Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-08-10

Why The Japanese Won The Great
Naval Battle.

IOklO, Japan, July 9.-COmmande
Akyama, who participated in the battl
of the Sea of Japan, has prepared fo
publication an extended statement re
lating to the great conflict, and it
weight is on the side of gunnery, th
battleships and tactics, as against th
destroyer and torpedo. He prefaces hi
statement by declaring that good gun
merry depends mainly upon the division
officers, and asserts that the Russia,
officers were lamentably lacking il
training.
In the early part OF the battle tbt
Russians scored but one hit, to three
landed by the Japanese. Under these
circumstances, it may be said that the
Japanese had three or four guns in
action to every one of the Russians
and there was nothing remarkable
about the disparity OF losses.
The com mander says that Admiral
Rojestvensky had been criticised for
electing to take his chances at the
Tsushima. On the contrary. it WAS the
wisest course open to him Tsugaru
Strait is long and narrow, the season
was foggy, and there were mechanical
distractions. Distance and coal we're
against Soya, ard the time consumed
reaching that entrance would have be.
trayed the design, and his plight on
emerging from Soya woull have been
much worse than he might reasonably
hope for at Tsushima.
The commander insists tha. .the great
mistake of the Russians was in marshal
ing their vessels IN double column line
ahead. From the moment of going in
to action in this formation, the japan.
ese regarded victory as assured. Apart
from the impossibilty of maintaining
an orde ly formation when pursuing
such tactics for defensive purposes.
there was the fact that onlv a few of the
ships could bring their guns into ef-
fective action against the Japanese
fleet. The latter ships were able to
their whole fire upon the
leading Russian ships, and in return re-
ceived only limited fire.
Had the Russ ans adopted the stategv
Of imposing the brunt of the action up
On their bat,leships, while the rest of
the feet broke through and steered di-
rect for Vladivostok, the commander
believes they would have achieved a
partial success. Instead of doing that,
hey followed the plan OF mutually aid
ng one another, and thus, when the
lead of the battleship column got into
,roublA, the others steamed up and
thrust their heads into the lions mouth |
without being able to accomplish any
hing compensatory.
Regarding the question of sinking ar.
nored cruisers and battleships by gun
ire, the commander expresses the
opinion that the fact that the Russian
hips were exceptionally low 10 the wa.
er contributed materially to the result.
The Russians carried large quantities
# coal, stores and ammunition. and
hus weighted down in a rough sea suf-
cred badly from hits near the water
inc that ordinarily would not have
een fatal
The commander SAYS that the battle
Id not, as some a,lege, prove the
uperiority OF arms to armor. lie points
Mt that the newest armor on the Rus
ian ships. and notably in the case of
ne Orel, was not pierced. The proper
istrlbution of armor is another Ques-
on, and he says the Russian builders
o not appear TO have adopted the latest
rincip'es in the matter
lie declares the high seas aided tie