The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-26
Russia Will Of Course Apologize.

Russia Will OF Course Apologize.
The firing by Russian warships on Eng
lish fishing craft in the North Sea was a
lamentable incident, because it resulted
in the destruction of human lives. 1t is
by no means an uncommon occurrence,
however, in war times for neutral ves-
sells to suffer from blunders committed
by belligerents. Indeed, on dark nights
and under circumstances calculated to
perplex or mislead, as for example
when signals are tardily made or misin-
terpreted, it has more than once hap
pened that warships belonging to one
and the same naval power have fired on
each other, Such deplorable blunder
as was perpetrated by part of the fleet
under Admiral RoJESTvENsKY will un-
doubtedly be atoned for as soon as the
facts are distinctly ascertained. To sup
pose that any other course would be
pursued by the ST. Petersburg Govern
ment and that regrettable mistake
would be permitted to cause a war be-
tween England and Russia is to impute
to the Car and his advisers an amount of
folly and wrongheadedness that would
fall but little short Of lunacy.
1t is as improbable that Admiral Ro-
JEsTvENsKY gave the order to fire on the
fishing smacks as it is that such an order
could have been inspired by the Russian
Admiralty. Had the Grand Ducal cabal
which controls the Russian Navy desired
to bring about war with England by an
act of aggression, a single torpedo boat
would have sufficed to furnish the desired
provocation. 1t would have been super
fluous to risk for the purpose Russias
sole remaining feet. Whatever may be
said of the Grand Dukes, they are not
wanting in sagacity. as has been proved
by the effectiveness with which, in spite
of obstacles, they have reinforced Gen.
KURoPATKIN, and by the adroitness with
which unpleasant consequences Of the
unlawful proceedings Of the volunteer
cruisers in the Red Sea were averted
Had they wanted to inhict upon England
an intolerable affront, they could have
done it at small cost TO themselves, and
they would have confided the mission to a
hotheaded young officer, not to veteran
commander like RoJEsTvENsKY than
whom no man in the Russian Navy has a
higher reputation for skill, experience,
knowledge, GOODNESS and efficiency.
1t is fortunate that the firing on the
English fishing vessels occurred during a
recess of Parliament and that the diplo-
- ho ;s ~, h,
hands of we'll balanced Ministers, who do
not share the inclination evinced by some
London newspapers to seize any pretext
for quarrel with Russia. Lord LANs-
DowNE is not a man to be disturbed by
popular clamor, and Premier BALFoUR
is immune to it, as he avowedly makes
it rule to read no newspapers. The
reparation demanded, therefore, is not
likely to be of kind that Russia could
not give without a loss of self-respect
An explanation OF the circumstances
under which the outrage was committed,
an expression of profound regret for the
results formal apology and promise
studiously to avoid the recurrence of
such an incident, and finally, compensa-
ton for the lives and property destroyed
will presumably be rendered, and will
doubtless be accepted. Whether the
British Foreign Office will go further and
require or exact the recall of RoJEsT-
vENsKY, will depend upon the question
whether the Russian Admiral was re-
sponsble for the order TO fire. If the
order was given without his knowledge
by a subordinate officer, it is the latter
who should be recalled and punished. No
reasonable person imagines that Lord
LANsDowNE swould go TO the length of
demanding that the Baltic fleet renounce
its purpose of going to the Far East and
return to Russia. That is an indignity
which no diplomatist would venture 10
offer first class Power, unless indeed
he were determined to render war in
evitable. Now, it is certain that Lord
LANsDowNE, Premier BALFoUR and
King EDWARD VII. want peace and are
determined to maintain it II it can be
preserved with honor.
1t Ia conceivable that if the British
Parliament were now in session and if
the firing upon British vessels had oc-
Cured in the South Atlantic, where for
many days it might prove impracticable
for the st. Petersburg Government to
communicate with its feet, the British