The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-06-15
IS A PITIFUL STORY
Fo,sian Recital of Causes Contribut.
ing TO Their Defeat
ADMIRAL CRIMINALLY STUPID
Surviving officers Declare that Rojest-
ycnskys Plans, if he Had Any, Were
Known Only to Himself, 50 That
When His Flagship Sunk DemoraIi-
zation Followed.

VladirostOk, BY Cable.-A series of
interviews with naval officers who sur
yired The battle of the Sea of Japan
has developed most sensational story
n the causes Of the Russian disaster.
first Of ALL and the complete demorali-
zatIou which followed the sinking Of
the flagship Kniaz Souvaroff and
woluIing Cf Admiral Rojestvensky.
i is explained that not a single officer
Of the feet knew the commander-in-
chiefs plans. The admirals in COM
mand Of the 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 Ro-
icstvcnsky only once after the juno
tire Of their squadrons, and then only
for fifteen minutes.
All the stories of extensive target
practice in Madagascar, it seems; were
false During the entire voyage
there practically was no training in
gunncry worthy Of the name and the
big gun practice was confined to
three shots per vessel. Ugly stories
are told Of the happenings at NADIA
gascar Some of the crews certainly
were unframed in gunnery, and, ex-
haustcd by the eight months voyage
under trying moral and physical condi-
tiOns, were no match for the veteran
Japanese, whose craftsmanship was
wonderful. The Japanese cOncen-
tratcd their fire on one ship until she
was placed out of action and then on
another thus sucessively sinking the
Oslyaba, Alexander III and KniaZ Sou
VarOff. Some ships developed deplOr-
able structural defects. The Oslyaba
sank without having a single hole be-
low the water line. Heavy seas enter
ed the vessel above the water line,
and the water tight compartments,
Bhch were changed several times dur
ing the voyage, did not stand the
strain they had been calculated to
stand, and burst, flooding and heeling
the vessel oyer until she turned tur-
tie
Lack of hOmOgeniety among the
ships made it impossible to manoeuvre
in harmony.
The Vladimir Monomach. Admira!
Oushakoff and Admiral Seniavin had
to lag behind ON this account, becom-
ing easy victims.
Finally. the ammunition was eX'
haustcd after the first days fight.
Even the very morning of the battle,
while the buzzing of the wireless IN
struments on the Russian ships SNOW
ed that the Japanese scouts were com
municating his dispositions to Admiral
Togo. Admiral Rojestyensky continued
his careless manOeuverlng, and Wnen
the Japanese actually appeared the
Russians were caught in an Impossible
formation and were attacked on tnree
fronts. ROjestvenSky's position was
crampod and his transports were bad
" placed and caused confusion. Wnlle
the Japanese were training proJectlles
even from machine guns on the Rus-
sian ships. the latter were huddled
together. blanketing each others hre:
Only the leaders of the columns could
bring their guns to bear, and even
these the unframed gunners fired
wildly. To render matters worse, the
mines and floating torpedoes so"h III
the paths Of the Russian divisions aoo-
ed to the confusion. The Boroolno,
Admiral Nakhimoff and Navarln 1eli
victims to these distractions.
It is a heartrending narrative, that
Russia and the world should know
The sailors and officers were not al
together to blame. The main fauit
lies elsewhere. There were many ne
roes among the Russians. captain
Berkh. OF the Oslyaba, committed sui
eide on his bridge as the ship sank
rather than save himself. There were
thousands Of other heroes whose
names the world will never know.