The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-05
THE RUSSIAN VIEW OF THE WAR WITH JAPAN
c
tBy Golfers staff correspondent.)

upon the Retvizan, which car be consid-
cred again as a part of the effective Rus
sian force There is no truth in rumors
circulated abroad that the guns of the
Retvizan have been removed and in
stalled in a shore battery The Russians
are consequently inferior to what they
were before war commenced by but one
battleship and two cruisers-the Variag,
sunk at ChenulDo, and the Boyarin, de-
stroyed by mines, and few torpedo
boat destroyers. Nevertheless the feet
will not participate in offensive opera
ions, but for the present viii remain, un-
damaged, it is hoped, under the guns of
Port Arthur.
Russia believes that Japan's fate will
be decided by the new feet, which is TO
be. formed in the Baltic, and which will
arrive in the Far East the last of July
or early in, August. This fleet will
comprise FIVE first-class and three sec
ond-c1ass battleships, one arnored and
FIVE protected cruisers, six auxiliary
cruisers, twerty-one torpedo-boat de-
stroyers, and a number of oil ships and
Golfers. The battleships are the Imper-
ator Alexander III, Orel, Kniaz Suva-
rof-all of which are under construc-
tion-the Borodino, and the OsliaDya,
Sissoi Veliky, Navarin, and Imperator
Nicolai /, which are in commission. The
Borodino Alexander, Orel. and Suva-
rolf are sister ships. each Of 1900 tons,
IS knots speed, well armored and carry
ing four I2-inch, twelve 6-1nch. forty
smaller guns, and six torpedo tubes.
The Borodino is ready at the New Ad-
1niralty and was inspected by the En-
peror. but her draft is SO great that IN
order to get her out of the Neva it will
be necessary to remove her ttirret guns
and install them again at Cronstadt. The
Orel. building at Galernii Island, near
St. Petersburg, will also receive her guns
at Cronstadt The Alexander and Suva-
rolf are building at Cronstadt. The
Slava, of this class, will not be ready for
at least a year While not as speedy as
the Japanese Yashirna and Full, these
ships are superior in protection and ar
fnanent. They are also inferior IN speed
to the other Japanese battleships, and
there is not much difference IN their
protection and armament The Osllabya
is of 5000 tons--about that OF the a
shima; her speed IS a knot less, and ner
battery is inferior. The Sissoi Vel1ky
is of 5000 tons and was built ten years
ago. Her ar1nor IS partly of the old
compound type, and her main battery
includes four I2-inch and six 6-1nch
rapid-fre guns The Navarin IS older
than the Sissoi, but is of the same speed
10 knots-and has main battery OF
four I2-inch and eight 6-inch breech-
loading guns. for which rapid hrers may
be substituted. The IHperator Nicolai
| is of oSoo tons and has compound ar
NOR; her battery comprises two I2-inch..
four o-irlcf, and eight 6-inch guns, all
breeeh-loaders. The Sissoi, Navar1n,
and .Nicolai are inferior to the Japanese
armored cruisers.
THE SHIPS OF THE BALTIC
FLEET.
There is but one arnored cruiser
available for the new Russian heet-the
Baltic fleet, as it is called. This is the
Dmitri Donskoi, built twenty years ago
and partially reconstructed in 1906. he
Dmitri Donskoi is only 5000 tons, her
greatest speed is 1876 knots, and her
heaviest guns are only six inches IN
calibre. The protected cruisers when
will be attached to the fleet will be the
Oleg, under construction, of 675o tons.
% knots and carrying twelve-6-inch and
twenty-four smaller guns; Aurora,
sister ship of the Pallada, of 6.o3o tons,
20 knots, and eight 6-inch and thirty
smaller guns; Syietlana, of 1925 tons,
20 knots, six 5.o-inch and twelve smaller
guns; JeTntchug ana 1ZulllI III, CdNi =.
5000 tons, rs knots, and six ~ inch and
ten smaller guns.
In anticipation of the despatch OF this
fleet to the Far East, men are beng
drilled especially IN gunnery, IN the
Baltic training squadron. THE japanese
are getting n.enty of practice by their
bornbardments of Port Arthur, said an
officer to me 1T was this practice that
enabled the American squadron to do
such effective work at Santiago when
the Spanish squadron attempted to es-
cape Unfortunately, the men OF the
Baltic feet will not be under fire until !
they go into action. For this reason
they are required to participate in con-
slant target practice, and the japanese
will not find any green gunners upon
which to try their mettle. The conn
mander of the fleet will be Admiral Ro-
jestvenslSy, man in whom the Emperor
and the naval service have the greatest
confidence 1t IS he who accompanies
the Emperor upon all inspections OF the
ships to be assirned to the Baltic feet,
He does not appear IN looks TO be more
than ffty-three years of age. He IS ex-
ceedingly quiet and reserved, reminding
me of Rear-Admiral Sampson. He gives