Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-01
RoJEsTvENskYs BAD BREAK.

81. Paul Pioneer Press.-The con-
tempt IN which the Japanese hold the
russian navy must now be shared by
the whole maritime world. A fleet,
however well built and equipped.
NAMED by men SO ignorant Of the sea
as those aboard Vice Admiral Roiest-
Vei.sky's vessels will stand a yerv moor
show in conflict with one manned hv
real sailors. And ON the same prjn.
clple That locomotive engineers Justly
luiilte IN Directing to the employment.
III running locomotive, of any man
not framed t. the road, so might the
maritime rat'ons object to the pres
ence on the high seas of a fleet
manned by blunderheads unable to
a.stihguisn peaceful craft from war
SHIPS, anu liable to empty its big guns
at friend or Toe without discrimina-
ton.
Chicago Tribune.-f Admiral Ro-
Jestvensky was actually responsible
Russia should, for its own sake, re-
move him. Such a man is not fit to
command rowboat, much less a
squadron of warships. His nerves are
too twitchy. 1t is doubtful IL he could
ever l.lot his ships to the far east
without running them into each other
or OH TO IctHs. or both. But il once he
dld arrive nj the gulf of Pechili, Togo,
VINO ~ one Ct the greatest sea fighters
that ever lived, would make mouth
ful of him before breakfast.
New York Globe.-Is the fear Of the
Japanese ad SO great that, even though
10000 miles distant from Jananese
waters, the Russians keep their guns
shotted to blaze away at everything
Whlch appears on the horizon? One
can imagine that a school Of herring
would breed trembling, of porpoises a
panic, and of spouting whales abject
flight. If the Baltic fleet is possessed
OF the notion that the Japanese are
lying In walt along it's entire route It
ia pelore IL most anxious passage.
II there Is such hairtrigRer nervous
ness in the safe North sea, what will
be the state Of mind in the far eastern
waters?
Topeka Capital.-The barbarous at
tack of Russian warships on a fleet
or fishermen is the elimination of
series of bad breaks that greatly dam
age the naval prestige of Russia, even
i iiiofe' IN Inc eyes OF neutral onlookers,
than the repeated failures and defeats
of the Port Arthur squadron.
chicago Record Observation-Disclosures
In the way of protests
apologies and reparation the Incident
may lead to, it will certainly serve to
sonVlrce the world more thoroughly
man ever that Russia on the high seas
IS an international nuisance. navy
mat is helpless against the enemy and
harmful to everyone else, commanded
by men devoid of all commencement of
International rights and SO daZed with |
rear that they can't tell the difference
between turtle dove and a shark.
ought to be shut up in an inland pond
ana never allowed to get out where #
IAN run amuck.
Kansas City Star.-The latest nar-
ornance OF the Baltic sea fleet Is fur
her evidence of the incompetenee IF
ne RUSSIAN naval commanders. II ia
impossible to conceive of an officer 60
ar losing his head as to fire on an in
locent fishing boat under the heller
nat IL was torpedo craft. The Wild
less or the officers of the Baltic sea
quadron is on par with that shown
~ the man in command of the So
alled volunteer fleet for whose denre-
Iatlons the car has been kent b,sv
pologlZing. 1t is recalled. rnorever
hat the commander Of the Port A..
hur squadron was removed for In
competence after the disastrous sortfas
i a few weeks ago. Apparently tho
russian naval service is badly officerad
throughout. The car NAV be thani1-
vi II the empire escapes serious in
complications through the
tupldlty OF the ships commanders.