Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-25
CAUSE OF INCIDENT ASSIGNED.
Probably Was Delay Of Transport
Kamtchatka, Following Break
Down Of Machinery.
COMMANDER SlGNALLe0 ADMIRAL
Was to Effect that lie Had Been Az.
tackled This Gave Admiral Reason
To Believe lie Had Been.

Paris, Feb 25--The International
commission on the North Sea incident
finds that the opening OF fire by Adj
mlral RoiestvcnsN WAS not justified"
The decision Of the international COM
mission on inquiry into the North sea
incident was publicly announced at
the closing session OF the commission
today The decision lengthily sets
forth the circumstances and incidents
and gives the opinion OF the admirals
on the various important points in
volyed The decision says that delay
OF the Russian transport Kamtchatka,
following the breaking down Of her ma
chinery, was perhaps the cause OF the
incident, The commander Of the KANT
chatka sgnalled to Admiral Rojestven-
sky during the evening that he had
been attacked by torpedo boats. The
admiral therefore had reason to be.
lieve he was attacked and gave orders
for strict vigilance against the possible
approach of torpedoboats.
BRITISH MAKE NO COMMENT,
London, Feb 25.-rhe foreign office
received the findings Of the North sea
commission with apparent equanimlty
but declined to give out any official ex-
preston of opinion thereon. An official
said TO the Associated Press:
THE finding OF the commission ID
final We, therefore, must be satisfied
and Il would be I'm bad taste for us to
express dissatisfaction"
The Associated Press understands,
unofically however that the foreign
Office Is well pleased with the findings.
The findings We're received In London
with every sign of qualification, which
| was all the more marked because OF
the premature reports that the deci-
sion OF the admirals had been Of an
anti-Brltish character The whole re-
port n regarded here az discrediting the
Russian case even the phrase that the
firing was not unduly prolonged, which
seems 10 afford n certain Justification
for opening the firing Is AT the same
time taken implying that the Russians
continued TO fire after they had discoy-
cred their mistake The definite finding
Of the adnirals that no torpedoboats
We're 1T the scene OF the incident gives
considerable satisfaction, and II Is
pointed out that the British contentious
were further upheld In the finding that
the trawlers Crane and Aurora were
the boats the Russians inlstook for
torpedoboats.
CLOSING SESSION.
The closing session Of the commits
son presented brilliant scene. The
spacious saloon OF the foreign office
was crowded with prominent officials,
members Of the diplomatic corps, IN
Guiding the Russian British and Amer
Jean ambassadors, members OF the Jap
anese legation, officers Of the army and
navy Judges OF the highest French
courts and the wives and other re0-
tiyes OF members Of the commission.
Contrary to expectation the admrals
forming the commission did not wear
full uniforms, but appeared IN ordinary
civilian dress,
Admiral Fournier. president N the
commission, read the decision amid an
impressive silence, the spectators fol-
lowing II mnutely The general impress
sion among the audience was that the
decision was IN the nature OF n COM
promise, az the majority approved the
British contention that no torpedo
boats attacked Admiral Rojestyensh's
squadron and that, therefore his OPEN
ing FIRE was not justified and as the
majority also approved the Russian
contention that Admiral R01estvensh
acted according to his belief, even
though mistaken and that therefore
his action did not reflect upon his mill
itary valor or sentiments Of humanity
The majority Of the commission con-
Rders that Admiral RojestvensSiB or
ders were not excessive IN time OF war;
particularly under the circumstances,
and that he had every reason TO con-
slider the situation very alarming.
"The commission" the decision says
recognize unanimously that the fishing
fleet committed no. hostile act and the
majority OF the commissioners being
OF the opinion that there were not
neither among tho fishing boats or In
their vicinity any torpedoboats, the
opening Of fire by Admiral Rojestvensh
was not Justified"
The decision further says the Rus
elau commissioner did not share IN tho
latter opinion.
IN any event" the declslon con-
tinues, tho commissioners are glad 70
recognize unanimously that Admiral
RojestveusM personally did all he
could, from the commencement TO tho
end, 10 prevent the trawlers from be-
Ing tho object OF ire By tho Russian
squadron
Concerning the squadun's proceeding
without assisting the damaged traw-
lcrs the decision says,
"The commissioners are unanimous
under The circumstances preceding and
following the incident, that there was
such uncertainty concerning the danger
70 tho squadron, as 10 warrant Admiral
Rojestvonsk I'm continuing his route.
However the majority regrets that
the admiral did not inform the neigh
boring maritime powers Of what had
occurred"
The decision concludes as followsl
"The commissioners declare that their
Views as formulated are not ~ a nature
TO cast any disrespect upon the military
valor nor upon the sentiments Of hui
munity OF Admiral Roiestyenski and
the personnel Of his squadron
MEMBERS THANKED.
Admiral Fourier closed the commits
sion with speech OF thanks TO it's
members. He said that each OF them
would return TO his country bearing as
a recompense for his labors tho legiti-