The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-19
a. undoubtedly both sides, with such .

a. undoubtedly both sideo, with such Q
pauoity Of heavy battleships. would SO
particularly well of in gun protection as
compared with the Russian armored
cruisers. and are in fact ranked by SO high
an authority as Jane QSss edition. as equal
In average fighting value to tho Japanese
Fui and Russian Pobieda. They obtain
this rank by the 6-inch protection to the
guns Of their heavy 6-inch battery. The
gun protection in the Russia and Rurtk,
taken in broadsi>e, 10 as nil against g.
inch gun or ven lighter. II Mr.. Jans's
valuation be accepted, WI should thus
have to class together the Russian Care
Witch and Retvizan n the japanese
Mikasa, Hatsuse. Asaki. s~hikish!:na, mi
the remainder Of the Russian battleships
with the Japanese Full. Yashima. and the
movoi still one class lower and the
Bayan, Rossia and Rurik two (alons with
the Chen Yuen). Such q classification
would give Russia two ships of an aver
age value Of 100 against four Japanese,
and nvs Of 80 against eight japanese,
leaving additional to Russia one Of go
(Gromovoi) and three OF 40 (Bayan, Rossia
and Rurik) md additional to japan one
of 40 Cohen Yuen). His classification tells
heavily against the Russians. While the
writer Is not inclined to accept this esti-
mate wholly. it is given as an indication
OF the high value placed upon the Japa-
nese armored cruisers by one OF the high
est authorities.
Comparison Of Armaments.
The heavy guns in the ships mentioned
are, Russian, twenty 12-tnch, eight 10
inch. fourteen s-inch, one hundred and
thirty-six 6-!nch. Putting aside for the
moment the e-inch gun. which cannot be
ranked ~ an armor-piercing weapon
against the heavier armor Of battleships.
Russia (speaking always of the present
situation in the east can bring into bat
tie u armor-piercing guns against 6 Of
the japanese. The latter has also a large
while not able to pierce heavy armor at
ordinary battle range, would be effective
against most of the u positions OF the
Russian armored cruiser force. 1t Is DIFF
ncult to see how this part of her fleet
could long sustain q well-directed 6-inch
fire.
In addition to her fighting line, Russia
has in the east seven protected cruisers
Of $500 to $3.50 tons, mounting forty-eight
6-inch gum against sixteen japanese Of
200 to 1878 tons mounting two 12.5-inch,
four 10.2-inch, six S-inch, thirty-eight g.
inch. This class in both cases Of course
carries a large number of smaller guns
equally effective In many ways against
unarmored ships. Though superiority,
ship Tor snip, IN this class Is In the main
with Russia, this 10 Offset by the greater
numbers OF the japanese and in several
cases by their heavie guns, which are of
more value, through greater range, than
the 6-inch. The Russians have, however,
an advantage to be noted in the fact tina
most OF their 6-inch guns are As calibres
in length against the 10 calibres, in gem
eral, Of the Japanese; and increased length
means increased range power. The
ships Of both sides are well supplied with
torpedoes.
mentioned; neither they nor the volunteer
fleet of Russia will weigh greatly in any
such contest.
JaPs Lead in Torpedo Boats.
In torpedo craft, Russia IL decidedly OUT