Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-10-28
FLEET
STARTS EAST
Apparently No Longer Room
for Doubt That the Armada
Has Started.
rs TO GO BY TWO ROUTES
Part VIII Sail Around Africa and Part
Through Suex-Russia Expects Ii
Will Complete the Voyage
in Three Months.

Fake Berg. Denmark, Oct. 21.-The
remainder OF the Baltic Russian fleet
sailed Wednesday morning for the
north.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 21.-The Baltic
feet will divide. part going by way OF
the Suez canal and the remained by
the Cape OF Good Hope. 1t is believed
the voyage to the far east will be made
In ninety days.
Korsor, Island of Zealand, Denmark,
Oct. 21.-The Russian Baltic feet con-
sisting OF fifteen battleships and
cruisers, sever torpedoboats and four
Golfers, q traversed the Great Belt
northward.
For several days II has seemed like
ly that the Baltic fleet had really sailed
been seen, In divisions. passing through
the Great Belt. means that II is on its
way into the German ocean,.
The island of Zealand, on which Ia
the town of Korsor. is the chief island
Of the Danish archipelago. II lies to
the east OF the Danish mainland. On
its east is the sound, separating 1t from
Sweden, while on the west Is the Great
Belt, more commonly called the Shore
Belt, between the island and the main
land of Denmark. The Great Belt Is
the most commonly used route between
the Baltic sea and the Cattegat, which
Is simply the continuation of the Baltic
sea, north of Zealand. The fleet Is now
far outside OF Russian waters and
plainly on the way into the Atlantic.
Sailing around the Cape OF Good
Hope, one division. which Is ex-
pected to include the lighter craft. will
have a trip OF 49, 600 miles to Port Ar
thur. The other division, through Suez,
will have a much shorter voyage. No
explanation has been given for dividing
the fleet.
The calling of this armament. which
on paper is about equal In strength to
the Japanese flee. so far as concerns
baltleships and cruisers, but inferior
In torpedo boats, probably means that
Russia Is determined to have a long
war. OF course, the fleet might be re-
called at any time in case Port Arthur
should fall, and 1t seem certain this
will happen before three months. Vlad-
ivostok will be frozen tight before the
fleet a reach 1t
Togo's veteran, experienced arma-
ment, newly out of the Japanese dock
yards, polished and refurbished, con-
ndent of itself and its experience, ought
to take care of itself against ever a
greatly superior force. The Russian
1eet Is VIGOROUSLY unfit. Ii must coal
at sea. 1t is not we'll Differed or
manned 1t has 10 make a voyage un-
~precedented for a great fleet and to
fight before cleaning or docking. II
may run into Japanese submarines
torpedo boats. and perhaps a more
powerful battle line squadron long be-
fore It sees Asia. That 1t should ever
arrive intact. in the China seas. Their
to meet Togo, seems impossible.
Should it be joined en- route by ves-
sells rumored to have been purchased In
South America. 1t might overpower To-
90. But on this slender chance Russia
seems stalking much. Japan will have
had a year, from the beginning Of the
was to Increase her fleet. There is nc
doubt she will have turned out several
new vessels by that time.