The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-02
RUssIA,s Ratio FLEET.

The report in the dispatches a few
days ago, that the first section of the
Baltic fleet under Admiral Wireneus,
dispatched to the Far East, had re-
turned to Kronstadt, being unable to
get through the Suez canal. is followed
by the announcement. on the authority
of the assistant chief of the Russian
naval general staff, that a second and
stronger feet from the Baltic will sail
for Port Arthur or VIadivostock about
the middle Of July. Details of the pro-
posed movements of the fleet are, of
course, kept secret for military rea-
sons, but it is known that the second
fleet will be much stronger than the
first one was, and that elaborate ar
rangements will be made to take It
through to its destination. The fleet is
to consist of five frst-class battleships
three second-class battleships, one ar
mored cruiser, five protected cruisers,
six auxiliary cruisers, twenty-one tor
pedo boats and a sufficient number of
oil ships. Golfers and stores ships to
keep the fighting craft supplied with
everything they will need during the
better part of the voyage.
Under favorable conditions the feet
ought to make the trip to the Far
East in about three months, but 1t
is suggested that this time will be cut
down by the dropping of the GOLFERS,
store and oil ships after little better
than two-thirds of the distance has
been covered. The fleet will not at
tempt to go through the canal, but
whether it will try the Northern pas
sage, by way of Boring Straits, or sail
the long way around the Cape of Good
Hope, is not known. The general be-
lief, however, is that the Cape route
Will be taken, and that the golfers and
other -combatant' ships will be
dropped in the Indian ocean and or
dered to return home. Under inter-
national law, the Russian war vessels
would then have the right to call at
any British or Indian port and demand
to be supplied with sufficient coal to
reach their nearest home port; and
that port would be Port Arthur.
The Russian commander would have
in his fleet a force of forty-one effec-
tive fighting ships. 1t is not consid-
cred likely that the Japanese would
tc intercept the fleet south Of
the island of FOrmosa; and even
north of that island it would be diff
cult for Admiral Togo to send a super
ior force against the Baltic feet, as
that would necessitate the weakening
of his lines at Port Arthur and fur
Their north, leaving open the opportun-
ity for both the Port Arthur and the
Vladivostock squadrons of the Rus
SLAMS to go out to the assistance of the
fleet from the Baltic. This, of course,
is looking at the matter from point
terprise. The combination of either the
Vladivostock and Baltic fleets or the
Port Arthur, and Baltic fleets would be
a severe blow to Japan and would
probably result in changing the mas
terry of the naval situation into Rus
sian hands. At present Japan has ev-
erything her own way at sea in the
Far East The only possible way for
Russia to rehabilitate her sea power
in that section is to get her Baltic
feet through to a tuncture with her
ships at Port Arthur or Vladivostok
The scheme to which we have called
attention seems feasible, but 1t is full
Of dangers. Should the Baltic fleet at
tempt the voyage according to an
nouncement, there will certainly be
other naval disasters to be recorded,
on one side or the other.