The Globe-republican., 1904-10-06
Car Nicholas VIII So Baltic Fleet
'" or a RsyaI. !
TO CRIPPLE ToGo's SHIPS
VIadlvostok Squadron to Make a sor.
tle-Russla to Risk all on an At.
tempt to Destroy Japanese Naval
Prestlse-sltuatlon Outlined.

st. Petersburg, Oct, 4.-Announce.
ment is made that Emperor Nicholas
will visit Reyal to bid farewell to
the Baltic squadron, After months Of
preparation and several false starts
1t Is believed that the squadron Is at
last on the eve Of Its departure upon
Its long journey. A division in the
admiralty has existed throughout the
period Of preparation regarding the
advlsability Of sending out the squad.
ron, but with the decision to double
the size Of the Manchurian army and
press the war with vigor, the logic Of
those who for months have insisted
that every available ship should be
dispatched to the Far East has finally
prevailed. The argument that no com.
plete victory over the Japanese Is
possible unless the command Of the
sea is wrested from them could not
be overcome and though much val.
liable time has been lost and the mo.
ment seems inauspicious 1t Is official.
ly intimated that an irrevocable de-
cision has been taken to dispatch the
Baltic feet even II the Port Arthur
squadron should be annhilated before
Its arrival there.
1t Is realized that the squadron,
which on paper, Is about equal in
fighting strength to that of the Japan.
ese fleet will be much better able to
encounter the foe now than next
spring, after the Japanese ships have
had all winter to clean, repair and re-
fit.
While the hopes are still entertain.
ed that Port Arthur may be able to
hold out until the appearance of the
Baltic fleet the question of the fall of
that great stronghold does not, ap-
parently enter into the calculations of
the admiralty. The only thing expect
ed Of the Port Arthur squadron is to
break out Of the harbor and infict
as much damage as possible upon Ad-
miral Togo's fleet. Such ships as es-
cape are expected to make their way
to Vladivostok, where the repairs on
the cruiser Bogatyr are understood to
have been practically completed and
those on the Rossia and Cromobol are
nearing completion.
The question Of the war in the Far
East will depend upon the issue of
a sea fight after the arrival of the
Baltic fleet. Vladivostok, although
ice bound in winter for commercial
ships, can easily be kept open for a
fleet Of war vessels by means Of ice
breakers. If the japanese fleet is
caught in such a weakened condition
that the Baltic ships are able to win
a victory, officials here hold that 9th.
er problems will solve themselves
and with Japanese communication sew
cred the Japanese army on the main.
land will be at the mercy Of Russia.
This boldly announced programme
seems to stake the whole issue upon
the sea fighting. The Japanese ships,
1t must be remembered, have been in
active service seven months. No mat
ter how greatly the efficiency of the
guns and the speed Of the vessels have
been impaired, the crews of Admiral
Togos ships have enjoyed the pres
tige Of continuous victories, while op-
posed to them will be a fleet of brand
new ships, more or less, untried and
none of which have fired a shot in
actual warfare, and whose crews have
never yet been under fire.