The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-28
WHAT WILL HE Do WITH ITO
|ROiestvcnsky's Fleet a White E.lc
plant On His Hands.

Admiral Rojestvensky's predicament
lin the Far Eastern seas is a study
lin geography wen more than it is a
study in comparative naval strength. A
glance at the map of Eastern Asia will
SHOW what a serious problem the Rus
lsian Baltic Fleet has before it in its
leffort to reach Vladivostok.
The world never believed that the
baltic Fleet would be sent to the scene
LOT war. When the squadrons started az
tier innumerable delays, the general be
lief was that the departure was a bluff
when it became evident very recently
THAT RojestvensEy would push on into
the war zone, whether his original
movements were sincere or not. the
world looked for the Japanese naval
commanders to attack his armada and
destroy it before it had proceeded far
Into Eastern Asian waters.
But the willy Admiral Togo does not
seem inclined to risk the fate of ,he
Iwar upon one great encounter with the
Immense fleet of his antagonist. Togo
land the other Japanese captains arc
waiting, Ro~jestvensky cannot tell
where. That effective steps have been
taken by the japanese to defend them
selves against Rojestvensky is not to
lbe doubted, but the world does not
know what these preparations are or
lat what places they have been accom-
Iplished.
In the meanwhile, what is R~ojestven-
SKY to do? Look at the map. Kamrann
bay, where the Russian armada las
taken refeuge and provisions, is nearly
5000 miles from ~Vladivostok, the only
fortified port remaining to Russia in
Eastern Asia. IN order to get there,
1.-THE Russian feeC must first pass the
llsland OF FOrmosa, a great Japanese
naval base. The passage between For
Imosa and the mainland of China is
lquite narrow. If Ro~jestvensky elects to
Igo outside of FOrmosa, making a de-
tour into the Pacific ocean, he must
work his way through a network Of
little islands, ONE of which belong TO
Japan. How many submerged or float
ling mines, how many submarine or
Surface torpedo boats wait for the Rus
Islans around Formosa and these little
islands no mar knows.
Suppose Rojestvensky passes Formo-
!sa in safety or with small loss. What
then? Is his way clear to Vladivostol?
Not at all. His work is only half done
the easier half at that. In order to
reach V~ladivostok after passing For
lmosa, the Russian admiral must enter
the Japan Sea, which is beteween ia
Ipan and Asia. This sea is entered oniy
|by the Korean strait or by much mar
rover northern passages between ia
Ipan and the mainland. If the Russians
decide to try the precarious northern
straits, a detour of hardly less than
p. 800 miles will be necessary.
On the other hand, unless Roiestven-
SKY tries to make the port of Vladivos-
|tok, in spite of all lions, where will he
~sustenance for his immense
fleet? Whence will come the vast sup
plies of coal and the huge quantities
of provisions? France has already
strained several points t o relieve Roj-
needs. Japan overlooked
Frances entertainment of him at
|Brest and Madagascar, but to continue
the programme in the China Sea means
war between France and Japan: and
this France does not desire, for the
treaty alliance between England and
Japan stipulates that either will come
to the aid of the other il the other is
attacked by w nations at the same
time. The same treaty binds Grea.
Britain TO work Cor the enforcement of