Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-06-15

Vladivostok June IA series of
interviews which the correspondent OF
the Associated Press has had with
naval officers who survived the battle
of the sea OF Japan has developed a
sensational story, OF the causes OF the
Russian disaster hrt OF all and the
complete decentralization which FOL
lowed the sinking of the flagship Kniax
Souyaron and the woundtng of Admiral
Rotestvensky,
It is explained that not a single OH.
Ger Of the fleet knew the commander
In chiefs plans, The admirals in com.
rand of the divisions knew no more
than the sub.ieutenants and had to
rely on the signals of the flagship
Admiral Nebogatoff. upon whom the
command deVolved had seen Admiral
RojestNonsky only once after the June
ture of their sQuadrons and then only
Cor 10 minutes.
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 gunners
worthy the name and big gun practice
was confined to three shots per vessel
Ugly stories are told of the happenings
at Madagascar Some of the crews Ger
tainly were unframed In gunnery and
exhausted by the eight months voyage
under trying moral and physical con.
ditiuns, which were no match for the
veteran Japanese whose Workmanship
was wonderful, The japanese con
ccntrated their fire on one ship until
she was placed out of action and then
on another, thus successfully sinking
the Oslaha, Alexander III and kniaa
Souparuff.
Detective Vessels.
Some ships developed deplorable
structural defects. The Oslaba sank
Without having n 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 tho voy.
age did not stand the strain they had
been calculated 10 stand. and burst,
flooding and heeling the vessel over
until she turned turtle
Ammunition Exhausted.
The lack OF homogenioty among the
ships made II impossible to maneuver
in harmony, Finally, the ammunition
was exhausted after the first days
fight,
Insane Russian Tactics.
Even the very morning OF the battle,
while the buZzing OF the wireless In
struments on the Russian ships
showed that Japanese scouts were
communicating his dispositions to Ad-
miralmiral Togo Admiral RoJestyon.
sky continued his careless maneuvcr-
ing and when the Japanese actually ap.
poared the Russians were caught in an
impossible formation and were nj
tackled on three fronts. While the Jap,
anese were training projectiles even
from machine guns on the Russian
shir3. the latter were huddled to.
gether, biankoting each others fire.
only the leaders OF the columns could
bring their guns TO bear and even on
these the unframed gunners fired
wildly. To render matters worse mines
and floating torpedos thrown in the
path Of the Russian divisions added TO
the confusion. The Borodino, Admiral
Nakhimoff and Narvnin fell victims TO
these distractions.
Blame Not on the Sailors.
II is a heart-rending narrative that
Russia and the world should know
The sailors and officers were not alto
gcther to blame. The main fault lies
elsewhere, There were many heroes
among the Russians. Captain Berkh
Of the Oslaba committed suicide on
her bridge as the ship sank, rather
than save himself There we're thou.
sands Of other heroes whose names the
world will never know.