New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-15
THE NORTH SEA SETTLEMENT.

The commission for Investigating the North
Sea tragedy is not yet fully formed but IT'S
completion is assured, and as a result o. us
oDera tjons there is no doubt that the whole mat
ter. once so ominous will be settled through
peaceful adjudication. That is, of course, the
way in which il ought TO be settled. The excited
talk about instant vengeance and about the way
England would have acted in an carrier age
was not creditabe TO those who maze it. Men
NAV glory in the strenuous deeds of Drake and
in the strenuous diplomacy of "Old PAM but
those who are thoughtful will find equal cause
for glOrying in the strong self-control which has
enabled England 10 defer the sword OF ven
geance to the scales of JUSTICE when, as all the
world we'll knows, the former was in her hand
and within her power TO WELD with fullest effect
The outcome of the case now promises, more and
more. to be such viii amply vindicate the
wisdom Of such a course.
For more and more certain does If seem that
the D0gger Bank horror was the result Of
wretched laundering and that the Russian ships
began the firing at their own torpedo boats.
This theory some time ago put forward serious
~, is now said to find some cOuntenance among
the Russians themselves 1t is not at all fiatter-
ing 10 the Russians, indicating deplOrable lack
of discipline and discretion. But then all sug-
gested explanations are unfattering, one,
and that one is daily growing more impossible.
and various attempts at disclaimers have been
made Not one of these. however, is complete
or convincing. 1t is said that Admiral Roiest-
vensky had no torpedo boats with him. That
may be quite true. But the other half of the
Baltic fleet, which was simultaneously proceed
ing across the North Sea, did have n number OF
such craft. Again, il is said that not one of
the boats is missing, but that all are fully ac-
counted for. That also may be quite true If
the Russians fired upon some of their own
boats they might not have sunk any.
The theory, then is not impossible 1t is
plausible We have only to imagine the two
divisions of the Russian feet moving across the
North Sea at night, one of them having several
torpedo boats the other having none The
two divisions are some distance apart, each
steaming on It's own course The torpedo boats
naturally play the part Of scouts, stealing far
ont on the tanks, showing no lights and giving
no signals. \ couple of them swing out so far
TO reach the track of the other division OF
the feet The officers Of the latter not expect
ing TO fall in with them but greatly fearing
the presence of hostile torpedo boats, see them
gliding through the darkness and open fire
upon them. The torpedo boats, with the fear of
Japanese cruisers before them scuttle off with
out revealing their identity finding asylum
among the British fishing smacks and trawIers
That is an explanation which would if true ex-
plain everything.
One thing certain is that the incident was
chiefly due to the incomplete condition Of the
Russian feet, which in turn was simply part
of Russia's general unpreparedness for this
war feet should be composed of battle
ships, cruisers and torpedo boats, in certain
proportions just as an army should have in
fantry, cavalry and artillery. and these should
be SO disposed and used that each would com
plement the others. Had Admiral Rojestven-
sky's squadron had number of torpedo boats
and swift cruisers to precede and flank the
battleships as scouts this disaster probably
would not have occurred. 1t was Russia's mis-.