MOVEMENTS OF RUSSIAN CRUISERS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1828, 21 April 1885, Page 4

MOVEMENTS OF RUSSIAN CRUISERS.

The Government, says the Argus, are not in possession of any official information as to the movements of Russian cruisers towards Australia, but during last week they received two warnings, the source of which has yet to be ascertained. About a week ago Mr Service^ was furnished with a telegram received by the telegraph department from Singapore, stating that several Russian cruisers had left that port, apparently making northwards. No special significance was attached to this information, but on Friday last, while at- Sorrento, Mr Service received another telegram from the same place, and through the same agency, advising the Government to look out for the Russian ironclad, General Admiral, which was at the Cape of Good Hope. The Premier directed that a copy of the message should be sent at once in cypher to each, of the other colonies, and the replies received from all the Governments indicate that the information was not previously conveyed to them. _ In the light of this intelligence, which, it was thought might have been forwarded in accordance with some special instructions, it was decided to adopt every possible precaution for the defence of Port Philip harbour, and to forthwith issue the proclamation, which appeared on Saturday, relative to the partial closing of the port. Enquiries are now being made by Mr Servioe w i i_ a view of asc «*taining the source of the message received from Singapore. From the Statesman's Year Book we learn that the General Admiral is one of five belted cruisers in the Russian navy. She is 285 ft long, with 48ffc beam, and built of iron sheathed with wood. Her vital parts are protected by a 6-inch armour belt on the water-line. The battery deck is not protected with armour. She carries four 8-inch and two 6-inch guns and they are arranged to fire in all ! directions. Her displacement is 4,600 l°Tnn aD Si, hei L indicated horse-power 6,300, The above reports are to some extent confirmed by a private telegram from Brisbane, which informs us that advices have been received to the effect that a first-class Russian ironclad has called at the Cape of Good Hope en route for Australia.