The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 30, 1905, Page 4

ADMIRAL ROJES WASHINGTON'S ADVICES ADD TO THE DISASTER Indicate That the Russian Fleet’s Commander Is Numbered Among the ‘Dead. Secret Official Dispatches Show Japan’s Victory Is Greater Than Claimed in Tokio. Special Dispatch to The Call WASHINGTON, May 30—The Post says the Navy Department has receiv- ¢d an official telegram from Toklo say- Kniaz Souva- ing that the battieship roff, Admiral Rojestvensky’s flagship, went down in the action and that Ad- miral Rojestvensky was lost. CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING, WASHINGTON, May 20.—The Russian Baltic flcet which w went to the Far East to wrest the supremacy of the sea from Japun has practically been de stroyed, with every indication that its aanibilation soon will be complete, and Vice Admiral Reojestvensky, its brave commander, has gome down to doéth with his fiagship, the battleship Kniax Souvaroff. This is the bellef im the Navy Department to-day, based on co; fdential reports which are regurded authentic. Adm Rojestvensky's message to when he entered East- | I shall inform d, Togo will in- n naval officers who have | ourse believed he would boast, and th as betwee: the former. rega that he chose nformation t was made it is fully r report recelved at the Navy Dep en a e whiech, “ ¢ not official, éd as per | £ at Admiral | t h more sweeping others are being every indication that will be sent to the bot- to the already long list | ers. | considered the first real battle between Department’s later infor- mation is correct, two more battleships have been put out of commiission, elther ; by sinking or capture, simce Toge re- | ported, and 1t is supposed that one of | these was Admiral Rojestvensky’s flag- ship, which escaped the first disaster and probably was overhauled as was fleelng for Viadivostok with the rest of his Seet. This r report is credited at the | not only on account | trustworthy source, but be- | fits with Admiral Togo's | which showed that his ships | i tered in pursuit of the Rus- is regarded as quite probable | t néws of the destruetion or cap- | ture of some of the fugitives may have the shore. through unofficial, one the less, reliable sources be- | t could ‘be communicated by Ad-'| Togo. view of £ the the vastly superior aceu- Japanese gunfire, which ttested to by the results of To- ks on Saturday and Sunday, | is considered probable that all of | the Russian ships were 80 badly crip- pled that their comparatively uninju ed pursuers will be able to overhaul them before they reach Viadivostok. ships as reach . the they are being driven hope of escape. The agree that, even If all ps which had escaped | jon or eapture up to the time report was sent to the Navy nt should reach Viadivostok, not constitute a force h to essay a4 sortie again ing “fleet which ‘the Jap- throw around that harbor. nothing for them to the harbor and wait to follow the fate of be experts 1sslan yetok according to the strate- gists, the compieté destruction of the Baitic fieet nlready bas beem accepted, for i€ is mo lomger a factor in the war. There was amasement among naval officers to-day when Admiral Togo's report of hie sweeping victory was trans: t the State Depart- ent ified this even- £ Department re- advices, telling of addi- sssian disasters majority of American naval of- ficers are Russian sympathizers. They | were confident in the belief that, even if Admiral Rojestvensky were not vi he would inflict such serious upon the Japanese as to leave t of the battle in doubt. They nough of his veasels would reach Viadivastok to comstitute | s prolonged menace to the Japanese. Even those officers who are most pro- noynced in their sympathy for Japan looked for no such decisive victory as | that which Togo has won. They ex- | pected him to win, but at the loss of many of his ships. Friends of both Russia and Japan at tribute the amazing resuit of the great- naval battle the world has ever known to the strategy of Togo, first’of after that, to the accuracy of | ire and to the superior morale | Japanese navy. Teogo is pro- | s ome of the greatest naval in history, if not the very | He Yought the battle accord- = own plans and he did not | 1 conditions were such that of his carefully laid plans could be ried out to the letter. His strategy | & more than a match for the supe- rior force against him and the over- whelming defeat of the flower of the Russian navy is attributed much more | to the genius of the mighty Togo than | to the ships under his command. i American strategists do not doubt that | Togo has taught them some new lessons | fn naval warfare, but they say detafls of the engagément must be received be- fore they can profit' by his experience. | Champions of the battleship