The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1905-06-14
CAUSE OF RUSSIAN DISASTER.
Complete Decentralization Followed
Sinking of Their Flagship.

Vladivostok, June 13.-A series OF
interviews with naval officers who sur.
vived the battle Of the Sea Of Japan
has developed most sensational story
of the causes Of the Russian disaster
first of all, and the complete demorali-
zation which followed the sinking Of
the flagship JAliaz Souvaroff and the
wouuding of Admiral Rojestvensky.
1t is explained that not single
officer of the feet knew the comman-
| der-in-chief's plans, The admirals In
command Of divisions knew no more
than the sub-lieutenants and had to
rely only on the signals Of the flag
ship.
Admiral Nebogatoff, on whom the
command devolved, had seen Rojest-
Of their squadrons and then only for
Is minutes.
All the stories of extensive target
practice in Madagascar, 1t seems, were
false. During the entire voyage there
was practically no training in gunnery
worthy the name and the big gun
practice was confined to three shots
per vessel.
Ugly stories are told Of the happen
ings at Madagascar. Some of the
crews certainly were unframed in
gunnery, and, exhausted by the eight
months voyage under trying moral and
physical conditions, were no match
for the veteran Japanese, whose marks
manship was wonderful.
They concentrated their fire on one
ship until she was placed out of action
and then on another, thus successfully
sinking the Oslabya, Alexander III
and Kniaz Souvaroff.
Some ships developed deplorable
structural defects. The Oslabya sank
without having single hole below
the water line. Heavy seas entered
the vessel above the water line and
the water tight compartments, which
were changed several times during the
voyage, did not stand the strain they
had been calculated to stand and
burst, flooding and heeling the vessel
over until she turned turtle.
The lack of homogenity among the
ships made 1t impossible to maneuver
in harmony. The Vladimir Mononacj,
Admiral Oushakoff and Admiral Semi
avin had to lag behind on this account,
becoming easy victims.
Finally the ammunition was ex-
hausted after the first days fight.
Even the very morning of the bat
tie, while the buzzing of the wireless
instruments on the Russian ships
showed that the Japanese scouts were
communicating his dispositions to
Admiral Togo, Admiral Rojestvensky
continued his ceaseless maneuvering,
and when the Japanese actually ap-
peared the Russians were caught in
an impossible formation and were at
tackled on three fronts.
Rojestvensky's position was cramped
and his transports were badly placed
and caused confusion, while the Jap
anese were raining projectiles even
Oll lllt suns Oll bhC lSuooith
ships. The latter were huddled to-
gether, blanketing each others fire.
Only the leaders of the columns could
bring their guns to bear and even
on those the unframed gunners fired
wildly.
To render matters worse the mines
and floating torpedoes sown in the
paths of the Russian divisions added
to the confusion. The Borodino, Ad-
miral Nakhimoff and Navarin fell vic
tins of these distractions.
1t is a heartrending narrative that
Russia and the world should know.
The sailors and officers were not al
together to blame. The main fault
lies elsewhere There were many
heroes among the Russians. Captain
Berkh of the Oslabya committed
suicide on her bridge as the ship sank
rather than save himself There were
thousands of other heroes whose names
the world will never know.