Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-07-05
REVOLT IN THE
RUSSIAN NAVY
Most Powerful Battleship Of Black Sea
Fleet is Now in Hands Of
Mutineers.
ORDERS GIVEN TO SINK HER
Torpedo Boat Destroyer is Sent After
Big Warship--Fear That Defec.
tion Will Reach Army.

~ L StCA Suui 5, Juiy f.-OOIle OI tIle
darkest events in the history of the
Russian empire have been enacted in
the past few days, and what the ul-
innate outcome will be can only be
guessed at. The opposition to the es
tablished order of things, which has
heretofore been shown by demonstra-
tiOns, has now extended to the navy,
and two battleships, the Kniaz Potem-
kline and the Georgi Pobiedonosets,
are in open revolt. Botn belong to the
Black Sea fleet, and the detection on
the last named ship is not thought to
be as serious as on the first named
How Outbreak Occurred.
The outbreak on the Potemkine oc-
Cured June %, while at sea, and is
alleged to have originated through an
officer shooting down sailor, who
made complaint about the food serv-
ed on the battleship. This act was
followed by rising on the part of the
crew ,and nearly all of the officers
were killed and their bodies thrown
overheard. The battleship continued
on to Odessa, where the red flag was
hoisted, and the body of the sailor
killed was displayed on the quay. A
revolt followed in the city during
which many rioters and soldiers were
killed, and a vast amount of govern
ment property was destroyed by fire.
AS soon as possible, Admiral Krug-
er, with the rest of the Black Sea
fleet, was sent to Odessa to demand
the surrender of the mutineers. In
stead of accomplishing this, another
battleship made common cause with
the Potemkine, but later, it is said,
this second ship announced that it had
withdrawn from the mutiny, and that
the crew now asks forgiveness.
Will Not Surrender.
Whether or not this Is true, it is
certain that the POtemkine, one of the
most powerful ships in the Russian
navy, is still in the hands of the mu-
tineers, and has no intention of sur
rendering. The government is in pos
session of information leading to the
belief that the rising was the result
of carefully laid plot, the killing of
the sailor merely being an excuse for
| the action Of the crew. The greatest
| fear now is that the detection will
| extend to the army, and every effort
is made to suppress all details of the
| mutiny.
Orders to Sink Her.
Admiral Kruger, on his arrival at
| n CT 1nI fC hn nj IN t,a =.
tleship to join the feet. The reply
was I'VE remain here" The admiral
did not undertake to capture or sink
the ship at that time, but according
to information now given out, the tor
pes1o boat destroyer, Smeltilyv. with
| a volunteer crew, has sailed from
Odessa with the intention of sinking
| the Kniaz Potemkine.
With Kustenji and other unprotect
ed ports of Roumania, Bulgaria and
Turkey at the mercy of the battle
ships guns, and with the inability OF
Vice Admiral Kruger's squadron to
| interfere with her career tacitly ad
mitted by removing them from com
mission, the desperate expedient was
seized upon to prevent international
complications to rid the Black sea OF
| the mutineers, which is difficult and
| dangerous enough at best, as she will
have to encounter botn the Kniaz
Potemkine and her attendant torpedo
boat, is now complicated by the depar
ture of the battleship from Kustenjl
and ignorance as to where she will
next turn up; but one dispatch from
kustenji throws a CLEAN Of hope on
| the dark situation by intimating that
considerable number of the crew are
anxious to desert their leaders and
to escape the consequences of their
mutinous actions.
The admiralty, however, it is said
does not admit that the Smeltilvy has
| gone on such an errand. though the
officials say frankly that the Kniaz
Potemkine must in law be regarded as
a pirate.