The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-25
BLAMES RUSSIA.
International North Sea Com
mission Renders It's Decision.
Action of Admiral Rojestvensky
Was Not Justified.
NO TORPEDO BOATS.
NO TORPEDO Bt
Commission Comedies that Rus
SLAMS Thought There We're.
Cars Admiral Should Have Re-
ported More Promptly.

Paris, Feb 25.@The international COM
mission on the North sea incident finds
that the opening of fire by Admiral
Rojestvensky was not justified"
The decision of the international COM
mission inquiry into the North sea
incident was publicly announced at the
closing session of the commission today.
The decision lengthiIy sets forth the
circumstances and incidents and gives
the opinion of the admirals on the vari-
GUS important points involved. The de-
cision says the delay of the Russian
transport kamtchatka following the
breakdown of her machinery was per-
haps the cause of the incident. The
commander of the Kamtchatka signal
led to Admiral Rojestvensky during the
evening that he had been attacked by
\ torpedo boats. The admiral therefore
had reason to believe he was attacked
and gave orders for strict vigilance
against the possible approach of torpe-
do boats.
The majority of the commission con-
| siders that Admiral Rojestvesnky's or
4 ders were not excessive in time of war,
particularly under the circumstances
and that he had every reason to con-
slider the situation very alarming. THE
commission" the decision says, 'recog-
nize unanimously that the fishing fleet
committed no hostile act and the ma
I
the opinion that there was not, either
among the fishing boats nor in their
| vicinity any torpedo boats, the opening
of fire by Admiral Rojestvensky was
not justified
The decision further says the Rus
sian commissioner did not share in the
| latter opinion.
In any event." the decision contin-
ues, the commissioners are glad to rec
ognize unanimously that Admiral Ro-
jestvensky personally did all he could
from the commencement to the end to
prevent the traWlerS from being the OBJ
ject of fire by the Russian squadron"
Concerning the squadrons proceed
ing without assisting thea damaged
ira Wlers, the decision says:
The commissioners are unanimous
that under the circumstances preceding
and following the incident that there
was such uncertainty concerning the
danger to the squadron as to warrant
Admiral ROjestvensky in continuing bis
route.
However, the majority regrets that
the admiral did not inform the neghbor-
ing maritime powers of what had oC-
cured
The decision concludes as follows:
1.-THE commissioners declare that their
views as formulated are not of a ma
ture to cast any disrespect upon the
military valor nor upon the sentiments
Of humanity of Admiral Rojestvensky
and the personnel of his squadron
England Is Satisfied.
London, Feb. 25.-The foreign Office
received the findings of the North sea
commission with apparent equanimity
but declined to give out any official ex-
preston of opinion thereon An official
said to the Associated Press:
THE finding Of the commission is
final. We therefore must be satisfied
and it would be in bad taste for US to
express dissatisfaction"
The Associated Press understands un-
officially, however, that the foreign Of
flee is well pleased with the findings.
The findings were received in London
with every sign OF qualification which
was all the more marked because OF
the premature reports that the decision
of the admirals had been of an anti
British character. The whole report is
regarded here as discrediting the Rus
sian case even the phrase that the fir
ing was not unduly prolonged. which
seems to afford a certain justification
for opening the firing, is at the same
time taken as implying that the Rus
SLAMS continued to fire after they had
discovered their mistake. The definite !
finding of the admiralS that no tOrpe-
do boats were at the scene Of the in |
cident gives considerable satisfaction |
and it is pointed out that the British |
contentious were further upheld in the !
finding that the trawlers Crane and |
Aurora were the boats the Russians
mistook for torpedo boats.
The closing session of the commits
sion presented a brilliant scene The
spacious salon of the foreign office
was CIOWQSQ With prominent OTnCldlS.
men of the diplomatic corps, including
the Russian, British and American
ambassadors, members of the Jap
anese legation, officers of the army
and navy, judges of the highest
French courts and the wives and other
relatives of members of the commits
sion- Contrary to expectation the ad-
mirals forming the commission did not
wear full uniforms but appeared in
ordinary civilian dress
Admiral FOurnier president of the
conn mission, read the decision amid an
impressive silence, the spectators fol-
lowing it minutely. The general i'm
preston among the audience was that
the decision was in the nature of a
compromise, as the majority approved
the British contention that no torpedo
boats attacked Admiral Rojestvensky'
squadron and that therefore his open
ing fire was not justified, and as the
majority also approved the Russian
contention that Admiral Rojestvensky
acted according to his belief, even
though mistaken. and that therefore
his action did not reflect upon his
military valor or sentiments of human
ity. Admiral Fournier closed the
commission with a speech of thanks
to its members. He said that each
of them would return to his country
bearing as recompense for his labors
the legitimate satisfaction of duty well
They left behind them
a profound impression Of esteem for
the devotion in which the difficult task
had been performed.
A significant exchange of remarks
was made by Sir Edward Frye. rep
resenting Great Britain, and Baron
Taube, representing Russia. Both
spoke in the most amicable spirit and
eulogized the arbitration. Sir Edward
said:
events ever brought before an interna-