THE BALTIC FLEET.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 48, 27 February 1905, Page 5

THE BALTIC FLEET.

RUSSIAN ADMIRALTY ANXIOUS. LONDON, 26th February. The Russian Admiralty is spotted to bo anxioiw concerning Admiral Ko/.h-di'stVL-iisky's position, having heard that Admiral Togo, accompanied by his own and twenty-livo cnptuiod collier*, is about to pass through tlio Malay Archipelago, and givo bntt'.o. It in computed that with the third Bultio squadron, Admiral Rozhdw»tvensky'it fleet would bo stronger on paper rtmn Admiral Togo's. The military correspondent of the London Times, writing under dato of 9th January, ihakes somo lnU-testing speculations regarding tho Russian squadrons. "U is stated in tho French press," (toyfi tho correspondent, "that the point of concentration of (ho whole itrmnda Is Diego Suatoz. the el'ent French coaling-station which Is destined to piny ar- important part in nny futuro operations of tho fiencli navy in tho Indian Ocean. Diego Suarex, or Jlritish Sound, Is very well known to a, small section of our officers of both Services, but the general public is probably unaeouainted with tho advantages .possessed by this grnml harbour, which in eitertt and security is one of tho flneit in tho world. Tho entrance to tho bay from the Indian Ocean is through tho narrow Oronjia Pass, which will somewhut remind th« Rusoinns of thu entrance channel to PorJ, Arthur. It is half a mile wido and from 22 to 26 fathoms dorp in the centre. Inside tho buy there is a vn«t oxpanso of sheltered anchorage, whilo four interior inlets, known by tho names of English, Scotch, and Irish bays,' and Port NieVre, allow amplo room for tilio assembly and safe shelter of a far larger lleot than that commnnd-> ed by Admiral Rozhdeslvensky, Tho sliorcH ar« for tho niobl puit steep-to, and the chief pa it of the French establishments aro at Autsirnna, on v promontory to tho south of the boy, and at Dingo itself. Tho place is well fortified, and has been olio of tho most important of the coaling-stations of France outsido her homo territories over since tho right of occupation wns obtained by tho Franeo-Hova treaty of 1885. "Tho exact condition Of tho Russian ships Is not known, ahd, although rumour has it that ono or two cruisers and several colliers ure in a bad way, tlieie is no definite information of any serious mishap. The Gorman naval Captain yon Pustnu has, however, given a, very unfavourable estimate of tho Hoot and of its oliuiioes of success, and as this olticcr was ono of tho last to visit tho ships at Libau and to sco tho Admiral in command his evidence is of value,. Sumo of tho Russians on board appear to icgtird it almost as a. national affront that tho noith-ca.it monsoon should cause them to make, such bud weather at this season. It may bo, however, that the young officers of the Urodno tltm&nrfi wlio were shipped at St. Peteisburu may bo lcsponsible for these jcflcotions upon Iho deplorable antagonism of tho dements. Tho Baltic Fleet loft Libau at 1 a.m. on 16th October last year, and has consequently already taken 80 days on its journey. On 22nd August wo quoted (ho opinion of a Kron-' stadt paper wheroin a Ruwiun naval engineer demonstrated that the entire voyage to Vladivostoek would occupy 63 days, but that if coaling at sea became necessary tho time would be increased to 84 days. The Russians have already taken neatly as much limo to travcrso little more than half tho distanco which separated them fioin their objective as Ihoy -wero originally calculated to tako for' the whole of tho voyage, and nt the present into of progress Jiey will not roach Vladivo&lork befoio the middle of March. Hut if tins original contract* for ooiil supplier wero bnsod upon a limo eslimalo' at all respmblltig tlmt of the Russian engineer, it is a question whether the lultiiv supply may hot piu."Out veiy serious difficulties. The Novtio Vreinj'a has Inf6rmpd Utf that the fleet btlrnh 3110 tons daily at reduced speed and 133 tons dally while at anchor, and that, on an average, three days in ci»ht are aprnt In coaling at anchor. If thi* is coned, about liO.OOO tons will li.uo been consumed since the voyago began, a fact which gives some idea of tho

character of the pieparnlioiiH required for operations of thi.s magnitude It may bo recalled Hint during Iho three months ended on 30(h November last Nonio 50 collliMs left Cardiff, Bniry, and Newport for various points on tho way lo Iho Far East for tire setvice of the Baltic Flcot, cany ing not less than 250,000 to 300,000 lons. Thew colliers will, however, theninclvos havo consumed a considotablo quantity, and, lnrgc as theso figures are, it is not yet certain whether eniflicietit allowance lias been mado for' tho great delays which have occurred in Hie. pi ogress of tho armada fiinco tho plan of the. cruiso was first mado and the. contracts were placed. "Meanwhile tho Japanese are taking Urn* moat enorgerio measures to meet the threatened danger. Their combined squadron is now in Japanese ports with tho prospect of nearly thieo months rest beforo tho contest is renewed, during which period wo can bo pure not one moment will bo wasted in getting tho .ships and crews into piimo condition. At tlio samo time a detachment of the fleet, strength unknown, has been very rightly despatched to the south in order to note and report the progress of the enemy and to compel the Russians to keep together, colliers and all, or to risk being cut oIT in detail. This will afford the Grodno Hussars some interesting and valuable lessons in tho nit of Scouting. A network of naval intelligence has been spread over all tho territories in tho Malay Archipelago, and if the Russians proct'ed the}* aro nearly certain tt> be observed and reported, since there is evident 1)' a very considerable number of Japanese, auxiliary and other cruisers on tho watch for them."