Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-25
R|U[%1V[N@KY
NOT JUSTIFIED
Commission of Inquiry Into
North Sea Incident Makes
Public Its Findings
MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
Report Says While the AdmiraIs Be-
Iieve Rojestvensl<y Was Not Justified
In Firing on Trawlers, They Think
Circumstances Were Such as to be
Just Cause For Alarm.

Paris, Feb. 25.-The international
commission of inquiry into the North
Sea incident publicly announced it's
decision at the closing of the session
today. The commission finds that
"Opening of fire by Admiral Rojestven-
SHY was not justified" The decision
lengthily sets forth the circumstances
and incidents and gives the opinion of
the admirals on the various important
points involved. The decision says the
delay of the Russian transport Kams-
chatka following a breakdown of her
machinery was perhaps the cause Of
the incident. The commander of
Isamschatka signalled to Admiral
Fsojestvensky during the evening he
had been attacked by torpedo boats.
1,he admiral, therefore, had reason to
tt.lieve he was attacked and gave orders
for strict vigilance against possible
approach Of torpedo boats The ma
i5rity Of the commission considers Ro-
Iestvensky's orders were not excessive
In time of war, particularly under the
reason to consider the situation very
,.isionl says recognizes, unanimously,
that the fishing fleet committed no hos
tile act, majority of the commissions
,.rs being of the opinion that there
were not, neither among the fishing
boats nor in their vicinity, any tor
pedo boats, and the opening of fire by
n ,cff fo1
The decision further says that the
Russian commissioner did not share in
the latter opinion.
'.In any event. the decision contin-
ues, the commissioners are glad to
recognize, unanimously, that Rojest-
vensky personally did all he could from
the commencement to the end to pre-
vent the trawlers from being the b.
ject of fire by the Russian squadron"
Concerning the squadrons proceed
ing without assisting the damaged
trawlers, 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 his
route. However, the majority regrets
that the admiral did not inform neigh
boring maritime powers of what had
occurred"
The decision concludes as follows:
1.-THE commissioners declare their
views as formulated are not Of a nature
to cast any disrespect upon the mill
tary valor nor upon the sentiments Of
humanity, or Admiral Rojestvensky and
the personnel of his squadron"
Admiral Fournier, president of the
commission, read the decision with the
impressive silence of the spectators
following it minutely. The general inn
preston among the audience was that
the decision was in the nature of a
compromise as majority approved of
the British contention that no torpedo
boats attacked Rojestvensky's squad
ron; that therefore his opening fire
was not justified and as a majority also
approved Of the Russian contention
that Rojestvensky acted according to
his belief even tho mistaken, and that
therefore, his action did not depend
upon his military valor or sentiments
of humanity. Fournier closed the COM
mission with a speech Of thanks to it's
members
A significant exchange of remarks
was made by Sir Edward Fry, repre-
senting Great Britain and Baron
Taube, representing Russia. Both
spoke in a most amicable spirit and
eulogized arbitration.