and advo- | cates of torpedo boats are both claiming that their arguments have been greatly ' strengthened by the battle, but nefther | side has any conclusive details on which to base its claims. The exponents of torpedo boats insist | that it is evident from the very nature of the rvesylt that most of the Russien lokses were inflicted fn the torpedo bdat atteck under cover of. darkhess on Bat- urday night, The supporters of the bat- tieship as the most powerful and im- portant factor in naval warfare contend, on the other hand, that it is much more plausible that the Japanese battieships etood off end hammered the Russians with their heavy guns, and that the re- sult was due to the ‘superior markemanship of the Japanese, instead torious | the beginning of the war, the sympa- | interviewed, but it must be sald that | training during the time of peacc and | | Press Believes Situntion to Be Hopeless l of the torpedoes. In all of the previous engagements the Japanese relied upon the accuracy of their fire, and stood off far enough to put them out of danger! from the inferior marksmanship of the Russians. These tactics, the battleship adherents beaeve, have again been fol-; lowed by Togo and with greater skill than before. They think the Russians became panic-stricken under the accu- racy of the fire which was poured in on them, and that this contributed materi- ! v to the Japanese victory. They Hlsci point to the destruction or capture of ten | of the thirteen Russian torpedo boats as | proof that the mosquito craft did not play any important part in the battle. Conditions which would have favored a Japanese night attack by torpedo boats would also have favored the Russians, | and it 1s impossible to believe, they say, that the little Russian boats would not have jinflicted some damage, at least, while their own big ships_ were being blown up by Japanese torpedoes. Secretary Morton is ‘convinced that the prestige of the battleships has not suf- fered. In that belief he voices the opin- fon of the President and some of the ablest strategists in the navy. Unless the full reports cause a de- cideq chamge in the present under- standing of the manner in which the battle was fouxht, there' will be 10 change In the policy of bullding up an American navy composed chiefly of bat- tleships and powerful armored cruis- Admiral Dewey, Lieutenant General Chaffee and other leading army. and naval officers manifested keen interest in the battle and discussed what they modern ironclads with perfect freedom among themseélves, but they were rather reluctant to give their views for publication. President Roosevelt re- cently issued an order forbidding thése officers to discuss any phase of the war for publication, but this did not pre- clude an informal talk among them- selves. Almosi every officer of each service, when approached for his opinion, de- clared that no expert could give an in- telligent explanation until the details of the battle were known. There was one point, however, on which they all agreed. It was that the outcome of the battle was due to the preparedness of the Japanese and to their superior training. It is a curious fact that, at thices of the army and maval officers were with Japan, but there has beem = remarkable change in their views. Privately most of them explained themseives - as being pro-Russian in their leanings, and the deepes: sym- pathy and admiration was manifested for Rojestvensky. While no officer would consent to the use of his name, e dozen or more declared that they were deeply sympathetic with Rojest- vensky, who was undoybtedly a man of courage and ability, and there is ex- treme regret that he met with such overwhelming -defeat. In fact, they| favor the white man as against the | yellow man, as one of them put it to- | day, and while they have great respect and admiration for the Japanese, they would have been better pleased if the Russians had been the viotors. Some officers of high rank copsented to be they did not indicate in which direc- tion their sympathles were extended. ———— CREWS LACKED TRAINING. Germans Rlame Russian Govermment for Crushing Defeat. BERLIN, May 30.