Evening journal., 1905-04-10
BIG NAVAL BATTLE
HOURLY AWAITED
Russian Admiral Sails to
Meet Squadron of Ad-
miral Togo


ond Pacific squadron passed here Sat
urday. The most important lighting
vessels OF the squadron, including the
battleships Kniaz Souvaron, Alexan-
der IL. Borodino and Orel, with their
complement OF cruisers, torpedo boat
destroyerh. etc, did not arrive. and
their whereabouts Is totally unknown.
The vessels which passed Singapore
were the following: Battleships Sissoi
VelilSy and Oleg; cruisers Admiral
Nazhimon, Dmitri Donskoi, Aurora,
Izumrud, Jemtchug, Almaz, Russ. An
adyr. Furst Bismarck, Kaiserin Maria
Theresa. Kaiserin Augusta Victoria,
Kaiser Friedrich, Rion and seven tor
pedo boat destroyers. all sailing under
the naval flag. Under the commercial
flag were the volunteer steamers Vo-
ronez, Kief. Yaroslav, Tambon. Nlad-
imir and Orel, the Russian Navigation
company's steamers Meteor, Jupiter
and Mercury, the East Asiatc COM
pany's steameys Korea and Kaitai, the
North Baltic company steamer Gort-
schakoft, one salvage ship and 16 col
liers
A French ste amer arrived here With
e sailor belonging to the Admiral Max
himoff. who fell overheard and was
picked up off Malacca after having
been 12 hours In the water.
The squadron was led by a large
armored cruiser. Then came the cruis-
ers. colllers, battleships, etc. The col
liers were mostly in the centre OF
the feet. The decks of the warships
we're coal-laden. while the colliers and
the former neutrality-suspicious. liners
we're light OF draft
The feet passed seven miles out and
made no stop The Russian consul,
RoudanovslSy, spoke 60 one OF the tor
pedo boats and to the flagship Of the
wce-admiral. whom he Afforded the
first information of the fall OF Mukden.
The vice-admiral offered no informa-
tion as TO the feet or its intentions.
Steamlng at the rate OF eight knots
an hour, Il took So minutes for the
whole fleet to pass a given point II
was very evident that the ships hulls
we're exceedingly foul. and the vessels
seemed unit for fast manoeuvring.
The crews OF the various ships heartily
cheered Consul Roudanovsky
The vessels are burning soft coal,
and a tremendous smoke was visible
for miles Gangways were not low
cred, and nobody was permitted on
board the vessels No news was
vouchsafed. The only launches al
lowed to approach the feet were those
Of the Russian consul and of the Asso-
ciated Press. Natives lined the sea
front and we're greatly excited.
Artillerymen and submarine miners
were kept at their positions all day.
AS the feet did not touch the harbor
limits. no salutes we're fired
Already In Touch With Togo.
Steaming away from reinforcements,
Vice Admiral Rojestvensky, with the
Russian Baltic squadron is already in
touch with Admiral Togo's scouts
near the Straits of Malacca.
Rear Admiral Nebogatoff sailed Fri
day from Jibutil, French Somaliland,
with one battleship. three armored
coast defense vessels, two swift pro-
tected cruisers and several transports
and destroyers. But Rojestvensky was
apparently so anxious to fight that he
did not wait for Nebogatoif, whose
vessels would have placed the Russian
fleet on an equality with the Japanese.
AS Il Is. by the point system. the fight
/ ing strength OF the Russian and Jap
anese fleets is as 100 10 40, according
to Captain Clado, one Of Russia's lead
ing tacticians.
Meanwhile Admiral Togo's feet is
supposed to be somewhere near Min
danao. the southernmost of the Phil
ippines AS the Russians might have
come through either the Straits Of
Malacca or the Straits OF Sunda, he
chose. a position whence he would be
able. 10 head them off whichever route
they chose.
From his position somewhere in the
Celebes Sea, Togo could command the
entrance Of either passage by means
OF his scouts. which would convey in
/ formation of the Russians movements
in ample time 10 allow him to dispose
his vessels wherever he chose to dis
pute the enemy's advance.
Not more than 1900 miles at most
separated the two fleets when the Rus.
SLAMS reached Singapore. Therefore
/ II is possible that as soon as Togo re-
ceived word of their approach he start
ed to meet them. If that was the case
the battle may come at any hour. The
Japanese fleet is fast and in fine trim
When Port Arthur fell every vessel
was docked and repaired. in prepara
tlon for the combat that seemed inev
table. It Is likely. however, that Togo
will give battle as near Japanese wa
ters as possible, that the damaged
vessels may find refuge in their home
ports.
In every respect the coming battle
will be the greatest naval conflict not
only OF the war, but Of modern times
Never before have such great fleets
sailed TO battle Never have such
powerful squadrons, so heavily armed
and armored. met in open sea. And
never has been more been at stake.
Rojestvensky's venture into the Chi
ma Sea is a direct challenge 10 the
Japanese to settle the whole issue o
the war in one great battle. The Rus
SLAMS will be obliged to make the en-
gagement decisive, since there Is NJ
port to which they can retreat and re
az if defeated. It is the Cars las