Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-07-01
RO]ESTVHNSKY'S loss
EXPERTS DISCUSS DETAILS
If HOW 1T HAPPENED
PLAYED IN POOR LUCK AS TO
WIND AND WEATHER AND
HIS MEN COULDN'T
SHOOT STRAIGHT,

beut nOTtnWaTu u search LOT husslan
ships returned yesterday. The cruls-
ers Iwate and Yakumo and other YES.
sells sent southwark to find Russian
ships returned today. They thorough
ly searched the Shanghai course from
Tsushima and vicinity. but on both
sides found no trace Of the Russians"
Admiral Shimamura, on board the
cruiser Iwate, reports: During the
battle on May eth, at 1907 p. m, the
cruiser Iwate vigorously attacked the
protected cruiser Jemtchug at a dis.
lance Of 5000 meters. The Jemtchug
sank In one minute. The loss OF the
Jemtchug Is therefore confirmed. Dur.
ing the engagement fire broke out on
the Jemtchug and smoke concealed
the hull Of the vessel. Consequently
the remainder OF our feet were unable
to see the ship"
Causes Of Russian Defeat
The cardinal causes OF Rojestven.
sky's defeat have been the subject of
general discussion here. One japanese
expert gives the following analysis:
First, an imperfect reconnaissance
and incomplete. faulty and misleading
intelligence. Second, an imperfect
battle formation, which indicated that
Rojestvensky did not expect to meet
Togo off Tsushima. Third, the wealth.
err, the direction Of the wind and the
sunlight were unfavorable to the Rus.
slams. Togo having the sun behind him
and firing with the wind, while the
Russians had the sunlight In their eyes
and fired against the wind. Fourth.
the Russians wasted their ammuni.
ton and eventually ran short. II is
believed that the surrender of Neboga-
toff was necessary because his ammu.
milton had been expended. Fifth, the
marked inferiority OF Russian qua.
merry"
Some experts criticise RojestvenS.iy
for essaying the Tsushima channel.
Others uphold him, saying that his
only chance lay in going through that
channel. The impression prevails
that Rojesttensky was totally una.
ware of the presence of Togos entire
fleet of Tsushima. Many believe that
It was necessary fer Togo to take a
station at a pivotal point from which
! It would be possible to intercept the
Russians entering either Tsushima,
Tsugaru or Soya channels. Calcula-
tons placed this pivotal point on the
west coast. near the western en-
trance of the Tsugaru channel. Togos
Japanese. but the secret was success
fully guarded; another example Of the
willingness and ability of the japanese
to preserve military secrets.
Well Trained by Togo.
, Leaving aside the questions OF pre-
paredness and superior conditions, the
superiority Of the personnel fresh
. paigning. under all possible condi
tons, must be taken into considera
tion. Many ascribe the victory entire
ly to the superior craftsmanship OF
the japanese. Togo, realizing that II
would probably be necessary to fight
in the open sea, gave his crews lone
training in firing during rough wealth
err with heavy wind blowing and the
ships rolling. When the hostile fleets
met the superiority OF the japanese
Immediately became evident. The
sinking of battleships and armored
cruisers by shell fire testihes to the
deadly accuracy OF the japanese guns
and destroys the theory that II Is i'm
possible to sink such ships by shell
FIRE.
The attitude OF japanese naval mel
toward victory is curious. Togo''
message to the Emperor saying ina
the victory was the result OF the EN-
peror's superhuman influence strikes
the keynote OF the navy's attitude. INT
officers openly say that the marvellous
result obtained was Impossible D!
mere human achievement alone