Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-22

missionfzfng by the navy league to show
.ne country nrst. that strong navy is
the most vital necessity of the empire, and.
secondly, that by being prepared for war
insures peace.
Mistook Own Boats for Jap Vessels.
The belief that the Baltic fleet must have
mistaken Its own torpedo boats for Japa-
nese vessels is steadily gaining ground It
receives confirmation from the fact. which
has now transpired that the priest and
some of the men on board the Russian tor
pedo boats suffered injuries in the firing
which took place on the Dogger Bank.
1t Is even stated in some quarters that
the Russian torpedo boats. finding them
selves within the zone OF fire. retaliated by
training their guns on the Russian war
ships, in the belief that they had run into
japanese fiotilla. This last statement
seems almost too grotesque to be believed,
but even If the simple fact that the Russian
admiral mistook his own torpedoes for
japanese vessels is accepted, 1t throws
flood of light on the incapacity Of the Rus
sian officers and the utter Reorganization
or their naval arrangements If the theory
should prove to be correct, it will bring
down upon Admiral ROjestvensky even
more ridicule than he has already laid him.
self open to. It would also demonstrate
beyond all question his unsuitability for
the post which he holds. If it were his
own torpedo boats that he fired upon he
must surely have discovered the fact before
this, and the only honorable course for him
to have pursued would have been to frankly
admit his blunder. If this explanation OF
the catastrophe should result from the in
quiry the only conclusion that could be ar
rived at would be that Admiral Rojestven-
sky had deliberately suppressed the fact in
order to save his own reputation.
Admiral Rojestvensky is said to be the
tool of the Russian grand dukes whose
warlike policy animates the admiralty at
st. Petersburg, and who are thoroughly
Anglophobe in character. In this fact lies II
Is thought the greatest danger of the future
unless the Russian admiral Is superseded.
Mr. Balfour himself warned us that there
might be danger of further complications
In the future. and even the Times this
morning shows some alarm lest the Rus
sian admiralty should seek to revive the
past danger 'by some desperate stroke
which could be represented as irrevocably
compromising the honor of the empire-a
stroke which their authority at the ad-
miralty. and their ability to reward or
punish at their pleasure the officers OF the
feet might readily enable them to deliver"
France and the Settlement.
There is good deal of speculation as to
the extent to which France is responsible
for the turn events took regarding the
agreement; and the Paris journals are not
overestimating. as they are wont to do.
tho share of their country in an interna-
tional arrangement. That the motives ac-
tuating the republic have been very mixed
there is good authority for believing. The
entente cordiale has weakened the popular
love for the Russian alliance, from which
France has reaped no advantages compar-
able with those gained by Russia, which
has contrived, on the strength Of the warm
feelings of the thrifty French men and wo-
men, to borrow close on eighty millions on
terms which would have been impossible In
Great Britain or Germany. But we must
look deeper for the anxiety OF NJ. Combes
to prevent a breach between England and
Russia.
Nobody knows. outside the chancellories
of the great powers what are the precise
terms Of the Franco-R Russian alliance: but
1t Is surmised that they may be of such
character as would have made It impossible
for France to stand aloof should the Dogger
Bank outrage result in war. The treaty or
understanding was come to at time when
France was smarting under her prolonged
Isolation In the politics OF Europe, and It 10
at least possible that, animated by these
feelings, she put her hand to document
which today she would regard as too oner-
GUS 1t Is to be remembered that the alli-
ance did restore her to a position OF power
among the nations, and this Is the one re-
but intensely gratifying
to such q people-she has reaped from that
instrument. In her assured strength her
foreign policy has Of late years undergone
change, az her relations with this country.
Italy and Spain testify, and the triple ALI
anee d for all practical purposes mofibund.
In order 10 bring before American cttl1onn