The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-29
RUSS ADMIRAL'S
!: TRIP CREDITABLE
Rojestvensky's Long Journey
Well Conducted After Fish
H.; ing Boat Incident.
New York Sun Special Service.

H. Ing 6OaU luc1QenI.
New York Sun Special Service.
Washington, May 29.-Vice Admiral
Rojestvensky, who has been disastrous
naval battle of modern times, has long
and honorable record of service under
the Russian flag. In efficiency and
courage he is considered by experts in
marine warfare to be the equal of Max
croft, the gallant commander who went
down with his flagship, the Petropav-
lovsk, before Port Arthur. Nervous
but these traits take the redeeming
form of q passionate carriage rather
than OF timorousness.
Like Admiral Sampson.
In appearance and temperament, Ro-
jestvensky is said by those who know
him we'll, to resemble in striking man
ner the late Admiral Sampson of the
American navy. He is a stern dis
ciplinarian and a thoro seaman, stern
and cold toward his officers and men,
War is not for him a chess-board game,
soning and foresight; his pet theory
is that the only strategy in war is to
fight:
When the commander of the Variag,
which was blown up by its crew IN the
harbor of Chemulpo after the first con.
upon his return to St. Petersburg with
fete and hero worship, Rojestvensky
accorded him cold reception, and
afterward remarked in cold -blooded
manner that the man should have
been hanged instead of honored. When
L. h, IL IL
statement Rojestvensky asserted that
the captain should have steamed out to
meet the Japanese and done all in his
power to sink one of their vessels, by
ramming if his guns were silenced. The
frenzy of the tiger at bay was, he de-
clared, the only honorable course for a
naval officer placed in his position.
Lifetime in the Navy.
The full name of Togo's latest victim
is Zinovi Petrovitch Rojestvensky. He
is 50 or So years of age and has spent
most of his life in the Russian navy
His first active service was seen IN the
Black sea during the WAL with Turkey.
When commanding a small gunboat he
engaged large battleship, inflicted Sc
we're damage upon her and escaped clev-
erly For this act of bravery he was
awarded the cross Of St. George. He
has been decorated almost score of
times since.
Rojestvensky is officially the COM
mander Of Russia s second Pacific
squadron.
Feat Of seamanship.
Roiestvensky feat in navigating his
fleet successfully three-quarters of the
way around the globe alone stamped his
seamanship as being of the highest or
hoe on
admiral faced a more trying or danger
Gus task than did Rojestvensky when
he sailed from the Baltic port of Libau
Oct. l6 last.
The distance alone was discouraging
-9,400 miles to the northern coast OF
Madagascar, then $3.50 miles across tbs
Indian ocean to Singapore, then Az
miles to Vladivostok-l7,l 1872 miles II
all. And in all these 1872 miles there
was not a coaling station where he
could replenish his coal bunkers-not
Russian port where he could reprovlsloI
his fleet or make repairs.
Had Hodgepodge Fleet.
More than that, Rojestvensky was
given fleet of old ships and neW-tas
Ships and slow. Some had been batter
many years that their machinery wa
worn out Others were just out o
the shipyards, 50 new that their ma
chinery had not been even tried.
Manning these ships, Rojestvensk.
had few thousand men, taken fror
the slums of St. Petersburg, and eve
from the farms. Hundreds Of his me;
had never been to sea. Few OF a.
in his crews had had any naval train
ing. His officers were incompetent
There was no such thing as discipline.
There was the problem Of coaling an
supplying the fleet to face and to solv'
A great fleet Of golfers and supply ship
had to be organized. Great stores c
coal had to be purchased and sent to
the globe. The ships had to coal {
sea, outside the three-mile limit pr
scribed by international law. Repair
had to be made at sea, whether til
weather was stormy or calm.
Coaling Problem to Solve.
Naval experts in Europe and til
United States declared that the tas
was too great for the Russian ADM
atty. They declared the difficulties tc
great to be surmounted. Great Britai
with her chain of coaling station
around the globe, might do it. Franc
might do it, but Russia, without Goa
ing station or naval base between tt
western coast of Europe and the cas-
ern coast Of Asia, could not.
Rojestvensky sailed from Libau {
Oct. 16. The panic on board his shi1
was not concealed The North sea i
cident filed the world with indign
ton. The Russian soldiers were drum
declared some persons. They we
scared to DEATH declared others. 1t w
freely PREDICTED after the North s.
incident that the Russian fleet won
find itself in difficulties with 9th
powers long before it had covered ha
the distance to Vladivostok.
Near War with England.
The North sea incident near
wrecked Rojestvensky's expedition, a
almost plunged England and Russ
into war. The British admiralty kee
its secrets well, but if the orders Sc
to the commanders of the home, cham
and Mediterranean fleets in those {
citing days Of last October were
vealed to the public, the world doul
less would discover that it was or
touch and 60 between war and peace
Rojestvensly s fleet tried its first {
pertinent Of coaling at sea outside t
threemile limit at Vigo, Spain. So
ing from Vigo after the North sea
cident had been referred to an intern
tlonal tribunal, Rojestvensky. took
feet to Tangier. There he divided
feet, sending Rear Admiral Voelll
sam with two battleshlps, four cruise
seven destrovers, and number Of c
hers and transports, through the Me
terranean, while he himself, with ft
battleships and the rest, of the crr
ers and golfers, proceeded southws
no rnc4a CT ~ fr10o