New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-09
WAR AT SEA.

The scene OF military interest is shiIteu lIoii'
the wintry hills of Manchuria TO the SUMMER
seas OF Malaysia ScOned at and scorheu-"ii1
on the face Of il not without cause.-The seconu
Russian fleet has actually crossed the Indiah
Ocean and has entered those narrow southern
seas in which the japanese are somewhere lyl"s
in wait for it, We have hitherto described II a.
a desperate enterprise, and there as YET appears
no cause for change of judgment; but more than
one Russian before Rojestvensky has shown
himself capable Of daring such venture ana
of acquitting himself manfully In IT, whether
for victory or for disaster What this admlrai
will show himself in battle we can only con-
lecture though we may have it revealed 10 US
at any hour. At least he has gone to meet MS
fate with unhinching expedition, and he gives
us reason to expect some thrilling news Wheh
he and the both wary and truculent Togo shan
have come within range Of each other There
should be such battle royal as the WOrld mas
scarcely witnessed since Trafalgar
Upon the face Of it, the Russian feet should
have chance Of winning. That is TO say, it is
upon paper by far the more powerful in the
most powerful Of its elements. Just how many
ships they have sent down thither the japanese
have carefully concealed. 1t has been said they
include only two battleships. If they have sent
their entire navy, they are still overwhelmed Dy
the Russians in the supreme element OF Datue-
Ships by odds Of seven ships to five, or OF SI'oIz
tons TO 8497O In the auxiliar elements, of
cruisers and mosquito craft, the Japanese doubt
less have some advantage. Striking balance,
the two fleets would seem TO be so evenly
matched that a very little might turn the scale
in favor Of either The element Of uncertainty,
however. lies in this-that the strength of the
Russian feet is in its heavy battleshlps, whle
that OF the Japanese is in its cruisers and tor
pedO boats, and there has never been convinc-
ing demonstration of the comparative efficiency
of the one class against the other. This is the
first time two so powerful fleets apparently so
evenly matched and yet in fact so dissimilar
have confronted each other in a general engage
ment On that account this should prove to be
battle as instructive TO naval powers through
out the world as it will probably be important
TO the two which are engaged IN it. 1t should
do more than any other battle in history to de-
termine the relative eficiencies and values OF
heavy and light warships
There are, however other factors in the prob
lem besides those apparent in the respective
navy lists Most of the Russian ships are new.
Indeed they were hastily finished TO meet this
emergency They have never yet been tried in
battle The drill they have had for weeks in
the friendly waters of the French colonies has
done little, no doubt, to get them into working
trim; but they are still at a grave disadvantage
against the Japanese ships, which have been
in numerous actions and have been thoroughly
tested in every conceivable manner. Moreover,
it is scarcely probable that the Russian ships,
after their long stay in tropical seas are in as
clean condition as the Japanese which have re
Gently come from the dockyards, where they
were cleaned and polished as are racing yachts.
Again. from Admiral Rojestvensky down, the
Russians are untried and inexperienced men,
who have never yet fired upon foe or stood be-
fore a hostile shot Whatever may be their
native valor we can scarcely expect them to
acauit themselves as efficiently the seasoned
veterans who for a year have been sighting
their guns with hostile shells hurtling about
them and have been using an enemys warships
for their targets. If to these things we add,
what we may justly add, that the Russians are
not and never have been seafaring race while
the Japanese have from time immemorial been
as much at home on sea as on the land, we shall
see that whatever paper margin there may ap-
pear in favor of Rojestvensky is painfully mar
rowed. If not wholly destroyed, by the practical
advantages which Togo enjoys.
Yesterday morning the Russians, forty seven
strong at least, We're seen steaming down the
Malacca Strait At mid-afternoOn they had
PASSED Singapore without a halt. and had
emerged upon the China Sea, headed for the
hospitable harbor of Saigon. japanese scouts
were lowering about but the exact place Of the
Japanese fleet itself was not yet disclosed we
may be certain it was not far away. The Anam-
ha and Natuna islands afford good hiding
places That the Japanese would not meet the
Russians in the straits was a foregOne cOnclu-
sion. Considering the comparative composition
of the fleets. it is to the advantage of the Jap
anese to fight in the open where there is ample
room Moreover. it was not desirable To fight
where a few minutes steaming might carry a
shin into neutral waters But unless the Jap
anese have devised some policy beyond the
worlds present ken, we may expect the waters
of Nan Hal. somewhere between the straits and
the Mekong. I'm the next few hours to he the
scene Of a conflict which may mark an epoch in
the naval history of the world.
. ,rrA-ACu tn EJAGAPA