The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-15
RUSSIA ATT DISADVANTAGE.


Hostilities between Japan and Russia
were begun on Feb. 8, when the first
| attack on Port Arthur occurred. The
following day came the attack on the
Russian ships in the harbor of Che
mulpo, Korea, in which the Variag and
the Korietz were sunk. At the time of
the outbreak there was no very great
disparity between the strength of the
fleets in the Far East of the contend
ing nations; that is, on paper. The
japanese had a few more vessels, but
in gross tonnage there was not a
great deal of difference Since then
there has been remarkable change.
Port Arthur has been attacked seven
times, and in the sixty-six days that
elapsed from the first shot of the war
until the Petropavlovsk disaster, Rus
sia's naval power in the Far East has
been pretty nearly crushed. The few
effective ships she has left will not
dare TO venture out from under the
protecting guns of the Notifications.
either at Port Arthur or Vladivostok,
and Japan is in complete mastery of
the seas.
1t is admitted in st. Petersburg that
Admiral Togo is in command of the
situation by water, and all he needs to
do is to lie off Port Arthur with his
ships, when japanese transports can
pass unmolested from the island en-
pire to the mainland, bearing troops
and supplies. Furthermore, Togo is in
position to prevent the junction of
the Baltic fleet with either that at Port
Arthur or Vladivostok. This Baltic
fleet, the whereabouts of which is not
at present definitely known, is not
strong. 1t consists of fifteen vessels
other than torpedo boats, of which
latter there are probably a dozen.
only two or three of the vessels, how
ever, are heavy and rated as first
class fighters. The others are light
cruisers. Against these Admiral Togo
can hurl a vastly superior force.
Some days ago it was reported in the
dispatches that it would be the policy
of Russia to throw the Baltic fleet
against Togo with the hope of infict-
ing injury upon him; in short, to sac
rifice the fleet at the greatest possible
price. But the recent disaster at Port
Arthur may tend to alter the Russian
plans.
1t was long ago believed that Rus
STA, while giant on land, was weak
at sea, Notwithstanding her high rank
among the naval powers. The engage
II, bo
bear this out. The Russians are brave
fighters, but they do not appear to be
able to adapt themselves to the water.
Some of their most effective vessels
have fallen victims to Russian ex-
plosives They have planted mines
and then lost the charts showing the
location of them. with disastrous re-
suits. In this connection, by the way,
it is we'll enough to keep in mind that
careful commander in charge of
placing mines would not put contact
mines in his own harbor. He would
employ electric mines, to be discharged
by batteries ashore. This consideration
gives color to the japanese claim that
the Petropavlovsk did not foul a Rus
sian mine, but ran on a contact mine
placed at the harbor entrance by jap
anese torpedo boats; that the Russians
fell into a trap that had been carefully
prepared for them.
Commanding the sea, as they now
do, it is to be presumed that the Japa-
nese will proceed to throw a greater
force into Korea, to fortify themselves
in that peninsular firmly, and to push
on towards the Yalu in force. Wheth-
er they can be enticed to march on
Hardin, where it seems Gen Kuropat-
kin wishes to lead them for the pur-
pose of dealing them a crushing blow,
remains to be seen. At the moment
Russia appears to be at a great disad-
vantage, but the war is practically
only at the starting point.