—The Berlin morning newspapers, with the latest news of the naval battle, give the fullest recognition to Vice Admiral Togo's achievement and y that it will rank among the greatest s of history. The battle is char- acterizéd as the greatest drama ever known. Some of the newspapers assume, however, that an fmportant part of the Russian fleet was not present at the com- bat and that the vessels composing this part will reach Vladlvostok and still give the Japanese trouble. Others express the opinion regarding the fate of the vessgels fleeing toward Viadivostok that they will hardly escape the Japancse swift cruisers. Astonishment is expressed at the sorry figure cut by the Russian battleships. This leads a naval expert, writing in the Lokal Anseiger, to point out that a modern battleship 18 a most ineficient machine unless manned by thoroughly trained officers and seamen; that the Russians were notoriously deficfent in | that it was impoesible for them to make g00d this defect since the war brokg out. | The event, therefore, the writer says, cannot be regarded as a séntence of | Jjudgment upon the battleship, but only upon the Russian officers and seamen. The National Zeitung curiously identi- fies the entire white race with Russia's defeat, which, it says, must il any one with grave concern who believes in the great economic and civilizing mission of the white race. The paper predicts that the white race will no longer be regarded | WXl’h respect by the yellow races of East Asia. e \ AUSTRIA LOOKS FOR PEACE. | for Russia. VIEN May 20.—The comments in the new pers here to-day are exclusive- 1 P Iy to the effect that Russia is conelu: { sively beaten and that nothing remains | but to sue for peace. The papers add that it has been proved that the Rus- sians can never vanquish the Japanese, and say that the result of the engage- ment in the Korean Straits is a ghastly blow to Russian prestige abroad and at home, and that the sooner Russia con- | cludes an homorable peace the sooner she can hope to improve -the conditions ex- isting in her interior. i ot 3 ey TOGO STILL IN. PURSUIT. p =y Admiral] Chasing Remnant of Fleet to Viadivostok. TOKIO, May 29, 8 p. m. (delayad in tranamission).—Admiral Togo contin- ues his great sweep to the northward in pursuit of the remnant of the Rus- sian feet. Complete reports will possi- bly increase the extent of the Russian disaster. Their swiftest fleeing ships should reach Viaaivostok to-night, the slower ones to-morrow or Wednesday. It will be Thursday before complete results of the battle -are known. At the end of the week Admiral Togo's fieet is expected to reassembls, and un- il then 1t will only be possible to se- cure approximate details. Slav — MIKADO’S “MEN BEHIND THE GUNS” FIRING A 6-INCH RAPID FIRER ON THE FLAGSHIP OF ADMIRAL TOGO. | +Russians Will Send No Mére Warships to the East. ST. PETERSBURG, May 30, 1:56 a. m.—After waiting vainly all day and evening for direct news from the scat- tered remnants of Vice Admiral Re- jestvensky’'s destroyed and beaten fleet, the Russian Admiralty at mid- night no longer attempted to hold out against the overwhelming evidence pouring in from ail directions that’'the fleet on which all its hopes were cen- tered had suffered a greater disaster than did the combined French -and Spanish fleets at Trafalgar. More bitter even than defeat is the Japanese claim of virtual annihilation of the Russian fleet, with practically no losses on their ‘side, and many of- ficers cling doggedly to the belief that Vice Admitral Togo also 'suffered hea- | vily. ‘With every ship of Rear Admiral Ne- bogatofi’s reinforcing division either sent to the bottom or forced to strike its fiag, and only six of Rojestvensky’s original sixteen fighting ships absent from {he line of vessels sunk or cap- tured, and with the Japanese pursuit continuing, no naval authority has the temerity to dream that Russia can again attempt to wrest the mastery of the sea from Japan in the present war. The captured warships alone will supply Japan with ready-made rein- forcements, which\will be more than a match for b feurth Pacific squad- ron now about to sail from Kronstadt. “The Emperor was completely pros- trated by the news and, according to reports, he broke down and wept. The effect of the disaster will be a terrible blow to the Government. The futility of trying to struggle on land is everywhere recognized, and the cry eace at )any ptice” is sure to be raised. This time it is believed the Government cannot resist'such a cry. Indeed, the radical Liberals are openly rejoicing in this hour of their country’s humiliation. They declare that the disaster means peace and the constitution and that the deaths of thousands of their fellow | countrymen.and the loss of over a hun- dred million dollars’” worth of war- shjps is not too big a price to pay. The friends of peace in the Govern- ment are already reproaching the war party with having forced the issue be- tween Togo and Rojestvensky. When the fleet appeared in the Straits of Malacca they tried vainly to persuade the Emperor that the time was oppor- tune for the opening of peace negotia- tions, but the war party convinced his | Majesty, and -Reojestvensky, for the | honor of the navy, insisted that the fleet should be given a chance to re- trieve the disasters suffered on land. Diplomatists entertain no doubt that the belligerent'faction will continue to | urge that the war