The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-19
What Can the Baltic Fleet Effect ?

According to a telegram from Den
mark the Russian Baltic feet, compris-
ing twenty-four vessels, is about to pass
through the sound into the North Sea,
on it's way to the Far East. It's depart
ure, the expediency Of which has long
been doubted at St. Petersburg, seems to
have been resolved upon in pursuance
of the aggressive policy, now dominant,
which dictated Gen. KURoPATKIN's for
ward movement.
The route which the fleet will pursue
has, naturally, not been announced off,
oially, but reports which appear to be
we'll founded concur in asserting that the
battleships will pass through the Suez
Canal and effect a juncture at some
unnamed point in the Indian Ocean with
the remaining vessels. which will round
the Cape of Good Hope. The more cir
cuitous and far longer voyage through
the Straits of Magellan and across the
Pacific, which is said to have been at one
time contemplated, has been adjudged
unsuitable to the end in view Arrange
Inents are understood to have been
made to supply the needed coal from
Golfers until Saigon is reached, where
enough fuel could lawfully be procured
to convey the armada to the nearest
Russian harbor, which would be either
Port Arthur or Vladivostok. AS the
rate OF progression will be determined
by the speed of the slowest vessel, it is
calculated that the feet will require
about two months to reach Far Eastern
waters. Assuming that it arrives at its
destination in good condition, we are
interested in the inquiry what it is likely
to accomplish
We may take for granted that the
Baltic feet will endeavor to relieve Port
Arthur, provided Gen. SToEssEL shall
be able to defend that fortress two
months longer. In that event it will
have to engage in battle with Admiral
TOGO. To what extent the Japanese
naval force at his disposal has been
weakened is unknown, for no official in
formation on the subject has been OBJ
tainable. That some losses have been
incurred is certain, but it remains to be
seen whether they have seriously i'm
paired the efficiency Of ToGo's feet in
respect of battleships OF armored cruis-
ers. 1t Ia probable that II the Japa-
nese Admiral were joined by the squad
ron which has been watching Vladivos-
tok, he would outclass the Baltic feet
in number of vessels and weight Of
metal Even in the absence Of such Co
operation he would be expected by naval
experts to win victory, owing to his
proved superiority to the Russian COM
manders in tactics and in gunnery 1t
NAV well be that his success will cost
him dear, but thenceforth he will have
nothing to fear, for Russia will have
shot her last bolt, 80 far as naval opera
tions on a large scale are concerned.
Some vessels of the Baltic fleet will
doubtless escape destruction, and these,
with the two cruisers at Vladvostok
and those lately bought in South Ameri-
can countries, would doubtless continue
for time to prey upon Japanese COM
merce. After the fall of Port Arthur,
however, a part of the naval power of
Japan may be applied to their extirpa-
| ton.
II Port Arthur should have been sur
rendered before It's arrival In Far East
ern waters the Baltic feet would of
course aim for Vladivostok. That har-
Dor will be frozen over by the end Of
December, but a passage can be cut
through the ice and kept open. II the
whole or q large part of the Baltic feet
should manage to reach Vladivostok