TWO JAPANESE CAPTAINS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2041, 24 August 1906, Page 7

TWO JAPANESE CAPTAINS.

Capt. Sakiamoto and Capt. ljichi, who wore sunt to England to take command of the two new Japanese battleships in March, are among the most distinguished otlicers of their rank, iu the Japanese navy, and it is an open secret that both will shortly become admirals. At the outbreak of the war with Russia, Capt. Sakamoto Has in command of the Ya.shhna oiiu oi the six battleships that formed the main strength of Admiral logo's ileet. lie took part in the early operations against Port Arthur. His service with the main battle tleet ended on May 15, 11)01, when the war htad lasted only three months. The •Japanese acknowledged that on that day they had lost the cruiser Yashino by collision with the Kosuga, and 1 lie battleship Hatsu.se by the explosion of a Russian drill mine. At the time there were rumours that these were not the only ships lost by the •Japanese on that day of disaster, but no further loss was actually acknowledged. Though there were vague rumours that the Vashima had disappeared, her name actually figured in accounts of the naval battle oi August 10, and it was not until after the destiuction ol the Russian lieet in the great battle in the Sea of Japan that the Tokio Government informed the world that the Vashima had been mink a year before. Such a national conspiracy of silence is probably unique in history. The Japanese were waging a war that hvld the attention of the whole world, and yet they kept absolutely secret the fact that their fleet had been weakened by the loss of one of its finest battleships. Capt. Sakamoto was picked up from the water after his ship had gone down. It was recognised that he was in no way to blaint, for the disaster, and he was appointed commodore in charge of the defence force at the newly occupied port of Dalny. He held that post until the end of the war. Capt. I.iichi commanded from the beginning to the end of the war the armoured cruiser Jdztuno, the flagship of RearAdmiral Kajnimura's squadron, and took part in practiqally all the important naval engagements. He and liis colleague are now taking back to Japan the two most powerful fighting ships ever seen in the Far East, and their selection for the trust shows the high esteem in which thev are held by the Japanese Government.