The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-16
THF BALTIC FLEETS TASK A
DIFFICULT UNDERTAKING

of peace, while in time OF war the eX-
pense is naturally very much greater.
EXPENSE OF COALING.
1t will cost in the neighborhood of
$500, coo for coal to send the Baltic fleet
around to Port Arthur. Under the
most favora bic circun sta noes the sew
en- battle ships will need at least 10000
tons, the ecru.S IS 10000 tons, the
auxiliarie 10000 tons, the repair and
hospital ships 1000 tons each, the
twelve destroyers 500 tons each, or a
total of from los, 900 to 110, 900 tons, and
il is a very serious problem to provide
this fuel. 1t must be remembered that
no coaling stations are open. and it is
necessary for the fleet to carry it's own
supply. Every ship will start out with
full bunkers, which win be sufficient
to take them to some point on the
north African coast, where they can
find plenty of secluded bays and inlets
in which they can coal from the COL
liers. The second supply will carry
them through the Red sea, and they
will have to find some safe place down
there to renew the supplies. Then
they can go to Sumatra, and there take
enough to carry them to the Philip
WnoIe liiSy Can u11u plenty O1
harbors that are safe from storm, but
are scarcely safe from the Japanese
fleet. From that time on it will be
a matter of fighting.
The two Golfers in the list can carry
scarcely enough fer one coaling, and
relays will have to be sent at frequent
intervals to overtake or meet the fleet.
It will be necessary to have at least
ten golfers for this service, because
not less than $4,000 tons of coal will
be needed. and the ordinary collier can
not carry more than 5000 tons. Then
when the fleet reaches the scene of war
it must have plenty of fuel handy or
it will be helpless. Ships cannot fight
without coal any more than they can
fight without powder, anu it does not
need a naval expert to explain the diff
Guilty of keeping this vast fleet in fuel
ammunition and other supplies. 1t will
have to receive everything at sea- If
it only had one harbor to which it could
retreat to renew supplies or make re-
pairs the case would be different. but
after Singapore is passed it may be
expected that the Japanese will give
the Russians all they can attend to
without allowing them to make repairs
or take on supplies. When Columbus
started out from Palos in search of a
western passage to India his problem
was simple compared with that of the
admiral in command of this great ar
mazda.
CONSTANT VIGILANCE NECES-
SARY.
Some naval experts are of the opinf-
On that the fun is going to begin be-
fore the Baltic fleet leaves the Eng
fish channel. A large number of Japa-
nese torpedo boats and destroyers have
and nobody knows what
has become of them. 1t is suspected
that they may be lying off the coast
of Africa somewhere waiting for the
Russians to come down that way. It
would be easy for the Japanese to fol-
low the Russians with a mosquito fleet,
not only for the purpose of watching
their; movements and keeping the au-,
thorities at Tokyo informed as to their
but to fire an occasional
torpedo or drop floating mine in their
course. The Japanese have demon
strated their ability in naval warfare,
and almost anything may be expected i
TO happen.
1t IS the popular opinion InaI ne VIII
spend the winter cruising about in trop-
ical waters trying his ships, training
his men and getting everything ready
for a resumption of hosriiities in /
the spring. But, wherever he]
goes and whatever he does it will !
be always necessary to look out for the /,
enemy. Such deliberate cruising is
considered absolutely necessary to put :
the fleet in shape for battle because the I
ships would scarcely be in fighting trim
if they were to make a quick voyage
direct to the scene of hostilities. The
Russians have no Oregons or men like
Capt. Clark and his crew, and after
fifteen or eighteen thousand miles of
cruising every vessel in the fleet will t
require good deal of overhauling, |
even if they are not compelled to fight |
their way through
AVAILABLE JAPANESE VESSELS.
1t is scarcely probable that the Jap
anese will let the Baltic fleet come
very near the yellow sea. 1t is doubt
full If they allow the Russians to even
enter the Pacific without battle. They
will know every movement; every step
of the Baltic fleet will be reported, and
within a few weeks, when the cold
weather sets in, most of the japanese