CREWS. IN COMMAND

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 7

CREWS. IN COMMAND

PLIGHT OF RUSSIAN NAVY. PAMPHLET BY A LEADING OFFICER. NO ESPRIT DE CORPS. fDT TEMORAni—ri'.ESS ASSOCIATION —COFYIIIGIIT.)* (Roc. August 13, 11 p.m.) St. Petersburg, August 13. Prince Alexander Licvcn, ono of the most celebrated officers of the Russian navy, has published a pamphlet alleging that tho Navy is destitute of discipline and esprit de corps. Tho crews, not the officers, are the real commanders. OFFICERS SHUT THEIR EYES. Last October tho "Novoe Vremya" called for stern measures in tho navy, which it bitterly described as "bereft of proper management. Thnt_ was on tho occasion of the mutiny at Vladivostok in connection with the destroyer Skory, which resulted in 20 men being condemned to be shot, 31 being sentenced to penal servitude, othors to lesser punishments. The stato of anarchy in the Russian navy has been vividly described by Mr. Foster Eraser. Writing of. the events leading up to tho Black Sea mutinies of 1905, he states

"The commanders were trying to work discontent out of tho crews by keeping them constantly busy. The crews scowled, had black looks, and did their duty with sullenness. Despite watch, the reddest of revolutionary pamphlets were read in tho mess. The men sneered at the officers, pave salutes grudgingly, and wero out of hand. The officers shut their eyes to many things. They felt that if they began punishing offenders, the ships would mutiny, they themselves would be murdered, and tho warships run tho gauntlet of the forts while escaping to sea." To complete Mr. Eraser's pen-picture, it may be added that a mutiny broke out oti the battleship Kniaz Potemkine, in the Black Sea, on Juile 23, 1905, the crew murdering the captain and other officers, and taking: possession of the ship. Other ships,- inoluding the Georgei Pobiedonosets, wero also taken by their crews. The Georgei Pobiedonosets surrendered to the authorities on July 3, and the Kniaz Potemkine, after somo days, surrendered to the Rou• manian authorities at Constanza, who gave a guarantee of safety in respect of 740 of tho mutineers who. landed there, and divided among themselves the contents of the treasury of tho battleship, which were reported to amount to .£50,000. /