Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29

cruise with keen interest are agreed on one
,,oint-that the annihilatibn of the ships was
not accomplished by gun fire alone They
express the emphatic opinion that in many
of the ships the valves were opened and the
crew took to the boats, thus throwing them
selves on the mercy of their enemy. One
rear admiral said he believed the Russians
had been caught In a fog, and confusion con-
founded the result That. with mines
and the fire of the Japanese guns. all served
to bring about the great victory. Nothing
has yet reached the Navy Department from
any of It's attaches about the battle.
Disappointed at Russia's Showing.
Although army and navy officers are Of
icially silent on the subject. 1t Is apparent
that there Is great disappointment In ooeh
military branches, and particularly among
naval officers. at the exceedingly po''
showing made by the Russian Baitic heo'
in its first meeting with Togos squadron.
No secret Is made of the fact thae iho5t
of the naval officers were inclined 10 thltk
that the Japanese would aVoio no...
meeting If 1t could be avoided. anu tna.
IL they We're forced into nght tnat ~
jestvensky would be the victor inns opln-
ion was based on the belief that the rus
sian fleet was the stronger ana that Its
officers had reason to feel comment Oh tIien
ability to whip the Japanese SHIPS WheLo-
ever they met them, under any cIoun,
stances. otherwise they would never Wouiu
have plunged boldly into Japanese WAITS;
Thai this confidence was misplaced ahu
that the Russians were outnaneuFereu anu anu
outfought at every point Is now clearly eVI-
dent from the best Information at hahu'ues
mite the fact that 1t comes from Japanese
Sources But as one naval officer express
cd IL no one, not even the Japanese them
selves expected such a complete ana over
Vhelming victory for the mtkados navy
and the only explanation given of the one
sided battle is that the Russians were com
pIetely panic-stricken at the first attack
and did not fight at all. If 1t is true that
the IapaueSe warShips were uninjured II
would appear that most of the Russians
must have struck their flags without oner-
ing substantial resistance. and that the
Nhips that did not run away in the carry
part OF the engagement surrendered almost
without a struggle. In that event TO quote
a naval officer ut should not be dignit1ed
by the name OF a battle. as one side sim
ply stood supine and allowed itself to be
slaughtered like a lot of sheep.
Conflicting Views as to the Effect.
officials hold conflicting views as to the
effect of this latest great victory OF the
Japanese forces. Some incline to think
that Russia may now be willing to open
negotiations for peace or listen to over
lures 10 that end from a friendly neutral
-,oxer like the United States, but the ma
iorttv take a contrary view. The latter
hold that the resources of Russia are prac-
ttcalIy unlimited and that she VIII continue
the war in the hope of achieving slgnal
victory with her army, now that her navy
ia PRACTICALLY destroyed. In the oft-re-
peated words of a well-known Russian a
temporary defeat of the cZar forces makes
IL necessary that the war shall De 1oush' u
a bitter end.