Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-27

the young officer will find on his trans. fer to battleship. There are train ing school for gunners and a torpedo school at Cronstadt, where is also the divers school hulk. Here the instruc. tion afforded is of practical nature
 'It is usual in Russia to launch a ship in less forward condition than those that take the water with us, and crew is instantly told of to her. But 1t does not follow that the crew goes on board. In fact, it would be very much in the way of the carpenters, plate layers, riveters and various other workmen. No, the crew, with Diana or Pallada inscribed In gold letters on Its cap ribbons and impeccable as to greatcoats, brass buttons, boots, etc., continues to tramp about the streets of St. Petersburg Cronstadt or Sevasto- pol, living and learning with the other equipages in barracks. Then come the ships trials. It is absolutely necessary that these should give the most favor. able results. Consequently the trial is put off day after day until the seas surface Is without a ripple and not a breath of wind blows. The coal is all hand picked, and special crews of stoE. CTS are told off who are intimately ac. quainted with the engines and boilers in all their bearings. And off starts the Fri Svititelia or the Dvenadsat Aposto- lov, to witch the world with the ac- count of her noble seaworthiness.
 "The minds of Russian naval officers must be cast in truly Panglossian mold. Once the ship is in commission, she must, if she remains at home, lie idle for six months. It is not the fault of Russian sailors if their seas are closed by ice for a considerable portion of the year. But in the south the record is no better. Villefranche, Toulon, AL giers, are seldom without Russian guest. T. myself remember the old Mi min for six weeks in the harbor of Port Royal. And after three weeks cruise, in which, of course, several other har. bors were visited, back she came again for another months stay. It may be that coal is too costly or orders from home imperative, but still it strikes the stranger that the Russian sailor is in- ordinately fond of life in port. When there the amusements offered for his distraction are not always of a nature to promote his efficiency.
 The whole conception of his profess sion by Russian naval officer is in- trinsically false. His idea is to pre- serve, not to risk. his ships. With this object in view he piles stone on stone and ranges gun over gun in land for tresses surrounding his naval ports or dockyards. Under these his ships ride silently at anchor. 1 remember show ing a series of articles of great value that appeared in the Times Q4ondon) to Russian officer of distinction some years ago. My remark to him after their perusal was, Well. after all, the soundest strategy in naval warfare is to bring your ships alongside those of the enemy The admiral. who had oc- , cupied the post of minister of marine for time, made truly characteris- tically Russian reply, 'Yes-that is, if you have enough of them
 ''The sailor should look on the sea as the mistress he loves, not as fury to be feared. Success will never fol low if we shut up ships in port in war or teach sailors a soldiers trade in peace. Bravery no one will deny to the Russian officer or sailor. but he must alter his mode of living-his whole training, in fact-if he wants to compete with the navies of today"