The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-03
CZAR WILL BID
FLEET FAREWELL
BALTIC SHIFTS ARE TO SAIL
TO GIVE ADMIRAL TOGO BATTLE
IN THE FAR EAST.

Announcement Ia Made That Nich-
OIas VIII Go TO RevaI Tuesday.
Expected that the Baltic Fleet
VIII Sail Soon Thereafter-Has n
Task Before IL, but Better to At
tempt TO Fight the Japanese Now
Than to wait.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 3, a. m.-
Announcement is made that Emperor
Nicholas will visit Reval on Tuesday
to bid farewell to the Baltic squadron.
After months of preparation and sew
eral false starts. it is believed that
the squadron is at last on the eve of
its departure upon it's long journey.
A division in the admiralty has ex-
listed throughout the period of prepara-
tion regarding the advisability of send
ing out the squadron. but with the
decision to double the size of the Man
churian army, and press the war with
vigor. the logic of those who for
months have insisted that every avail
able ship should be dispatched to the
Far East has finally prevailed. The
argument that no complete victory
over the japanese is possible unless the
command OF the sea Is wrested from
them could not be overcome, and
though much valuable time has been
lost and the moment seems inauspi-
cious il is officially intimated that an
irrevocable decision has been taken
to dispatch the Baltic fleet even II
the Port Arthur squadron should be
annihilated before its arrival there.
1t is realized that the squadron,
which on paper is about equal in fight
ing strength to that Of the Japanese
fleet, will be much better able to en-
counter the foe now than next spring,
after the Japanese ships have had all
winter to clean. repair and refit.
No Easy Task Imposed.
While hopes are still entertained that
Port Arthur may be able to hold out
until the appearance Of the Baltic
fleet, the question of the fall OF that
stronghold. does not. apparently, enter
greatly into the calculations Of the adj
miralty. The only thing expected Of
the Port Arthur squadron Is to break
out Of the harbor and infiict as much
damage as possible upon Admiral
Togo's fleet. Such ships as escape are
expected to make their way TO Vladl-
vostok, where the repairs upon the
cruiser Bogatyr are understood TO have
been practically completed and those
on the Rossia and Gromoboi are near
ing completion.
The question OF the war in the Far
East viii depend upon the issue OF a
sea fight after the arrival Of the Baltic
fleet. Nladivostok, although ice-bound
in winter for commercial ships, can
easily be kept open for the fleet OF
war vessels by means Of ice breakers
IL the Japanese fleet Is caught in such
weakened condition that the Baltic
ships are able to win victory, officials
here hold that other problems Will
solve themselves, and with Japanese
communications severed. the Japanese
army on the mainland Will be at the
mercy Of Russia.
Veterans Against Recruits.
This .oldly announced programme
seems TO stake the whole Issue upon
sea lighting. The Japanese ships. II
must bc remembered. have been IN ac-
tive service seven months. No mat
ter how greatly the efficiency OF the
guns. and the speed Of the vessals
have been Impaired, the crews OF Ad-
mlrai Togo'a ships have enjoyed the
prestige OF continuous victories. while
opposed 20 them will be fleet of
brand new shlDn. more or lees untried