The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-13
GIGANTIC BLUFF
OF THE RUSSIANS
Baltic Fleet Was Sent to Certain
Destruction.
OFFICERS IN IGNORANCE
STORIES or EXTENSIVE TARGET
PRACTICE FALSE.

FLADIVOSTOK. June IA series of
interviews which the corresDOn-
dent OF the Associated Press has
had with naval officers who survived
the battle in the Sea of Japan has de-
veloDed q most sensational story OF
the causeS of the Russian disaster, hrst
OF all, and the complete demoTaliza-
ton which followed the sinking OF the
flagship KufIZ SOuvaTOm and the
womding Of Admiral Rojestvensky-
It is explained that not a single Of
ncer of the fleet knew the commander
in-chiers plans. The admirals in COM
mand Of divisions knew no more than
the sub-lieUteHauts, and had to rely
on the signals OF the flagship Admiral
NehOgatOff. upon whom the command
devolved. had seen Rojestvensky only
once after the juncture of their squad
'ToDs, and then only for a few minutes.
Had No Target Practice
All the stories of extensive target
practice in Madagascar it seems, were
false. During the entire voyage there
practically was no training in gun
merry worthy OF the name, and the
big gun practice was confined TO three
shots per vessel. Ugly stories are told
of the happenings at Madagascar
Some of the crews certainly were un-
trained in gunnery and. exhausted by
the eight months voyage under trying
moral and physical conditions were no
match for the veteran Japanese, whose
craftsmanship was wonderful
One After Another Sent Down.
The Japanese concentrated their fire
on one ship until she was placed out
of action. and then on another, thus
successfully sinking the Oslabya, Alex
ander III and Kniaz SOuvaroff- Some
ships developed deplOrable structural
defects The Oslabya sank without
having a single hole below the water
line Heavy seas entered the vessel
above the water line, and the water
tight compartments. which were
. changed several times during the Voy-
age did not stand the strain they had
been calculated to stand. and burst,
flooding and heeling the vessel over
until she turned turtle.
Were Easy Victims.
Lack of homogenity among the ships
made il impossible to maueuveT in
harmony. The Vladimir MOuomach,
Admiral GuShakoff and Admiral Senia-
win had to lag behind on this account,
becoming easy victims. Finally the
ammunition was exhausted after the
flrSt days fighting.
Even the very morning of the bat
tie. while the bUzziug of the wireless
instruments on the Russian ships
showed that the japanese scouts were
communicating his dispositions TO Ad-
miral Togo. Admiral RojestVensky con-
tinUed his careless maneuVering- and
when the Japanese actually appeared
the Russians were caught in an inn
possible formation and we're attacked
on three fronts Roiestvensky' posi-
ton was Cramped- and his transports
were badly placed aud caused coufu-
sion.
Warships HuddIed Together.
While the japanese were raining
proieCtiles even from machine sUHs on
The Russian ships. the latter were hUd-
died together, blanketiuE each others
IRE. Only the leaders Of the columns
could bring their guns TO bear. and
even ON those the unframed gUnners
fired wildly To render matters worse.
the mines aud floating toTpedOes
sown in the paths of the Russian di-
visions added TO the confusion. The
BorOdino. Admiral Nakimoff and
Navaria fell victims Of these obstruc-
tons
It * Il heartTcndiuE narrative that
Russia and tie world should know The
sailors and officers were not altogether
20 blame. The main fault lies else
where There were many heroes among
The Russians Captain Rerkt of the
OslaNba committed suicide nE her
save himself There were thousands
Of other heroes whose names tie world
viii me- er know