-
sahm will steam far out of it's course
to the East to meet the detachment
coming around the Cape of Good Hope
|
also it is to the advantage of the Rus
slams to concentrate their scattered
feet as soon as possible, consequently,
for this and other reasons, the place
of meeting has been fixed by strate-
gists near the ChagOS arcipelagO al
though some authorities are of the
opinion that the rendezvous will take
place off the small island of Minicoy
The Chagos are a group of coral is
lands. practically uninhabited. form
ing Il dependency of the British colony
Of Mauritius and situated POO miles
southwest of Alden and $3.50 miles to
the northwest of DelagOa bay. on the
east coast of Africa. Minicoy is a coral
atoll some $50 miles to the west of the
southern end of India and about 900
miles north of the Chagos group. From
the Chagos it is 2090 miles to Batavia
on the Straits of Sunda, where the
fleet will probably enter the East In
dies and turn north in the direction of
Japan, and where it is said attack by
the japanese may first be expected.
As the rate at Which the Russian
Warshins are proceeding from port to
port is known, the date Of their arriv-
al at the Chagos Islands can be COM
puted with reasonable accuracy. The
detachment going through the Red sea
has had the shorter course, and has
therefore taken it's time, evidently con-
fident that it can reach the rendezvous
on the appointed day. The main part If
this squadron, under Rear Admiral
F'olkersahm and consisting of some 20
ships. is today at Jibuti, at the southern
entrance to the Red sea Jibutilis POO
miles from the Chagos, and at the slow
rate of poe miles a day 1917 days would
suffice to cover the distance.
From the Great Belt to Tangier the
Cape detachment travelled at the rate
, of about 200 miles a day. 1t left Tan
gier, Nov. 5, and was reported. Nov. %
to be at Angra Pequena, on the west
coast Of Africa, south of Swakopmund.
This record shows the speed to have
been increased to about go miles a day.
l From Angra Pequena to the Chagos.
allowing for detour into Delagoa bay,
is $500 miles: at the rate of 200 miles a
day 10 days would be required to cover
the distance, and at the rate of 220
miles day II days would be EMPLOYED.
To these periods Of time there must be
added allowances for stops and coaling
X.
I which would bring the Cape detach-
e ment Of the Russian warships to the
I Chagos about Christmas time.
From this estimate it is seen that the
Red sea detachment has ample time on
| its hands. as it is only 10 days from the
rendezvous. Also, if the Cape detach-
ment should make quicker progress
e from the South of Africa to the rem
u devious than 1t has thus far evidenced
either by increased speed, or by not
making the detour into Delagoa bay if
$ might for these reasons reach the
Chagos several days prior to Dec %
in which case the arrival of the con-
centrated fleet in the East Indies could
be looked for about Jan. 1.
The Cape detachment will experience
its greatest difficulty in the matter of
3 coaling in the Indian Ocean, From
h AngIa Peouena around the cape to
u Delagoa bay is 400 miles, and from the
e latter place Of Bourbon, or Reunion
!, HOO miles more. Between Delagoa bay
d and Bourbon is Madagascar. which al
so offers cOaIing uncertainties Doth