The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-14


the China Sea 70 Singapore, whence 1t
was forwarded to ST. Petersburg. Con-
elusive confirmation is supplied b. the
British cruiser SltlBj, which on the
morning Of April II passed. the Russian
fleet, which included seven .battleships
and was steaming northwGrd II follows
that the Russian armada will not be
beaten in detail, but should it he defeated
in its consolidated form the chance that
any considerable part Of il could elude
the enemy has been minmized. RoJEsT-
vENsKY has evidently decided to put the
fate Of his whole feet to the touch, to
win or lose it all.
Meanwhile the whereabouts OF Admiral
TOGO is unknown, though the notifca-
ton that Kelung, on the coast Of Formosa,
has been temporarily closed 20 foreign
vessels has been thought TO indicate
that the Japanese warships are in the
neighborhood Of that port, watching the
two northern channels of exit from the
South China Sea, the passage between
Formosa and Luzon on the one hand,
and that between the former island
and the Chinese mainland on the other.
Should RoJEsTvENsKY take the former
passage, the deduction would be war
ranted that he means TO follow the out
side route to his objective, steaming
considerably TO the east Of the Pesca-
dores and the Japanese archipelago, and
aiming TO reach Vladivostok through
the Tsugaru Strait, or through the strait
on the north Of the island Of Yezo. 1t
will be optional for the Japanese naval
commander either 70 fight his opponent
near Formosa on the latter's emerging
from the South China Sea, or, by follow
ing the inside route through the Strait
of Corea and the Sea Of Japan, to reach
Yladivostok in advance Of the hostile
feet. Among naval experts opinions
differ as TO which Of these two courses
TOGO is likely TO adopt, II he makes up
his mind to fight near Formosa, we may
expect to learn the outcome OF the battle
before many days by dispatches from
Chinese or Philippine ports, in which
some Of the vessels belonging TO the de-
feated feet are likely to seek refuge.
According to a despatch from Toxic
which we printed yesterday, the Japanese
feet Is preponderant in tonnage and IN
armament, so far as the principal fighting
machines are concerned. RoJEsTyEN-
sKYs seven battleships have total ton
age of upward Of $1,000 tons, but he
has only two armored cruisers, which
collectively have tonnage Of less than
IS 900 tons. The aggregate tonnage OF
ToGos five battleships falls little short
Of 81 900 tons, but he has eight armored
cruisers; possessing a total tonnage OF
more than 1000. As regards armament,
RoJEsTyENsKY has twenty-four Pinch
guns against ToGo's twenty. The Rus
slams, also, have four lO-inch guns, where
1 as the Japan csc have but one gun Of that
size. On the other hand, the japanese
have thirty s-inch guns and the Russians
only eight. That the guns on the japanese
side will be admirably served we know
but we have yet to learn the effect Of the
gun practice in which the Russian Ad-
miral is said to have engaged for many
weeks while in Madagascar waters. That
the Russian battleships will be outma.
neuvred and outsteamed may doubles:
be taken for granted. Nevertheless, luci
is apt 70 play an important part in nava
battles, and, although improbable, it il
conceivable that the fortune Of war may
favor RoJEsTvENsKY.