The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-26

! Ut. PETERSBURG, May 25.-Admi-
! raj Avellan, head of the Russian
admiralty department. confirms
| the Associated Press dispatches saying
/ Vice Admiral Rojestvensky is steaming
north to give battle TO Admiral Togo.
/ He considers it possible that news that
the two fleets have met may be received
any day
In an interesting interview Admiral
AveIlan reaftirms the official denial of
the reports that ROiestvensky has
/ broken down and asked TO be relieved
Avellan says ROjestveusky sent de
tailed reports of the condition of his
own health and of the health of the
crews of his ships. The constant ten
sion and hard work of the past few
months have been d great strain to the
admiral's health.
No Spirit of Rivalry.
Even before he left said AveIIau.
"ROJeStVensky was sufferer from
kidney trouble. but his health Is no
worse His reports breathe a spirit of
strength resoIUteness and confidence.
and other reports show he has inspired
his crews with the confidence of their
commander. AS a matter of fact, it is
not ROjestvensky but Vice Admiral
NOelkersam who has suffered from the
long stay in the tropics The appoint
meHt of Vice Admiral Birileff as sue
ceSSOr to Vice Admiral Skrydloff at
NladivOstO6 will i'm no wise affect RO-
jestvensky's status. The latter's mis-
sion as chief OF the fleet Is to take it TO
NladiVOStOk- There Will be no antag-
onISm when he gets there The two
admiTals are on excellent terms which
began long ago when Rojestvensky
served under BiriIeff Both are iron
discipIinarians and Rojestvensky Will
give his superior the same obedience
that he demands Of his subOrdinates."
Battle Expected.
DO you anticipate a sea fight SOON
the admiral was asked. He replied:
Certainly The japanese cannot af-
ford to allow ROjeStvensky to reach
NladlVOStOk without an enga cement ]
personally expectit to take place in the
near future, though | admit the ad-
miTalty knows nothing of Rojestven-
Sky's strategy or plans the emperor
having accorded him complete freedom
of action. Possibly. it is his present
purpose to seek Admiral Togo and
force a fight, but it is more probable
that ROjeStvensky IS bound for his base
at VladivOstOk- However. I can say
nothing definite OF this point
In response to suggestion that Togo
might Intentionally allow ROjestvensky
to get to NladivOstOk. contenting him
self with torpedo attacks while the
Russians are on their way there and
then try to bottle ROjestvensky up in
VladivOstOk, Admiral AvelIan smiled
and said:
Will Force Togo To Fight
The story Of Port Arthur will not be
repeated ROjestvensky is not the kind
oil =
in a port. II he gets to VIadivOstok ne
Will not rest on his laurels but viii
seek an engagement. He viii try to
wrest the mastery of the sea from Togo
There are many ways~tO lombard one
&C the coast cities to force Togo to ap-
pear in its defense" i
Admiral Avellan repudiated the re-
ports that a number Of chartered col !
liers sent to VIadivostok were captured
by the Japanese owing to the couniv-
ance of their captains. who arranged {
to receive half the price Of their car
goes for betraying their route and time
Of departure The admiral explains
that the Golfers were lost through de
lay in the receipt of orders teIe-
graphed to them by the admiralty to go /
10 VIadivOstok by way Of Ia Perouse !
straits instead of through the Straits /
of Korea Two of these vessels which !
passed through Ia PeroUse straits ar
rived safely at NladivOstOk.
Hard Work for Scouts.
A private letter from the commander
Of one of ROjestvensky' torpedo boat 1
destroyers. mailed at Saigon describes
the fleets passage Of the Indian ocean.
The writer says the hard work fell on
the light cruisers and torpedo boat de-
stToycTs under Vice Admiral EnUuist. /
which y. ere constantly scouting ahead (
and communicating the approach of /
vessels so as to- permit RojestvenSkv
10 change his course and steer clear of !
them. his desire being TO avoid discov- /
cry before he reached the China sea. in
which he was successful. Considerable
was experienced at times in
cOaling from the transports at sea. eS-
peCially in the case Of the torpedo boat /
destrOyers- The officer adds that after
the long voyage they were looking for /
ward with relief to the coming battle. /
He says his torpedo boat destroyer will !
be TeprOvisiOned at Saigon.
Admiral Birilef left St Petersburg
for NladivostOk today by special train. |
All other trains viii be sidetracked i'm /
order to enable his train to get to VIad- !
ivoStOk quickly. The admiral expects 1
to make Il record trip in order to reach /
his post before ROjestvensky arrives.
Several tTainlOadS of coal are on their
way to NIadivOStOk