The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1905. ROZHDESTVENSKY'S REPORT TO THE CZAR.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 48, 19 September 1905, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1905. ROZ HDEST VENSK Y'S REPORT TO THE CZAR.

Admiral Rozhdestvensky in his re port to the Czar on the battle of Tsushioa, attributes his defeat (1) to the bad state of hi 3 vessels, due not only to the haste exhibited in their construction, but also to the dishonesty of the builders and the corruption of the members of the technical offices, who passed as good, vessels which were manifestly bad. lv illustration of thi.s first point, he states that on none of the vessels did the thickness of the armour-plating correspond to the official figures, also the armour was of inferior quality, and this enabled the Japanese shells to pierce it. The vessels were not provided with range-finders, which interfered considerably with the accuracy of firing. The shells were lamentably made, and two thirds of them did not explode. The ships could not carry the necessary quantity of coal, and none of them attained their guaranteed sneed. The engines and boilers were of poor quality, and were in constant need of repair (2) to the incapacity of the crews. Two thirds of the crews were incapable of performing the duties required of them, and (3) to the spirit of mutiny which prevailed amongst the seamen. The Admiral had to quell a mutiny off Madagascar by 14 executions. The guns of his ships had to be trained on the Admiral ' Seniavin and the General Admiral Apraksin in order to restore order among the mutineers. Then— this was discovered too late — the crews of Rozhdestvensky'sown squadron had decided to revolt and to give them- j selves up to the Japanese. Near ' Formosa another mutiny broke out j in Admiral Niebogatoff's squadron, i which was with great difficulty suppressed. In the battle of Tsushima Admiral Niebogatoff s men took no part in the battle and refused to carry out orders until Admiral i Rozhdestvensky threatened to sink * them if they did not execute the 1 manoeuvres as ordered. After Rozh- ' destvensky was wounded, and Nic bogatoff had taken command, the \ men of the united squadron refused ', to fight. . - I