Evening journal., 1916-07-29
THE RUSSIAN NAVY
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
United Press staff Correspondent.

PETROGRAD. July 2.-CBy MaiD-
Where is the Russian Navy7"
For several days l have been ask
ing this question Of statesmen. Jour
nalists. diplomats. writer's. Duma
members. and others. For reply. a
flock of question marks seems to rise
in the air. after the fashion cartoon
lists and come supplement artists
have inaugurated
Nobody seems able to tell US.
What has the Russian Navy done
in the last two years?" ! have de-
manded time and time again. The re-
| Spouse is more question marks.
The British fleet is an open book
compared to the Russian Navy Ev-
erybody knows the English warships
are Somewhere in the North Sea-
One can look az the map and tell pret-
ty much just whereabouts in this sea
they must be But no such precision
is possible regarding the Russian
men o. war.
why so much secrecy about the
navy?" l asked member of the Duma.
1T is the navy's way" he answered
shrueg'ng his shoulders. The navy
is different from the army. We get a
daily communiQue based on the
armys activities. but the navy is in a
rage every time it is mentioned. II
wishes to operate utterly and abso-
lutely in secret and discourages any
scrt Of publicity"
The navy has had at least one
brush with the Germans. during
which two Of the larger German ships
were sunk. together with about three
destroyers. In Petrograd a rumor
spread exaggerating the victory and
some mention was made Of it in the
Duma
The naval authorities we're furious
They wanted the entire affair to pass
without a line in the papers and
without the public knowing anything
about it. AS the news had leaked
out it became necessary to explain
lust what had happened and this th'
navy considered preiudicial to its
plan Of campaign.
Everything depends on absolute
secrecy so far as the Russian Nav,
is concerned an Official told me. Ant
that is as far as he could go.
This much however, is known o
the Russian fleet II played a yer
, important part N checking the Ger
man left wing advancing throug
, Courland on Riga and undoubtedl
did its share in preventing the cap
ture of that port II played havo
, among the Kaiser's legions operatin
along the Baltic coast, and the shore
! of the Gulf Of Riga
Z II has operated in conjunction wit
! the British in the Baltic, had KEEP
, the Gulf Of Finland and Gulf Of Rig
secure. two exceedingly importan
! tasks. In the Black Sea the Blacl
: Sea fleet aided Grand Duke Nicholas
= advance from the Caucasus into Ash
/ Minor against the Turks In the TAX
: ing Of Trehizond. it was officially ad
mitted that the fleet did importan
e. work.
r At the outset Of the European wa
e Russia. Of all the Great Powers. wa
D least prepared fer effective sea fght
] ing. In the first place she had me
r. with naval disaster during the Russo
- Japanese war. and was Just begir
ming to recover her poise when th
Y present upheaval caught her St'l
= considering her start. she has don
S wonders accommodating naval units
- England virtually has admitted
10 principle that Russia should have Il
|. Dardanelles in the final reckonin
n This means that Russia must becom
k one of the great sea powers, especia
O ly in the Mediterranean, as she mu
Il at all times be prepared to keep h'
/ strights open This is vital TT
closing of the Dardanelles for an
b reason is like a grip at ones thro
Z the protracted tightening Of whiC
It means death.
l. Russia must ship her grain by Sc
n especially by the Black Sea, Marin
A the Dardanelles. Aegean and Med
terranean. The great rivers of Il
10 Empire bring il down TO the sc
l. whence it goes by ship through thr'
r tortuous passages 10 the outsit
world II will not stand railway shi
e ment, long overland hauls. II IS Il
Il sea route or none with Russia. so 81
n must increase her high sea file
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