The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-07
GREAT FIGHT
 IS DISCUSSED Jap Commander on Battle
 Between Fleets. STATEMENT BY AKIYAMA The Russian Officers Lack
 Training.
STATEMENT BY AKIYAMA
Rojestvensky's Mistake Was in Mar shaling His Vessels In Double Column Line Ahead-The
 Question of Armor.

Tokio, July 9.-(Correspondence of the Associated Press -)-Commander Akiyama. who participated in the bat tie of the Sea of Japan, has prepared an extended statement relating to the great conflict and it's weight on the side of gunnery. the battleship and tac- tics as against the destroyer and the torpedo. He prefaces his statement by declaring that good Gunnery depends mainly upon the ofiicers and asserts that the Russian officers were lament ably lacking in training. In the early part of the battle the Russians scored hut one hit to three landed by the Jap anese. In this connection 1t may be said the Japanese had three or four guns in action to one of Russia's, and there was. therefore, nothing very re- markabie about the disparity in hits.
 The commander says that Admiral Rojestvensky should not be criticised Tsushima. It was the wtsest course open to him. The Sugar. strait is long and narrow, the season was foggy and there were many Instructions. Dist ance and coal were against Soya and the time consumed in reaching that entrance would have betrayed the de- sign, and his plight on emerging from Soya would have been much worse than he might reasonably hope for at Tsush- ina. AZ
 The commander insists that the great mistake Of the Russian was in mar shaling their vessels in double column line ahead. From the moment of go- ing int action in this form the Japanese regarded victory as assured. Apart from the impossibiltty of making an or derly form when pursuing such tactics for defensive purposes, there Is the fact that only n few of the ships could bring their guns into action against the Jap aness feet The latter ships were able to concentrate their whole frs upon the leading Russian ships and In return re- ceived only a limited fire. Had the Russians adopted the strategy of ir- viting the hrint Of thet action upen some of their batfieshfps. while the rest broke through and steered for YladivoBtck, the commander believes they would have been partially success fui Instead of doing that they fol- lowed the plan of mutually aiding one another and thus when the head of the battleship column got into trouble the others steamed up and thus put their heads into the lions mouth without be- ing able to accomplish anything com pensatofy.
 Too Low in the Water.
 Discussing the question of sinking battleships and armored cruisers by gun fire, the commander expresses the opinion that the fact that the Rus sian ships were exceptionally low In the water contributed materially to the result The Russian carried large quantities of coal, stores and ammunt- ton and thus weighted down and in rough sea, suffered badly from hits near the water line that would ordina- rily not have been fatal. The com mander says the battle did not. as some claim, prove the superiority fo arms to armor He points out that the newest armor on the Russian ships, mo- tably in the case of the Orel, was not pierced. The proper distribution of armor Is another question. and he says the Russian builders did not appear to have adopted the last mode and prfnct- ples on the subject.
 Commander Akiyama declares that the high seas aided the Japanese gum nery and accentuated the lack of train ing In the Russians; that the abate- ment of the wind and sea at night permitting formidable torpedo attacks. and the luck of the pursuit movements of the Japanese, undertaken the second day of the battle were notable ele- ments in making the victory. Akiya- ma defends Nebogatoff's surrender from severe criticism. Nebogatoff was by twenty-seven ships. the most powerful of Togo's fleet. Had the Russian refused to surrender his ships would have been sunk forthwith. Five or ten minutes would have suf- feed to finish the unpleasant task. Any other course than surrender would have to needless death two thousand officers and men.
 Accurate estimates of the actual Russian casualties are impossible to obtain, but they are far under first es- inmates. The rescued and surrender ed exceed 1000 and. making due al- Iowanoe for those who escaped in the Almaz, Izumrod. Crel, Aurora, Jemt- chug and the auxiliaries. the number lost is somewhere between 2, 900 and $500.