The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-02
RUSSIANS STUPEFIED
EXTENT OF DISASTER SUFFERED
BY BALTIC FLEET STUNS
THE ADMIRALTY.

st. Petersburg, May 31-The Rus
sian admiralty is literally stupefied at
the extent of the disaster suffered by
Vice Admiral Rojestvensky's fleet,
and its own advices paint the situation
in even worse colors than the Toxic
dispatches.
The Associated Press Vladivostok
dispatch accounts for only two ships
of the great Russian feet-the cruis-
er Almaz end the tropedo boat destroy
er GroZny-and the absence of news
about the battleship Navarin and the
cruisers Oleg and Aurora, which are
the only fighting ships of any value
not enumerated in the Japanese lists
of destroyed or captured, and which
up to 4:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon
had not reached Vladivostok, renders
almost idle amy hope that they were
able to shake off the pursuing Japa
nese cruisers and reach the shelter of
the fortress at Golden Horn.
The officers of the Almaz dispute
Admiral Togo's claim of victory with
practically no loss and declare they
saw two battleships go down before
their eyes and that two cruisers were
on the point of laundering when they
last distinguished the battling fleets.
But they admit the distance of their
ship from the center of battle and the
fog made the view difficult.
Will Disarm Transports.
Russia has agreed to disarm and
inferno the big fleet of Golfers and
transports sent to the Chinese coast
when Rojestvensky determined to try
and force the Straits of Korea. 1t is
believed here that the admiral did not
want to be hampered by big convoy
in the sea fight AID the decision to
send the convoy to the rear compelled
Rojestvensky to adopt the shortest
route by way of Tsu island, as some of
the ships could not carry enough coal
in their bunkers to steam around
Japan.
Information brought by the Almaz
and published in an official dispatch
is supplemented by the results of the
had by the Associated
Press correspondent at Vladivostok
with the officers of the Almaz and
Crozny This information is incom-
plete as the Almaz being of little use
in battle did not feel the force of the
collision with the Japanese on Sat
urday and made for Vladivostok at
full speed
5 The Almaz lost sight of the fleet on
after the torpedo attacks,
hn
dino and the Orel had gone to the bot
tom, while the Alexander ILL., had been
badly damaged.
Captain Chagin of the AlmaZ gives
it as his opinion that the Prince
Souvaroff was blown up by subma-
rine boats. He gives the number OF
Japanese torpedo boats participating
In the attack as 80.
Illuminating to Russians.
Tokio's account of the arrival of
captured warships at Japanese ports
was more humiliating to the Russian
naval authorities than the news of the
defeat
The opinion expressed here is that
nothing can excuse the failure of the
Russian commanders to sink their
ships under their feet rather than to
allow them to fall into the enemys
hands.
The question of inaugurating peace
is not likely to be opened
until full reports Of the Russian dis
aster have been received. The war
party continues it's defiant attitude
and declares that peace is impossible,
while many Russians who heretofore
have been in favor of peace, but who
are now Inundated by the sting OF the
defeat of their navy, are giving their
voice in favor of continuation of the
war. Nevertheless, the peace party
insists on the absolute futility of pro-
longing the struggle.
Ever slow to reach decision, 1t is
that the government will
decide on the course it will pursue un-
til after battle has been begun in Man.