Valdez daily prospector., 1914-11-19
CO[BEN IS HOPE
 OF TURKISH NAVY

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-The con trol of the Black Sea during the hos tilities between Russia and Turkey precipitated by the shelling of Odes sa, Theodosia, and Novorossysk may pivot on the cruiser Goeben, which is superior to any other warship that may be involved in the conflict. The Goeben is a cruiser of the most mod ern type, of high speed, heavily arm ored and mounts ten of the latest type of German naval big guns. She belonged to Germany until the war in Europe began. Caught by circum- stances along the Moroccan shores of the Mediterranean with the German cruiser Breslau, also a modern yes sel, though small, she fled to Con- stantinople and sought refuge in the Dardanelles. Instead of interning the vessels, the Turkish government bought them from Germany, and, re- taining their German officers and crews, has now sent them into the Black Sea to attack Russia.
 Without the Goeben the Turkish navy, which consists mostly of obso- lete vessels, and has had little real service practice, would be hopelessly outclassed by the Russian Black Sea fleet. There are five battleships, fair ly modern, in the Black Sea force, and a sixth older battleship, not very effective. Russia is building three superdreadnoughts in the Black Sea navy yards at Nikolaieff and Sebasto- pol, but they have not been commis- stoned These vessels would be ex- pected to master the Turkish navy except for the presence of the Goe- ben, which, though a cruiser, carries heavier and better armor and much more effective guns than any of the Russian battleships now in commits sion in the Black Sea.
 On the other hand, the Russians are we'll equipped with destroyers and submarines in the Black Sea, and these mosquito vessels will undoubt- edly try to torpedo the Goeben.
 The Russian Black Sea fleet is an unknown quantity. All it's larger units were built in the yards at Nikolaieff and Sebastopol. Because Turkey has refused to open the Dardanelles these Russian vessels have never been able to leave the Black Sea. Because they could not emerge from that inland sea, the Russian vessels in the Black Sea fleet were purposely built of slower speed and shorter radius than if they had been intended for service on the high seas.
 Comparison of Protected Cruisers.
 The Russian Black Sea fleet con- tains two protected cruisers. These are the Kagoul, built in 1902, and the Pamiat Merkooria, built in 1903, of 6,75O tons displacement each, and each armed with 12 six-inch guns. They are designed for g knots speed. Their dock armor is only three inches thick. They could not stand up against modern battleships, but might be effectively used otherwise.
 The Turks likewise have two pro- tected cruisers, but smaller. One of these is the Hamidieh, which per formed remarkable exploits in the Balkan war The Hamidieh was built at the Elswick yards in England and finished in 1904. She mounts two six inch guns, besides smaller weapons, and has made 22 knots on trial trips. The other Turkish protected cruiser is the Medjidieh, which was complet- ed at the Cramp yards in Philadelphia in 1904, mounts two six-inch guns, has only deck armor, and has made p knots speed. While these cruisers are not intended for line of battle fighting with battleships, they can ef- feet great damage along the coasts by bombardment and harrass merchant shipping and small naval craft.
 The Russians have few small aux diaries, including the armed yacht AL mag, $500 tons; the mine-layers Proot, $500 tons; Dunai. 1860 tons. and the Beresan, 3,O50 tons; the gunboats Don cts, Uralets, Terets, and Koubanets, each 1,200 tons. and the repair ship Kronstadt.
 The small units in the Turkish