Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-10

Rojestvensky, however, is hunorist, and during the past few months he has been worrying his i'll mated officers and men into efficiency by eharacteris- tic methods. Instead of storming and reprfmanding, he issued periodically general orders." holding up careless and ignorant officers to the derision of the fieet.t E
 'eThe commander in chief of the sec- ond Pacific squadron, ,'N runs one of these, 'has to inform the fleet that study was the purpose for which Ga, dets D. and F. were appointed to the cruiser Aurora. These young gentlemen have wrongly been given excessive. leave. and the commander in chief now. proposes to extand their holidays for such lengthy period that they will be as weary of play as they now are of work" A whole series of similar orders was issued, with the result that shirkers were terrified into hard work and ignoFamuses into acquiring knowI- edge, @
 Whether the adnattaI will prove as good in lighting as2he has proved in organization and discipline remains to be seen. His opinions are definite enough. He is an enthusiastic believer in the big battIeship, nkening each armored vessel to a separate army corps, unit in itself, which retains it's value though the fleet of which it formed part may have been destroyed or dispersed. When St. Petersburg vacilIated about the dispatch of the squadron on the ground that fleet without torpedo boats and scouting ships was useless Rojestvensky replied that he wanted only battleships and arnfored cruisers. "A fleet gaiHs Aia mobility by not being hampered with small craft" is one of his dicta, He declared that the Japanese successes at Port Arthur were not gained really by torpedo boats and deatroyers, but by the battieships behind them. His whole conception of naval battle is fight between big ships until the big ger and more powerful destroy the smaller and weaker.
 Among his officers the Russian adrni- ral is not a favorite. They declare that they never know his mind and that he springs surprises of blame upon them without warning. Many an officer whose work has been inspected with out comment by the admiral has after ward found his name quoted in an iron ical reprimand addressed to negligent officers generally. Rojestvensky has none of the bluff heartiness of manner associated usually with such genuine seamen. He is said never to express nVNYAE0r1a1 a and hn o1y in such a way as to make the culprit feel it most. His men, however, like him. To them also he is reserved and apparently unappreciative. But he is a redresser of grievances and had be lived on the lower deck instead of in the admiraps stateroom would have made an excellent ''sea lawyer" He examines the sailors clothes, eats their food and tests their hammocks and if anything is wrong never ceases until he has got St. Petersburg to set it right He never expresses comrade- ship with or affection for his men. They are there, he implies, to do their duty, and he looks after their welfare only because it facilitates the doing of duty. @
 Rojestvensky nevertheless has his human side. Neatness of person and Irreproachable uniforms he regards aI- most as important as gunnery and sea manship. His own appearance IS not distinguished, though his features are regular and he has lifelong wart over the nose which is the subject of much joking among irreverent "mitch-  variably uniformed like an emperor, and in this condition he will grub in grtmy stokeholds and pick his way among greasy cases of beef for hours in the hope of discovering something wrong. He is intensely punctilious, and is responsible for the paraphrase of Bacon, Manners make seamen." Another foible is his love of pretty surroundings. His office under the gilt spire of the St. Petersburg tad miralteistvo" was adorned with photo graphs, mirrors, relics of old friend ships and cozy furniture and resembled a lady's boudoir rather than fl place of work. Apparently these harmless luxuries in no way demoralized his tough character, for his long swims and solitary cruises in single handed yachts are constantly referred to fin the Russian press.
 Rojestvensky did not want the com mand of the Baltic fleet. though, once appointed, he never wayered In his be lief that it should be sent out. The terrible omen which has accompanied bis departure has probably cost him in moral lighting power one of his best battleships. If he ever reaches the far east he will certainly do his best, and there is 10 living Russian aaiior whose best is likely fo be battex.