The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-21

st Petersburg, January 18.-The
Importance attached by the Russian
admiralty to the lessons to be learned
from the voyage of the American bat
ueship fleet under Rear Admiral
Evans is shown by the fact that a
Russian naval officer, Com mander
Alexis Diatchkoff, is following the
feet on it's trip around South Ameri-
ca travelling from port to port by
Wha ever means ne can obtain. The
commander adopted this course only
after his repeated requests for per-
mission to join the ships had been re-
fused
It has been reported here that
D1atChkOf succeeded in getting on
board one Of the American warships
at Rio Janeiro, and the entire Incl
dent Of this officers activities has
been a. source Of some friction be-
tween the Russian foreign ministry
and the admiralty. When Baron
Rosen, the Russian ambassador to
the United States was instructed to
ask for a permit for DiatchkOM to
join Admiral Evans, he declined on
the ground that he knew this request
would be unfaVorably received at
Washington. Thereupon the Rus
sian admiralty, after further cOrreS-
pOndenCa with the foreign office, in
structed Diatchkofi to apply person
ally to Secretary Mccall. This the
officer did bNt in vain. He was there
upon ordeTo+ to follow the fleet as
closely as n could, mailing use Of
private steamers.
Washington, January 1S.-Tt WAS
stated at the navy department today
that no application had been received
from any OF the foreign embassies or
legations in washington for permis-
sion for any naval experts to accom-
pany Admiral Evans battlesh1p fleet
on its Pacific cruise. This statement
covers the case Of Commander Alexis
Diatchoff, referred to in the st.
Petersburg dispatches. / was
known to the navy department
that because of the novelty OF this
cruise, intense interest was felt in
foreign aGmiralties and naval officers
everyWhore were charged to obtain
all Information possible respecting
the movements of the battleships. 1t
was particularly designed to know
how their machinery stood the tests
of this unprecedented voyage. There
fore the navy department was not
surprised to learn tnat some naval
vessels Of other navies had found 1t
convenient to drop In at some Of the
ports in South America about the
time the American fleet was due
there. 1t was known that the Rus
sian naval officer were particularly
interested in the fleet movement AMI
that having no naval attache at the
various ports where the fleet was to
6oucht Che Russian admirably had
adopted this plan of dispatChing q
naval officer to observe for himself
and report upon the developments OF
the cruise. Admiral Evans was ac-
Quainted with the fact that such an
officer was travelling on parallel lines
Ii 4 Chi Inc yf9p
at Rio access was freely accorded to
the public aud consequently the Of
ficials at the navy department were
not surprised to learn that the Rus
sian commander was received aboard
the battleships along with other cf-
ficialS.
No sinister purpose IS attached to
this method cf gathering information
and it is said that there is no disDo-
sitiOn on the part Of our naval Off
GERS to withhold it from friendly ma
tons. No attempt is made At the
Russian naval attache,, who took him
that commander Diatchor is follow
Ing the feet.
Baron Rosen said that he had
never seen the commander who nad
not visited Washington while in the
United states. He was met In New
York by Commander Neholsin, the
Russian naval att1che, who took him
to Norfolk where he was introduced
to admiral Evans and various Off
GERS of the battleship fleet. He then
hurried back to New York in order 70
board a steamer from Rio de Janefro
so that he might be at that port when
the fleet reached there. Baron
Roeen said the commander expects t.
go from place to place where the
feet stops so he may learn what
tilere may he of interest from ?
strategic standpoint that MY ne
worth reporting. Baron Rosen said
he had not made any application fo"
Dfatchotc to accompany the fleet nor
hal any one identified with the en-
bassy 80 far as he was aware, for
1T could not be expected nor was It
the practice of governments to per
init foreigners to accompany Meet
for long cruise like that undertaken
by Admiral Evans.