The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-10

consider the situation of the land
forces on account OF the discouraging
reports from Linevitch, but the COM
mittee has based its hopes on Rojest~
vensky, whose men and ships are be-
lieved to be in excellent condition.
Chance for Peace
'ST. PETERSBURG, April 10.-There
is reason to believe that Vice Admirai
Rojestvensly's entrance into the China
sea has been followed by orders for the
cruisers Gromoboi, Rossia and Bogatyr,
which have been ready for some time
at Vladivostok, 10 put to sea. Whether
1t is the intention to send them south
Immediately or to hold them in the
vicinity of Vladivostok is not known.
Their appearance outside the roadstead
of Vladivostok would constitute q po-
tential threat against Admiral Togo's
rear which will compel the retention in
or dispatch of a number of heavy
fighting ships to japanese waters. Thus
Admiral Togo seems to be virtually
placed between two fires.
The peace influences In the govern
ment urge that this favorable strategic
position presents the psychological
moment for Offering officially the olive
branch TO Japan, reasoning that no
matter how confident the Japanese
government may be of Togo's victory
it cannot overlook the possibility of
defeat nor fail to appreciate the COM
plete disaster which would follow the
transfer of the mastery Of the sea to
Russia.
Avoid Actual Test
With so much depending upon the
issue, they argue, both countries have
mutual interests in avoiding an actual
test, and it is not impossible therefore
that q new move in the direction of
peace may come just as the world ex-
poets TO hear the call to quarters for
the greatest naval battle of modern
times. Certainly the spirits of the war
party have been greatly raised by
Rojestvensky's success in penetrating
10 the China sea; and the prospect of
a naval battle, even with the odds
against a Russian victory which would
change the entire complexion of the
situation, has aroused something like a
flash of enthusiasm in many Russian
breasts.
Some naval officers express the opin-
ion that Rojestvensky, having now
safely navigated the straits, instead of
sailing north to meet the Japanese,
can afford to calmly await Vice Ad-
miral Nebogatoff with his division of
the squadron, who could arrive there
in about three weeks.
Dispatch Kept Secret
The Russian admiralty on Sunday
received a long dispatch from Singa-
pore, but no intimation as to it's con-
tents has been given to the newspapers.
The papers Sunday morning printed
Singapore diSpa atcheS without comment,
the Sviet being the only exception.
This paper views the news from Ro-
jestvensky as an auspicious prelude to
decisive battle, which may show
pni Chi 4la
happy star which helped him, when n
lieutenant to save the fragile Vesta in
an unequal conflict with Turkish
battleship.'' The Sviet expresses the
hope that Rojestvensky is destined to
turn the tables, and that even in case of
defeat some of his vessels will be able
to break through and reach the Japan
sea.
Second Squadron Sighted
SINGAPORE, April 9.-Fifty-one
ships of Vice Admiral Rojestvensky's
second Pacific squadron passed here
yesterday. The most important fight
ing vessels of the squadron. including
the battleships Kniaz Souvaroff, Alex
| ander il, Rorodino ard Orel, with
their complement of cruisers torpedo
| boat destroyers, etc, did not arrive
and their whereabouts is totally un-
known.
The vessels which passed Singapore
We're the following: Battleships Sissol
Veliky and Oleg; cruisers Admiral
Nakhimoff, Dmitri Donskoi, Aurora, L.
umrud. Jemtchug, Almaz, Russ, Ana
dyr, Furst Bismarck, Kaiserin Maria
Theresa, Kaiserin Augusta Victoria
Kaiser Friedrich, Rion, and seven tor
pedo boat destroyers, all sailing under
| the naval flag.
Under the commercial flag were the
volunteer steamers VoroneZ, Kief, Var
| oslav, Tamboff, Vladimir and Orel the
| Russian Navigation company's steam
| ers Meteor, Jupiter and Mercury, the
East Asiatic company's steamers Ko-
| rea and Kaitai, the North Baltic COM
! pany's steamer Kniaz Gortchakoff, one
salvage ship and fifteen colliers.
A French steamer arrived here to-
day with sailor belonging to the Ad-
| miral Nakhimoff, who fell overheard
and was picked up off Malacca after
having been twelve hours in the water
Duel Comes to Naught
ST. PETERSBURG, April 10; 1874
| a. m.-The proposed duel between
| Capt. Clado. formerly Rojestvensky's
chief tactician, and Capt. Zilotti, aide
| to Admiral Avellan, head OF the Rus
sian admiralty department, has failed
| to take place, Capt. Clado having been
satisfied by Investigation that he had
wrongly accused Capt. Z!lotti of re-
| sponsibility for the publication Of q
letter from Vice Admiral Rojestvensky
severely rejecting upon him. Capt
| Clado has offered the amplest apology
completing the retraction by publishing
! his letSsr of apology in all the papers
printing the first structures.