The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-31
TOGO WAS NEVER
FOOLED BY TACTICS
Waited for Russians at Just
the Right Place
ROJESTVENSkY WAS BIOL D
His Strategy Gave Togo the oppor.
tunity to Fight the Battle in the
Field Of His Own
Selection.
R0JESTvENSKY WAS BIOL D

Cable to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
London.-After dividing and reuniting
his fleet dozen times in the evident pur-
suit of a policy of confusing the Japanese
Rojestvensky collected his entire force
off theh Saddle sanads-sixty miles south
east of shanghai-on Tuesday, passed
day In coaling and renting, and on
Wednesday night displayed signals and
headed northwest for the Korean straits,
$50 miles away.
But according to the naval intelligence
bureau of Nagasaki, Togo had never
been misled by the Russian strategy. BY
scouts, by wireless telegraph and by a
score of unnamed sources Of informa-
ton, the Japanese admiral had kept in
touch with the enemy, and actually shad-
owed him from the moment Of his de-
parture from the Saddle islands.
More than that, Togo made his fight
IN the field spot of his own selection.
with Vladivostok as Rojestvensky's OBJ
iective point there were but two ways for
him to reach that point, either by the
straighter, holder course through the Ko-
rean straits or by the roundabout course
outside Japan, or to the Tangaro chan
mel, lob miles from Shanghai, ending
with quick dash across the sea of Ja-
pan to vladivostok.
Had Rojestvensky sailed around by the
Pacific he would have found Togo walt
ing for him somewhere about the Hako-
date rendezvous.
Rojestvensky chose the Korean straits.
and found Togo waiting for him in the
passage between the Tsu islands (Tsushi-
MAD and the Japanese forts of Shimone-
seki.
Took the Clear Water.
For the clear setting of the scene of
the tragedy it should be stated that the
Korean straits from the Korean to the
Japanese shore are 100 miles wide, but
are divided into two channels by Tsu
island, the southern end of which is heav-
lily fortified.
On the Korean side lie Flu San and the
great harbor of Masampho (Masampo)
Bay. On the Japanese side is Shimoneseki
Here at Flu San and OH the northern ex-
tremty of Tsuhima are wireless stations
ready to record pusations from every di-
rection. The Corean channel is about
thirty miles wide. The Japanese channel
Is eighty miles across.
It was by the japanese channel that
Rojestvensky elected to pass Leaving his
empty Golfers at Shanghai with dismissal
orders TO return to Europe Ro1estvensky
formed his fighting ships in double battle
line his battle ships in the starboard or
right column and his cruisers and Destroy
ers on the port or left side.
Including the three coast defense ships
Admiral Aparixne, Admiral Onshakoff and
Admiral Seralvin, the battle ship column
of the armada contained eleven units, the
t1l,N hnt e1t ,.p h.ain hn nff
Orel, fmperator, Alexander III, Borodina,
OslyAba, SsBoi Veliky, Navarin and I'M
perator Nkolat l., eleven fighting n1Oni-
tiers. with an aggregate tonnage of over
900 tons and with an armament includ-
ing twenty-five Pinch guns and ninety
three 6-inch guns.
The cruiser column was composed of
the three armored ships. Admiral Maxi
himoff, Dimitr Donskoi, Vladimir Mono-
makh and the six protected cruisers, Au-
rora, Oleg, Izumrud Jenchug, SHETLAND
and Almaz, with combined armament
of ninety-two guns, mostly 6 and S-inch
weapons.
According to the, reports that have
reached Nagasaki, the course of the Rus
slams was at first due for the channel on
the Korean side OF the Tsushlma. 1t show
ed that Rojestvensky knew that on that
side lay clear water and a steery cur
rent, while on the other side the passage
was blocked with islets uncertain in tide
and sowed with mines.
A Desperate Chance.
Why the Russian swerved at the last
moment-anad all reports appear to show
that he did-the Nagasald correspondent
does not know. 1t was desperate
chance.
The disposition of the Japanese fleet
seems at last made clear. The main ships
of Togos squadron have been snugly ~
ing In Masampho Bay, thanks to the jap
anese occupation of Korea. keeping them
selves in shape, while only the smaller
vessels have been hanging on the dis
tant TANKS of the Russians. AT the first
wireless intimation of the approach OF
the enemy the Japanese admiral steamed
out of Masampho, land his torpedo boats,
destroyers and smaller cruisers across
the Korean channel, and formed his bat
tie ships and larger cruisers in guarding
column north of the Japanese channel.
Early In the engagement the Borodino
was seen to settle, and soon after the
Orel was sunk, the repair ship Kamchat-
ka, loaded with valuable machinery, go
ing down from a torpedo rent.
Counting ship against ship the Japanese
fleet had five battle ships-the Asari,
Full Mikasa, Shikishima and Chinyan-
and the coast defense vessels Fuse, car
rying "a twelve-inch guns and exceeding
ly strong in their six-inch batteries, the
guns of that calibre numbering 50. The
cruiser division heavily outnumbered the
Russian. Togo's armored cruisers num-
bering eight and his protected cruisers
twelve As to his fotilla of destroyers
and torpedo boats their number cannot
be accurately given, but they must num-
Der at least sixty.
The evening of Saturday. May q, was
closing In when the Russian sea columns
IulA al md
was growing dark when a gun was fired
from the Japanese flagship. Instantly a
swarm of the wasps of the sea darted out
toward the oncoming Russians.
They were met by torrent OF shots
from the Russians, but the destroyers
shot on, the sea rose in fountains and
the great battle ships against which the
torpedoes were principally directed rose
and shivered in the turmoil.
Good Place to Hide.
Tsu Shima, or Korea strait, giving the