The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-13
A RUSSIAN VESSEL
At SAN FRANCISCO
The Transport Lena Puts
in For Repairs.
PROTEST FROM JAPAN
Owing to the Lateness Of a Telegram
to Washington the Lena Will be
in Port Over "a Hours Be-
fore Her Right to be Here
is Determined.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington. d. c., Sept. 12.-Tht
Navy Department today received dis
patch from Rear Admiral Goodrich
commander-in-c -chief of the Pacific
Station. stating that the Russian
transport Lena had arrived there and
that her commanding officer elaine
that his ships, engines and boilers
were in need of repair.
Secretary Morton has telegraphe
Rear Admiral Goodrich. directing him
to detain the Pacific squadron at San
Francisco and to inquire of the com
mander of the Lena what his inten-
tionS are.
On the Scene.
San Francisco, Sept. 12.-The Russ
sian transport Lena, which uneXpect-
edly arrived in port yesterday from
VladivoStock. remains at anchor of
the Union Iron Works Her COM
mander stated that her boilers are III
need of repairs and that some time
must elapse before she will be in con-
dition to go to sea. AS yet nothing
has been done towards placing her in
dry dock and no intention has been
disclosed regarding her future move2
ments.
Rear Admiral Goodrich luncheG
with Captain BarlinskY and other Off
GERS of the Lena on board the ves-
sell They could not be seen. Lieu
tenant Zotoff, speaking for the cap
tain, stated that the main object OF
the Russian vessel in making this port
was to have absolutely necessary re-
pairs made to her engines and boilers
Her bottom is foul and will have to
be cleaned in dry dock. The Lieu
tenant said that the Lenas coal bunk
ers were far from being depleted and
he thought it would be unnecessary
for her to coal at this port.
The United States Inspectors OF
Hulls and Boilers have been ordered
to make a thorough examination OF
the Lena and on their report will
largely depend the duration of the
stay of the vessel in this bay IL
it is decided that repairs are re-
quired they will be made as rapidly
as possible, and it is generally antici-
pated that this is what will be done.
Stratton Wires the Facts.
Collector of the Port Stratton has
not received any definite instructions
from Washington but has wired a
full statement of the situation and
an answer is soon expected.
In the meantime the collector, in
view Of the fact that the repairs are
said to be imperative, has refused to
order the Lena from the harbor with
in twenty-four hours without a full
investigation.
The Lena is anchored between the
four army transports lying in Mission
Bay. and the new battleship Ohio. In
fact she is only about five hundred
yards from the big guns of the bat
tleship which was accepted by the
government on SATURDAY..
Navigating Officer Speckneff. who
speaks excellent English, said:
"We We're sent to VladivOstock to
transfer the troops home when the
war should be over. The Lena is not
a warship. We cannot fight. Needing
repairs we were first ordered back to
the Baltic. Afterward these orders
were changed and we have come hero
because it is the nearest port in which
we could get the new boilers we
need"
Being asked how long he would re-