The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-05-03
THE FLEETS COMPARED.
Rojestvensky Slightly Stronger in
Artillery Than Togo.

Naval officers in Washington are
keyed up to the highest pitch Of inter
est in the impending meeting between
the hostile fleets of Russia and Japan
in the Eastern seas, as they realize
that the battle Will be the greatest
Of modern times, and in many re-
spects the greatest sea fight in history.
It is expected TO show in more decls-
i've manner than any other naval bat
tie since the development Of modern
ships of war the destructive capacity
of armament, the defensive value OF
armor and the general possibilities Of
the tyDes of vessels that have come
into use.
On the purely technical side these
considerations cause our naval experts
to await with keen interest the meet
ing Of the fleets, while on the political
side the interest is not less keen, as
they feel the issue of the battle will
probably be decisive Of the war.
The makeup of the two fleets and
the possible auxiliaries that may join
them have been carefully studied by
an expert of the bureau of navigation.
This study shows that the Russian fleet
is slightly superior to that Of japan in
fighting efficiency. But it is believed
the Japs will more than offset this by
their superior morale.
Strongest in Battleships.
Admiral Rojestvensky has five battle
ships built in 1901-03, which will be
opposed to four japanese battle ships
built in 1896-190O. The Russian battle
ships of this class are the Alexander
III. the Borodina, the Suyaroff, the
Orel and the Oslabya. Commbined
they have Is twelve-inch guns, ten
inch guns, 5S 6-inch guns, 100 twelve
Founders and 100 three-pounders. Ma
val officers compare these ships with
the four japanese battle ships against
which they will doubtless be pitted.
The japanese ships are Mikasa, the
Asaihi, the Shikihima and. the Full.
These four muster the following guns:
Sixteen twelve-inch, no ten-inch, 50
six-inch, 70 twelve Founders and 40
three FOUNDERS.
Rojestvensky has two battle ships Of
the 1S89-1S94 model, which are COM
pared with the japanese battle ship
Chin Yen, built in 1882 The Russian
battle ships of this model are the Sis
sol veliki and the Navarin. They car
ry eight twelve-inch guns, IA six-inch
guns ard 26 three-pounders, against
the following guns mounted on the
Chin Yen: Four twelve-inch, four six
inch and two four-pounders.
AS far as armored cruisers in the
opposing fleets are concerned Admiral
Togo has the advantage, although it
is generally conceded, naval officers
say, that the fighting efficiency Of
modern fleet is best reckoned by the
number OF its battle ships. Admiral
Rojestvensky has only two armored
cruisers. the Nakhimoff and the Dim
itri Douskoff These two ships carry
the following guns: Fourteen six
inch, twenty 4.7-inch guns and nine
teen guns ranging from three to one
Founders. The japanese armored
cruisers are the Adzuma, the Yakume,
the Iwate, the Idzume, the Tokiwa,
the Asuma, the Kasuga and the Mss
hin. They carry these guns: One 10
inch, 80 eight-inch, 104 six inch, 80
12-pounders and AZ two and half
FOUNDERS.
Japan Has Advantage In Cruisers.
Japan seems also to have the advan-
tage in the number Of protected cruis-
ers, none Of which, however, could
last well against the onslaught OF a
battleship. Of protected cruisers built
in 1S84-1903 Japan has Is. They are
the Kasagi, the Chitose, the Itskuishi-
ma, the Nashidate, the Matushima,
the Naniwa, the Tawachite, the Akit-
suhima, the Idzumi, the Akashi, the
Suma, the Chiyoda, the Natucka, the
Tsushima and the Ottawa. These
ships carry the following guns: Three
12.6-inch guns, four 10-inch, four g.
inch, Sc 6-inch, 94 finch guns, 62 12-
Founders, 46 6-pounders, 55 3-pound-
ers and 20 1-pounders.
Against this class Of ships will be
pitted probably the six protected
cruisers with Admiral Rojestvensky.
They are the dig, the Aurora, the
Svietlana, the Jetmchug, the Izun-
rud, and the Almaz. They carry these
guns: Twenty-six e-inch "a 12-
Founders, ~ and 1-pounders. The
statement continues:
c..,,~,o.~, ~ Tho Ar<iIlorv