be fought to the bitter end, but the friends of Russia abroad, especially France,” are now bringing overwhelming arguments to bear in favor of peace. The Russian Government in this crisis will turn to Delcasse, the French Foreign Minister, in whose ability a; in whose loyalty as Russia’s friend ti ror and his Ministers have im- plicit comfidence. Some time ago it appeared lfkely that President Roose- wvelt would play a big role in the peace megotiations, but now his share is apt to be determined by Delcasse’s deci- sion. sider it wise to ce the negotiations in President 1t's hands. The war party, however, will insist now, as it did after the battle of Muk- ! den, that peace is impossible on the heels of defeat. The members of this faction are already proclaiming that the latest disaster in nowise alters the situation on land, ‘General Linevitch The latter may, of course, con- | having ' prepared his plans as if the fleet did not’extst. The censorship {8 taking the .posi- tion that it is improper to accept the Japanese reports in the absence of of- ficlal news, and has forbidden the pub- lication of foreign dis; hes giving detajls of the defeat. Nevertheless, news of the magnitude of the disaster spread like wildfire throughout the | city, and.the .main. facts were .embels lished in picturesque detail, netwith- standing the official declaration, The Admiralty is without reports,of the defeat. Private advices are said to have reached the city from Vladivo- stok, according to which Rojestvensky is alive, but had a narrow escape. He is said to have transferred bis flag from the Kniaz Souvaroff to another FRANCE SEES O HOPE FOR " BEATEN ALLY PARIS, May 29.—The magnitude of the battleship, subsequently.sunk, and to 1 Russian-naval disaster has fairly stunned have heen wounded and picked up by ! French public ‘opinion, which had hoped 4 torpedo boat. These reports are not confirmed. A large portion of the officers and sailors of the fleet were residents of St. Petersburg, and evidences of ex- pectant grief are seen on every hand. Wives and families are besleging the Admiralty and are . visiting the churehes to pray for the escape of their loved ones. . Many of the people of St. Petersburg refuse absolutely to credit the news from Tokio, and are clutching at the belief that, perhaps, it is not official. The Government undoubtedly fears the effect of the news of the disaster upon the country, as évidence of which Gov- ernor General Trepoff has taken per- sonal charge of the censorship. in St. Petersburg. ¢ Peace demonhstrations aré generally expecfed, though, pending the decision of the Government with regard to the opening of negotiations it is Impos- sible to predict what stand the Gov- ernment forces may take. e i 0 WARSHIPS LOST TO RUSSIA. Description of the Larger Vessels Sunk or Caotcred. The Borodino -was a first-class battle- [%hip, compléted in 1904, of 13516 tons dis- placement and 16,000 horsepower, giving her a speed of about eighteen knots. She had an armored belt of from four to nine inches of Krupp steel and from six to ten inches of armor over her gun positions and bulkheads. Her armament consisted of four twelve-inch, twelve siX-inch and over forty smaller rapid fire guns. Her crew numbered 740 officers and men. The Alexander III was a sister ship of the Borodino and was also completéd in 1904. The Admiral Nakhiminoff was an armored cruiser of 824 tons t and %000 indicated horsepower, fl;n: her a speed of sixteen knots. She eight inches of compound armor.over her gun positions and carried eight elght-inch, ten six-inch and about twenty smaller rapid fire guns. She had a complement of about 567 officers and men. . J The Dmitri _onskoi wasg @n armored crulser of 6w tons, sheathed, of 7000 in- dicated horsepower and had a speed of about sixteen knots. She had an armored belt six’ inches thick and had ten inches of armor over her bulkheads and heavy gun_positions. ‘Her armament consisted of six 6-inch, ten 4.7-inch and sixteen quick firing guns. ‘Her crew numbcre; 510 officers and. men. The Vladimir Monomach was a sheathed cruiser “of 5593 tons and 7000 indicated horsepower. She was completed In 1385, had a belt of compound armor six to ten inches thick, a protected deck of two inches of steel and catried five eight-inch, twelve six-inch and eighteen quick firing guns. Her créw numbered 550 officers and mén. The. Admiral Oushakoff, a coast defense ironclad, was of 4648 tons displacement and 5000 indicated horsepower. . She was completed in 159%, ‘had an armored belt ten inches thick; a protected deck of three inches of steel and from three to seven inches of armor over her heavy gun posi- tions. Her armament ted of four i 9-inch guns, four 6-inch guns and six !18-inch guns, in addition to number of smaller rapid firing