Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-07
CRIME OR A BLUNDfR
London Discussing Russian
Attack on Hull Fishermen.
LAUGH ON BALTIC FLEET
CRITICISM FOR MISAPPREHEN-
SION OF JAPs' INTENTIONS.
Special Significance Noted in the Raise
of Rank of Military Court
Attaches.
LAUGH ON BALTIC FLEET

LONDON, october 81, ISo4
Public opinion here has not been so deeply
stirred for a long time as 1t has been by the
Russian outrage on the Hull fishing fleet.
The Hull shippers who had been partici-
pators in the affair arrived in London in
the early hours of yesterday morning, and
this, coincident with the hurried journey
of Lord Lansdowne to London and visit to
the king. and the return of the Russian am
bassador, who was absent on the continent,
has all tended now to make London rather
than Hull the center of interest in this
strange drama which has swept so suddenly
and unexpectedly upon us. The papers are
full of interviews with prominent officials
and other authorities who could be expected
to throw any light on the situation, whilst
the press of London has been unanimous In
demanding instant reparation and apology.
WAS it a crime was 1t blunderY
was the question on every ones lips
throughout the day. Most thoughtful peo-
pie Immediately dismissed the idea that 1t
was an Intentional outrage on the part OF
the Russian naval commander AS Sir
Frederick Pollock pointed out In an inter.
view, If Russia wanted to pick quarrel
with Great Britain she could have done SO
upon the Tibetan treaty. In shipping
circles, too the same opinion prevailed that
the Russian fleet had acted as though In
fit of panic. But for the dramatic conse-
quences to the unfortunate victims the IN
cident might have excited amusement rath-
er than Indignation. The Russian govern
ment may plead blunder, but 1t is blunder
than has made their Baltic fleet the laugh
ing stock of the maritime world.
Question of Competency.
Assuming that the explanation offered by
st. Petersburg for the outrage Is regarded
by the government as sufficient, people are
asking to know about the future. Com
manders who could commit a criminal blum
der of this magnitude are not competent TO
command the fishing smacks upon which
the guns of the fleet were trained. IN
deferred by their escapade In the North
sea- the fleet 1t appears, stopped another
vessel in the English channel what guar
antee Is there to be that, whether from
panic or whether from sheer 1ncompetency'
the squadron will not commit similar depre-
dations throughout the whole course VI IT'S
Journey to the east?
Nor can the plea of panic be held under
any circumstances to entirely explain what
occurred on the Dogger Bank. II may po
that the fishing fleet was mistaken Tor Jap
anese boats or boats in the pay OF the
japanese government, though sucn pea
implies ignorance on the part or the Rus-
sian naval officers of the most elementary
knowledge of the international lights which
were shown by the fishing traWiers.
A prominent japanese authority heie .,
who is one of those who were sent TO Tsu-
pose of following the movements of the
Russian Baltic fleet. tells me that to him
it is altogether ineXpl1cabie now the rus
sian admiral could have mistaken BRUSH
or any other fishing smacks 1or the I'LL
kado'S war vessels. ~ :. :.
I'VE have made he added, every DIS
positfon necessary to meet the Russian
squadron but they know in st. petersburg,
as well as they do in Copenhagen, Berlin
and London, that we would not attack that
squadron in close European water unless
absolutely compelled to do So What VIII
happen now do not know, for certainly
we have some cruisers at easy call in Eu-
ropear waters, and the only explanation
can give of the North sea incident Is that
the Russian commanders are suHerlng
from a bad attack of nerves, and nave
therefore lost their usual discretion. NO
body whether in London or Tokyo, would
credit them with the fixed purpose of sink
ing British fishing boats, but they must
pay as heavily for their blunder as If 1t
were an intended act of war.
Sentiment Widely Shared.
This is a sentiment which is widely
shared. and ALTHOUGH the British point OF
view may not be entirely Endorsed in Ger
many, for instance special means have
been taken to bring to the knowledge of the
German people, through their press, a full
and accurate estimate of the unanimous
feeling prevailing here, and in the course
of the next few hours a German diplomat
list, we'll known in both political and social
circules here, will, l understand, leave Lon
don for Berlin to convey this feeling to the
kaiser himself.
1t has however, to be borne in mind that
the commander of the Baltic fleet may
claim that, in acting as he did, he was
within the letter of the directions he had
received from his government, for l learn
that definite written instructions were
given to Admiral Rojestvensky before
the Russian squadron left Libau, to pre-
pare to meet a Japanese squadron, or at
least some japanese ships in the North
sea or the Atlantic.
These instructions were based upon a
Misrepresentation of japanese motives and
intentions, for, as / have said, the Japa-
nese had no intention of giving naval bat
tie to the Russians In CLOSE European
waters; but the general sense, which l
have been able to obtain, of the instruc-
lions given to Admiral Rojestvensky
were to proceed down the North sea and
Bay of Biscay, to an unnamed latitude off
Vigo, where certain vessels would meet
him with coal. He was then to proceed
with one-half of his squadron through the
Mediterranean and the SueZ canal to the
Indian ocean, the other half of the squad
ron going by way of the Cape of Good
Hope to the same destination, where coal
ing would take place. 1t was thought that
sufficient coal could then be embarked to
take the whole of the squadron to Asiatic
waters, special arrangements having been
made to this end. But meanwhile the ad-
miral was to keep the sharpest lookout for
any of the enemy's ships, and to fire upon
anything which might give rise to suspicion.
Admiral Acted Too Well.
The Russian admiral would seem to have
acted up to his instructions only too well,
assuming that the British fishing vessels
could give any ground for suspicion, which
1t Is extremely difficult to believe The
chief factor in the situation, indeed, is that
not merely in British but in foreign circles
in London the seriousness of the Russian
outrage is not only not denied, but is
frankly admitted, and it is being asked all
round not much what apology can be
rendered by Russia as what sufficient rep
aration be made
1t is felt all round that this is no matter
for merely a formal official expression OF
regret or even apology, and tender of
monetary compensation, however liberal,
and there Is a widespread feeling that moth
ing less than the recall of the admiral re-
sponsible for this deplorable affair will
stamp the outrage In the eyes of the world
with the reprobation is deserves There is
no hystemcal or ''panicky" feeling here, but
there is q spirit of very grim determination
which Is absolutely unanimous.
The earlier seizure and search of British
vessels by Russian cruisers In the Red sea
and the far east seriously affected the com
mercfal and the shipping world, and arous-
ed so much Indignation in parliamentary
circles that 1t was with some considerable