Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-30
RUSSIAN VIEWPOINT
Awful Disaster Brought
Home to Government.
GIVES UP ALL HOPE
RUSSIAN ADMIRALTY NOW AD-
MITS THE WORST.
Bitter Over Defeat and Utter Ami
hilation of Russian Squadron
Rojestvensky's Fate.

a cable from St. Petersburg last night
says: After waiting vainly all day and
evening for direct news from the scattered
remnants of Vice Admiral Rojestvensky's
destroyed and beaten fleet, the Russian ad-
miralty al midnight no longer attempted
to hold out against the overwhelming evil
dence pouring in from all directions that
the fleet on which all their hopes were CEN
tered had suffered a greater disaster than
did the combined French and Spanish fleets
at Trafalgar.
More bitter even than defeat is the Jap
ancse claim of the virtual humiliation of
the Russian fleet with practically no loss on
their side and many officers cling dOggedly
to the belief that Vice Admiral Togo must
have suffered heavily.
With every ship of Rear Admiral Nebo
gaton's reinforcing division either sent to
the bottom or forced to strike its flag and
only six of Rojestvensky's original sixteen
lighting ships absent from the list of the
vessels sunk or captured, and with the Jap
anese pursuit still continuing. no naval au-
thority has the temerty to dream that
Russia can again attempt to wrest the mas
terry of the sea from Japan in the present
The captured warships alone Will furnish
Japan with ready made re-enforcements
which will he more than match for the
fourth Pacific squadron, now about to sail
from Cronstadt.
The emperor was completely Frustrated
by the news and according to reports, he
broke down and wept.
Blow to the Government.
The effect of the disaster will be a ter
ribIe blow to the government. The futility
of trying to stagger on on land is every
where recognized and the cry for peace
at any price" is sure to be raised. This
~ 1. iS cannot
resist such a cry. Indeed. the radical lib
erals are openly rejoicing in this hour of
their cCuntry's humiliation. They declare
that the disaster means peace and consti-
tuition. and that the deaths of thousands
of their fellOw-countrymen and the loss or
over a hundred million dollars worth of
warships is not too big price to pay
The friends of peace in the government
are already rerroachtng the war party with
forcing the issue between Togo and Ro-
ieStVensky. When the fleet appeared in the
Straits of Malacca they tried vainly TO per-
suade the emperor that the time was OPP
perfume for the opening of peace negotla-
tons. but the war party convinced MS
ma ieSty. and Rojestvensky, for the honor
of the navy insisted that the fleet should
be given a chance TO retrieve the disasters
suffered on land.
Diplomats entertain no doubt that the
belligerent faction will continue to urge
that the war be fought to the bitter end,
but the friends of Russia abroad. and espe-
cially France. are now bringing Overwhelm-
ing arguments to bear in favor of peace
The Associated Press has excellent rea-
son to believe that the Russian government,
In this crisis, will turn to NJ Delcasse, the
French foreign minister, in whose ability
and in whose loyalty Russia's friend the
emperor and his ministers have implicit con
fideuce. Some time ago it appeared likely
that President Roosevelt would play big
role in the peace negotiations, but now his
share is apt to be determined by NJ. Del
cases decision. The latter may, of course,
consider it wise to place the negotiations
in President RooseVelts hands.
The war party, however, viii insist now,
as they did after the battle of Mukden,
that peace is impossible on the heels of
defeat. The members of this faction are
already procaiming that the naval dis
aster in nOwise alters the situation on land
Lieut.. Gen. Linevitch having prepared his
plans if the fleet did not exist.
The censorship is taking the position that
it is improper 10 accept the japanese re-
ports in the absence of official news, and
has forbidden the publication of foreign
dispatches giving details of the defeat.
Nevertheless, news of the magnitude of the
disaster spread like wildfire throughout the