Evening star., 1908-01-19
NOT WITH SINISTER MOTIVE.
RUSSIAN NAVAL OFFICER FOL-
LOWING EVANS FLEET.
Department Here Does Not Object.
Baron Rosen Admits Purpose Of
the Observations.

| 1t was stated at the Navy Department
yesterday that no. application had been
received from any of the foreign embas-
| sizes or legations in Washington for per-
mission for any naval experts to accom-
pany Admiral Evans battleshiD fleet on
it's Pacific cruise. This statement covers
the case of Commander Alexis Diatchkoff.
referred to in recent St. Petersburg dis
patches as accompanying the American
/ fleet in its movements. 1t was known to
the Navy Department that because of the
novelty of this cruise. intense interest was
| felt in foreign admiralties. and naval offi-
| GERS everywhere were charged to obtain
all information possible respecting the
movements of the battleshiDs 1t was
particularly desired to know how their
machinery stood the tests of this unprece-
dented voyage.
Navy Department Not Surprised.
| Therefore the Navy Department was not
surprised to learn that some vessels
of other navies had found it convenient to
drop in at ports in South America
about the time the American fleet
was due there. 1t was known that
| the Russian naval officers were particu-
| larly interested in the fleet movements,
and that, having no naval attache at the
various ports where the fleet was to touch.
the Russian admiralty had adopted this
| plan of dispatching a naval officer to OBJ
| serve for himself aud report upon the de-
velopments OF the cruise. Admiral Evans
was acquainted with the fact that such
an officer was travelling on parallel lines
| with his fleet. While the ships were at
| Rio access was freely accorded to the
| public, and consequently the officials at
| Navy Department were not surprised to
| learn that the Russian commander was
received aboard the battleships along with
other officials.
| No sinister purpose is attached to this
method of gathering information, and 1t is
| said that there is no disposition on the
part of, our naval officers TO withhold 1t
| from friendly nations.
| This is particularly true in the case of
| Russia which is understood 10 he con-
| structing a new navy to take the place
| of that destroyed in the war With Japan.
and which consequently is in great need
of any information as to vital defects in
the plans Of existing warships.
No Concealment Attempted.
No attempt is made at the Russian en-
bassy to conceal the fact that Commander
Diatchkoff of the Russian navy Is follow
ing the American battleehip fleet for the
pul pose of observing its movements dur
ing it's long voyage, to obtain the many
v.tuable lessons to be learned from a
close study of al, the conditions pertain
ing t. it, Baron Rosen' said that he never
had seen tho commander. who had not
visited Washington while in the United
States. He was met in New York by Com
mander Nebolsin. the Russian naval at
tache. who took him to Norfolk. where he
was introduced to Admiral Evans and
other officers OF the battleship fleet. He
then hurried lack to New York in order
to board a steamer for Rio de Janero. so
that he might be at that port when the
feet reached there. Baron Rosen said the
commander expects TO go from place to
place where tie fleet stops, SO he may
| learn u hat there may be of interest from
4 strategic standpoint that may be worth
| reporting. Baron Rosen said he had not
made any appllcation ior Diatchkoff to
accompany the fleet, nor had any one iden-
| titled with the embassy, SO far as ha was
aware. for il could not be expected. nor
| was ii the nrs: ctice of governments to per-
NIT fol e:gners to accompany fleet for
a long cruise Ike that undertaken by Adj
| nIiral Evans.
! Tie trae inwardness of the discussion of
| the whole matter. aron Rosen' thought,
| was fcGr.d i'll the statement in the st.
| Petersburg dispatch. which said the No
| voc trenya is conducting a campaign
! against the fc;eign minister and Is seiZ-
| ing the plese ut opportunity to make cap
| ital of the incident referred to.