guns. Her speed was W at n_knots an hour and she carried mm and The Syletlana was a protected cruiser of 3862 tons. - 0 indt- cated. h and had She had a two-inch protected . steel ahd four-inches of that Jate advices would show that Japan also had suffered some share of the lossez. However, dispatches showing that the Japanese fleet escaped practically un- scathed from the encounter dispelled the hope entertaind that Vice Admiral Ro- jestvensky by sacrificing a portion of his fieet, had succeeded in crippling Vice Ad- miral Togo’s fleet to such an extent that the Japanese would be placed in a position of inferfority. The disaster is generally discussed by the officials, the public and the press in a tone of depression, the prevailing view being that Russia now will be compelled tc seek some medns of terminating the war. The Bourse first gave evidence -of a sfrong peace sentiment by the buoyancy of the market. cluding the semi-official Temps, urge peace, declaring Russia has played her last card. It ‘was stated in diplomatic quarters to-night that, while the result of the bat- tle would contribute to eventual peace, it did not -give any immediate prospect of the opening of negotiations ‘ta that end. Tt was pointed out that the obstinacy of character -of the Russians would prob- ably compel them: to turn to General Line- viteh and await the result of another land battle. It was said in this connection that. the situation would not be. likely to permit Field Marshal Oyama . to strike another decided blow witain two weeks, thus prolonging Russia’s hopes on land and deferring her willingness to ask for peace. inch guns. She had a complement of 360 officers and men. The, protected . cruiser Jemtchug was of 3108 tons displacement and 17,000 in- dicated horsepower, giving her a speed of about twenty-three knots., She was completed in 1903, had a protected deck of two inches of steel and carried six 4.7-inch gums, six 1.8-inch gums, two li4-inch guns. Her crew numbered 340 officers and men. The ,repair-ship Kamchatka was a most {mportant unit of Admiral Ro- jestvensky’s fleet. She is understood to have been fitted up with every scientific appliance available for the repair of warships and was described as being a “floating wotkshop.” ‘She was launched at the new Admiralty yard, St. Peters- burg, on November 1, 1902, She was of 7200 tons displacement, was capable of carrying 3500 tons of coal and mounted six ‘small quick-fire guns. She had transport accommodations for thirty- two officers and 1000 men. The Irtessin was probably an auxil- fary crufser, but. her name is not given in any of the naval lists available. The battles! Orel is a sister ship of the Borodiné and carried the same complement of officers and men. The battiship Nicolai I is of 9672 tons displacement and 8000 indleated horse- power, giving her a speed of about fourteen knots. She is sheathed and although completed as far back -as 1892 was thoroughly overhauled in 1800.. She has a _compound armor belt six to’four inched thick, has a steel protected deck two and a balf inches thick and has six to ten inches of com- pound armor over her gun positions. Her ment consists of two 12-inch guns, four 9-inch guns, eight 6-inch guns and twelve Quick-firing guns, in addition to a number of small rapid- fire guns. Her complement is 604 of- ficers and meén, . . The coast ‘defense ironclad Admiral ‘Sentavin is a sister ship of the Admiral Oushakoft. 3 e EAL, May 20.—Rev. Alexander Mac- DonneR, Bishop of Alexandrta died to-day. He was 72 years of age. The leading journals, in- | {ond Port Arthur. Growing Power of Japanese . s Is Causing Concern. Special Dispatch to The Call. R CALL BUREAU, P BUILDING. WASHINGTON, May 20,—“This means we should inerease our own navy,” the substance of the remark which President Roosevelt made when in- formed early this morning that Togo had swept clear the Eastern seas of Rusgian war craft. All through Wash- | ington this sentiment was echoed. not only by naval officers and Government officials, but by ecivilians and even by | members of the diplomatic corps, who have observed the tendency on the part of Congress to curtail the annual naval appropriations in favor of river and harbor improvements and public build- ing projects. President Roosevelt was surprised at | the’ news, for he had believed that,; when the great fleets met, there would | be a hard, but not one-sided fight. It| would- have pleased the Washington Government better, to judge from pri- vate remarks of certain high officials, | had the fight in the Tsushima Su’.fl(sl been a Russian instead of a Jupanese success. This is not due to any espe- | cial sympathy for Russia in govern- mental circles, but springs from the be- | lief ontertained here that a Russian | victory would have insured an early | peace. i Moreover, there is on the part of| some members of the highest adminis- tration circles a feeling that this final great success will make the Japanese altogether too -confident ‘of ‘their own prowess and that Japanese aspirations | to become a world power will lead to | complications in- the Far Hast, where | the United States has important inter- | ests. The desire of this Gevernment, | which has done what it could to bring | about peace, has been for a séttlement RISE OF JAPAN’S STAR. Baron Hayashl Talks on the Effects of the Naval Vietory. LONDON,; May 29.