Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-30
Tuesday, May 80, 1905.
HOW THE FLEETS COMPARE.
Russians Have More Battleships, But
Japanese Gun Power 10 Superior.

New York Sun, Sunday.
All comparisons of the two fleet:
have been made without official infor'
nation from Toxic as to what ships
Admiral Togo would use In the battle
1t Is known quite accurately what ves-
sells Rojestvensky took from the Bal
tic to the Far East and what re-en.
forcements afterward Joined him. Il
has been necessary to assume that To-
go would use practically the full
strength Of the Japanese navy. Ir
that event the fleets would size VI
about as follows;
Russia.
Battleships-Alexande III, Borodino
Orel. Suvaroff and Oslybia, each with
a gun power Of 16 12-inch, 10-inch
5S 6-inch, 100 12-pounders and 100 g.
Founders; the Sissoi Veliki and Nava-
rim, 12-inch, IA S-inch and 26 g.
Founders; the Nicolai. 2 12-inch and
2 6-inch.
Armored Cruisers-Nakhimoff Dmi-
trl Donskoi, each with a gun power OF
IA 6-inch. 20 47-inch. 19 8 and l.
Founders; Vladimir Monomach, 5 g.
inch, 6 4.7-inch and smaller guns.
Protected Cruisers-Olig, Aurora,
Svietlana, Semtchug. Izumrud and AL
moz, each with q gun power Of 26 g.
inch, "a 12-pounders and ~ 3 and l.
Founders.
Coast Defense vessels-Oushakoff,
Seniavine and Afrakain, each with
sun power of 10-inch and 4 s-inch.
Torpedo Boat Destroyers-Biedory
Buiny, Bystry, Bezupretshny. Bles-
tiashty, Bravy, Bodry, Gromki, Gros-
My, Presorilivy, Rezitky and Riany.
Unconverted Merchant Steamers
Kuban, Terek, Ural, Rion and Dneiper'
with small fighting strength, but OF
value as scouts. ..., ..
Balloon Ship-Russ.
Repair Ship-Xenia-
Hospital Ship-Kostroma.
Transports (reported)-Okean, Yer
onej, Tambaff, Yaroslav, Orel, Kam-
tchatka, Kieff Vladimir, Korea, Me-
teoI, Kitai. Jupiter, Espenanza (cold
storage ship. Mercury, Anadir and
Gortschakoff.
Japan.
Rattleships-Mikasa, Asahi, Shikis-
hima and Full. each with gun power
of 16 12-inch, SO 6-inch, 76 12-pound-
ers, 40 "a to 3-pounders; the Chin
Yen, 4 12-inch. 6-inch and 4-pound-
ers.
Armored Cruisers-Adsuma, Yaku-
mo, Iurate, Idzumo. Tokiwa, Asama,
Kasuga and Nisshin, each with gun
power Of l 10-inch, 80 S-inch. 10
4-inch, 90 12-pounders, AZ 2a-pounders.
Protected Cruisers-Kasagi, Chitose,
Itsukushima, Hashidate, Matsushima,
Kaniwa, Takachico, Akitsushima, Id
zumi, Akashi, Suma, Chiyoda, Niitaka,
Tsushima and Ottawa, each with a
gun power Of 3 12.G--inch 4 10-inch.
4 S-inch, SO 6-inch, 81 4.7-inch, 81
12-pounders, 40 S-pounders, So g.
Founders and 20 1-pounders.
Unprotected Cruisers-Takas, Yae-
gama, Tenrin, Katsuragi, Yamato,
Musashi, Tsukushi and Amagi, in the
order Of their size.
Torpedo Boat Destroyers-Shlaku-
mo, Asash'o, Harusame, Murasame,
Akatsuki. Kasumi, Ikadsuchi, Inazuma,
Akebono. Sazanami, Oboro, Shino-
nome, Murakumo. Yugiri, Shiranuhi,
Kagero, Usugumo, Asagiro and Hay
atori.
Torpedo Gun vessels-Chihaya and
Tatsuta- 90. -..--.--,. ., q.
Gunboats-Akagi, Banjo. Oshima.
Atago. Maya and Chiokai.
Coast defense vessels and auxili-
aries in proportion to the fleet.
Naval authorities in Washington
figured on the information obtainable
In April that the balance Of gun
power was greatly in favor Of the
Japanese, though the Russians had
the greater number Of battleships.
The difference was accounted for In
the superior number and armament OF
the japanese cruisers.
The first two squadrons of the Rus
sian fleet started from the Baltic sea
in October. before Port Arthur had
fallen, and II was expected that the
ships would arrive In time to relieve
the blockade of that port. But their
progress was slow and marked by
sensational incidents. At its start
the fleet was In a demoralized condt-
ton. 1t had been reported that the
Japanese had torpedo boats, bought In
England. in the North sea. When the
Russians ran into a British fishing
fleet they mistook the trawlers for
the feared Japs and opened fire. One
fishing boat was sunk, a number
damaged and several Of the crews
killed and wounded. Great Britain
made prompt demand for reparation.
and for a time the crisis was acute
Finally the affair was submitted TO
an international court of arbitration,
which met in Paris and decided
against the Russians. Damages were
paid.
The fleet stopped at Cherbourg and
then split. Admiral Rojestvensky
with most Of his ships, went around
the cape and the rest went through
the Suez canal. The two squaorons
met again at Madagascar. where they
took on supplies Of coal Crossing
the Indian ocean, they passed through
the Straits of Malacca into the
South China sea and steamed along
the coast to Saigon and then 10
Kamranh bay, French lndo- China.
Here they took on more supplies
and another international crisis arose
The Sun correspondent, who visited
Kamranh bay and saw the assistance
the French authorities were giving to
the Russians, attempted to send a
dispatch from Saigon describing the
conditions The local French au-
thorities refused to transmit the dis
spatch. Later 1t was sent from Hong,
kong, and its publication aroused all
Europe because Of the apparent viola
tion Of neutrality 1t described. France
finally stirred to action, ordered the
Russian ships from its eastern wa
ters. and Rojestvensky, now fully
equipped, sailed north for battle.