The San Francisco call., 1905-05-30

ing that the bRttleshiB hn1nA SouNa-
rof, Admiral RoJestvensky's flagship,
went down in the action and that Ad-
miraI ROjestvensky was lost.
CALL BUREAU. POST BUILDING,
WASHINGTON. May 29.-The Russian
Baltic feet which was sent 10 the Far
East TO wrest the supremacy of the sea
from Japan has practically been de-
stroxed. with every indication that It's
nnnfhfIatfon soon will be complete and
Vice Admiral ROjestvensky, Its brave
commander, has gone down TO d9atn
with his flagship, the battleshtp kntaz
Souvaron. This fs the belief In the
NAVY Department to-day, based on con-
adenflaf reports which are regarded as
authentic.
Admiral Rojestvensky's message to
the Gar. sent when he entered East
ern waters, was:
IF I am victorious, ! shall inform
you. If am vanauished. Togo viii IN
Sorm you"
American naval officers who have
followed his course believed he would
make good his boast. and they ae-
cent as certain that as between death
and surrender he chose the former
The source of the information regard
ing the Russian flagship and the death
Of the fleet commander is not divulgeos
butnthe manner in which it was made
public indicates that 1t is fully
credited
Another report received at the Navy
Department from a source which,
while not official, is regarded as per-
fectly reliable, states that Admiral
Toge's victory is much more sweeping
than was indicated by his official re-
port. and that more than two-thirds OF
the Russian ships have been sunk or
captured. while the others are being
pursued with every indication that
most of them will be sent to the bot
tom or added to the already long list
OF prizes.
II the Navy Departments later infor-
nation fs correct, two more battIeships
have been put out of cOmmission, either
by sinking or capture, since Togo re-
ported, and IL In supposed that one OF
these was Admiral ROiestvensky's nag
ship, which escaped the nrst disaster
and probably was Overhauled as she
rest Of hia feet.
This latter report is credited at the
Navy Department not only on account
Of its trustworthy source. but be-
cause il fits in with Admiral Togos
report, which showed that his ships
had scattered in pursuit OF the Rus
SLAMS. II is regarded as quite probable
that news Of the destruction or cap
ture or some of the fueitives may have
reached the shore, through unofficial,
but, none the less, reliable sources be-
fore. il could be communicated by Ad-
miral Togo
In view Of the vastly superior 2ccu-
racy OF the Japanese gunf1re, which
was attested to by the results OF To-
SOS attacks on. Saturday and Sunday.
Il is considered probable that all OF
the Russian ships were so badly Grip
pied that their comparatively urinjur-
ed pursuers viii be able to overhaul
them before they reach Vladirostok-
For such OF the ships as reach the
haven for which they are being driven
there can be no hope OF escape. The
naval experts agree that, even II all
the Russian ships which had escaped
destruction or capture up TO the time
the last report was sent to the Navy
Department should reach Viadivostok,
they would not constitute a force
strong enough to essay a sortie against
the blockading feet which the Jap
anese Will throw around that harbor.
There would be nothing for them to
do but TO lie in the harbor and wait
for Niadivostok 70 follow the fate of
Port Arthur.
Therefore, according to the strate-
Eists, the complete destruction OF the
Baltic Aeet already has been accepted,
for II IL no longer a fnctor in the war.
There was amazemert among naval
officers to-day when Admiral Togo's
report OF his sweeping victory was
transmitted through the State Depart
ment. This was intensified this even
ing when the Navy Department re-
ceived its own advices. telling of addi-
tionaI Russian disasters.
The ma jority of American naval Of
fcers are Russian sympathfzers. They
were confident in the belief that, even
If Admiral Rojestvensl1y were not VIC
torio0s. he would ini3ict such serious
damage upon the japanese as to leave
the result Of the battle in doubt They
expected that enough OF his vessels
would reach Nladivostok to constitute
q prolonged menace TO the Japanese.
Even those officers who are most pro-
nounced in their sympathy for Japan
looked for no such decisive victory as
that which Togo has won. They ex-
pected him to win, but at the loss Of
many of his ships.
Friends Of both Russia and Japan at
tribute the amazing result OF the great
est naval battle the world has ever
known TO the strategy Of Togo first of
ali and. after that. 10 the accuracy of
his gunfire and to the superior morale
ia the Japanese navy. Togo is pro-
claimed as one of the greatest naval
strateEists in history, If not the very
greatest. He fought the battle accord
ing to his own plans and he did not
move until conditions were such that
al Of his carefully laid plans could be
carried out TO the letter. His strategy
was more than a match for the supe-
rior force against him and the over
wheiming defeat of the flower Of the
Russian navy is attributed much more
TO the genius OF the mighty Togo than
TO the ships under his command.
American strstegists do not doubt that
Togo has taught them some new lessons
IN naval warfare. but they say details
of the engs cement must be received be-
fore they can profit by his experience.
Champions OF the battleship and advo-
Gates OF torpedo boats are both claiming
that their arguments have been greatly
strengthened by the hattie, but neither
side has any conclusive details on which
to base its claims.
The .exponents of torpedo boats insist
that il is evident from the very nature
Of the result that most Of the Russian
losses were inflicted in the torpedo boat
attack under cover OF. darkness on Sat
urday night. The supporters OF the bat
tleship as the most powerful and i'm
portant factor In naval warfare contend,
on the other hand, that IL is much more
sf-o& 1so Il. eelsf