The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-09-24
THE FoRLoRN HOPE or
THE BALTIC FLEET

sia's naval strength in the far East
and the probability of the early cap
ture OF Port Arthur and blockade OF
VladivoStok. there was something al
most pitiful in the elaborate cere
monies attending the recent depar
ture of the Baltic feet for the Orient
There can be no doubt about the of
Fficial character of the dispatch of the
fleet, for ii was witnessed and sane
! TONED by the emperor, attended by
the high admiral and other noted Of
ficers of the Russian navy The adj
miral commanding the fleet, with due
ceremony, boarded the imperial yacht
and babe his farewell to the en-
peror. Then, with destroyers ahead
and abeam the 'Kniatz Suvaroff,
one of the brand-new battleships, led
the way down the Gulf of Finland To
Of the popnlace upon the water fronts
and piers, and the fiuttering Of many
signal flags wishing good luck 10 the
fleet on its long voyage
In the press dispatches speaking
If the event il was announced that
pau. where it would be joined by
twelve transports, golfers, and sup
ply ships, and that il would then pro
eeed direct 10 the Orient The fleet
reached Libau. II is there at the
present writing; and the latest dis
patches have conveyed the inevitable
tidings that for the present, it will
remain there, it's departure being de-
pendent upon the development Of
events at the seat of war.
AS for the feet itself, it Is certain
| ~ formidable. il only for the reason
that it contains -four new battleships
just completed. which are practically
sister ships to the "Czareyitch," and.
| therefore, are to be recl1oned as
among the finest battleships afioat to-
| day. 1t is these ships. with the "Os-
liabya," and they alone. that couli
have any serious effect upon the Is
sues OF the naval campaign in the far
East: for the situation out there is
| such that the two out-of- date second
lass battleships "Nayarin," launched
IN 1891, and "Sssoi Veliky," of the
same speed, launched in 1894, would
be more of hindrance than help
to the newer ships in any engage
ment against the seasoned powerful.
and victorious hattleships OF Japan.
The same may be said of the odd as
,ortment OF cruisers that make up
the balance of the feet. There Is the
Did Admiral Nakhimoff' nineteen
years old and good only for 17h
Knots Ia her best. and the "Dlmitri
Oonskoi," launched twenty-one years
lgo. and steaming well If she can
make Is knots an hour. These are |
armored cruisers but the armor Is
If the old compound type. soft as but.
Ter TO the high-velocity guns mount |
ed by the modern japanese armored |
cruisers. II Is true there are three |
fast. unprotected cruisers. the "Oleg
and Aurora" sisters respectively TO
The "Bogatyr" and "Palada," and the |
Almaz." sister TO the "Novik;" but
in the present stage of Russia's for
tunes in the far East, which can be
retrieved only by the most desperate
kind OF fighting in line of battle. I'M
protected cruisers are merely food
tor powder"
Let us suppose. however, that the
Russians should have the faulty 10
send this tilygOtten-together and
collection of ships out
TO the far East. and that IL should
arrive there. Where would 1t rendez4
vous? Port Arthur would in all prob
ability be in the hands Of the enemy;
while II the siege we're still in pro-
CREST the Russian feet wonld have TO
fight its way through Admiral To
COS line Of battle before IL could
gain the harbor-a line OF battle com
posed of five of the most powerful
and eight of the best ar
mored cruisers afioat: a fleet trained
10 the hour. manned by crews that I
are seasoned and expert, Thoroughly I
'amiliar with their ships, knowing ex-
lctly what they can do. What the \
Russian fleet at Port Arthur, more |
powerful and fresh from it's base, ,
Jailed utterly to accomplish, will new I
n be accomplished by a less powerful
Heet that makes the same attempt at :
he end of long and exceedingly try I
ing voyage Of several months dura- '
lion. a
If the Baltic fleet should leave Ii {
ban and actually start for the far I
East. IL will mean. in the judgment |
II the naval experts Of the world, Z
hat Russia. after losing the flower ,
IF her navy in the FIST campaign OF !
he war. Is merely sending the rem I
lants to a similar and very certain 1
ate The damage already wrought 4
by the prowess Of Japanese arms i
las moved Russia down from third I
position among the navies OF the a
world TO fifth position. Il the Baltic \
Ieet should ever reach the far East. :
he venture would in all probability
nj in Russia's losing what claims 4
he now has 10 be reckOned a hrst- n
lass naval pOwer.-Scientific Ameri- :