—Bayon Hayashi, | the Japanese Minister, in an intérview to-day said: “We all rejoice at Togo's magnifi- cent victory. We ‘had cornfidence he would not be so badly beaten as it was supposed the Russians thought he would be, but at the same time we were not entirely free from anxiety concerning the ' outcome of this long expected naval battle. Now we feel quite easy in our minds and the re- mainder seems easy. “Regarding whether this fight will prove a stép.in the direction of peace, we cannot judge. Outsiders cannot express an - opinion of value on this point. - The question must be regarded from the Russian standpoint. One thing is cortain—this makes the Jap- anése further naval and military op- erations very easy. If the ‘war con- tinues, Vladivestok may become a sec- It seems improb~ able under the circumstances that Russia will send more ships to the Far East. “We consider the victory the most mot only on the future of Far East, but also on Europe. Rus- sian can no longer be reckomed with as a naval power. “It is my opinion that Togo's victory is on a par with that of Nelson, achiev- ed a century ago this year." : At a late hour this eveming Buron Hayashl had not received a single tel- egram from Tokio regarding the bat- tle. He said that he thought his Gov- ernment - was - awaiting thorough round-up of the fugitive t in the hope -~ of recording Rojestvensky among those captured. Regarding the alleged Russian threat to carry the war into Mongolid, Baron Hayashi' sai@d tbat the Japanese would follow wherever the Russians led. The Japanese Government, he added, had only promised to confine the war to the territory employed by Rus- sia. X which would render Japanese and Rus- siah interests still opposed to each other in the Far East, so that. each would prevent the other from any ag- gression inte China or any encroach- ment upon the interests of other pow- ers It is now feared that Jupam will we- cept 1o peace except that which lates an indemnity which would e hitherto second-rate power to bhuild a tremendous fleet. With such a fleet Japanese influence would necessarily be rated among the most Iimportant elements in the world. At the Russian embassy no efficial details have ye$ been received from St. Petersburg concerning the fight. When asked whether this battle brought ce nearer. Count Cassini, the Em- basador, said: “This battle has put peace furthee away. Russia will continue ‘the war, This is all I can say at present.” At the Japanese legatiom, where na particular elation was manifested, de- spite the increasing volu of meis, Kogoro Takahira, the Japanese Minis- ter, said: - “It i3 too edrly fo talk of peace. Japan has been always ready for peace —after Liaoyang,” after Port Arthur, after Mukden and before this battle— but Russia would not have it. You must ask the Russians when peace is te come.” From an indisputable source.it .is learned that Japan has entered upon & determined effort to Japanize Korea. Within recent months 90.000 Japanese immigrants have gone into Kerea and settled. They are not soldiers: they are persons of varfous ocoupations, forming a portion of the great surplus population for which Japan has Been eager to find an outlet on the Asiatie mainland. A policy of Japanization has been projected into Manchuria, where the Japanese afiliate with the - Chinese; seeking to control | ficlent portion of the Chinese to- give their own policies strength in ‘the lestial kingdom. This is compared by students of Chi- nese history to the policy by which the Manchu dynasty, founded centuries ago, scattered its tribesmen throughout the kingdom. It is admitted, even in Eng- lish and German sources, that Japanese Ce= | influence has outstripped every other international influence In Peking. Pears’ Why is Pears’ Soap—the best in the world, the soap with no free alkali in it— sold for 15.ceats a cake? It wa: rade for a hos- pital soap in the first place, made by request, the doctors wanted a soap that would wash as sharp as any and do no harm to the skin. That mieans’ a soap soap, with no free alkali in it, nothing but soap; there is nothing ‘mysterious in it. Cost de- pends on quantity; quas- tity comes of quality. Sold all over the world,