RUSSIA'S DARING SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12602, 17 June 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

RUSSIA'S DARING SCHEME.

. COALING HER WARSHIPS ON THE ■ <:,:;-" ■■ HIGH SEAS. ■' : i. w .. "

REMARKABLE PLANS FOR THE BALTIC FLEET. \ ' As showing the seriousness of Russia's intentions to recover her lost naval supremacy in the Far East; the London Daily Mail of April 27 gives the outline of her daring schemes to organise her supply of coal for her vessels, both on the way out and after their arrival. ' According to present arrangements, the coaling will be done in the Mediterranean from large vessels chartered from one of the Atlantic lines, while smaller vessels are in readiness for coaling war vessels in the Baltic and North Sea. It is obvious that even if the naval reinforcements got as far as Port Arthur or Vladivostok, they would bo powerless unless provided with fuel, and the stores at these places will not more than suffice for the present ships, so nothing can be done until ample supplies have run the gauntlet and. arrived there. About twenty coal ships have been, therefore, chartered for the Far East., The whole scheme may be divided as follows:— <• . •"■•'-

IN THE FAR EAST., ~' ~ ; A Russian agent came to' England some weeks aftei the outbreak of hostilities to arrange for the transport of coal to Port Arthur, Vladivostok, and Dalny. He left for Paris last Thursday. After meeting with but little- success, at Liverpool, came to London. ' It became known in shipping circles that the Russian Government was offering nearly double the usual rates for coal consignments to neutral Chinese ports. Anything in the nature of a rush after this unusually ',*.* tempting " business" ~■■». wqs chocked tyhen it was discovered, that a clause was to be inserted in each charter-party—or agreement—requiring the boat to proceed when possible to Port Arthur, Dalny, or Vladivostok. ' r . Three firms of brokers, however, took up the matter and succeeded \n finding between them over a dozen ships whose owners were willing to accept the risk, and some of these vessels with their cargoes of coal are already at sea after clearing for a neutral Chinese port, such as Tsingtftu or Woosung. These ; vessels are furnished with a charter-party 'stating that'they are carrying' coal to a neutral port consigned to a German firm who are allowing their name to bo used. This formal charter-party is for tjie benefit of any, Japanese warship that may overhaul the coal-carriers and deroapd to see their papers. _ In addition there is what may be termed a secret charter-party which the captain reads through and impresses on his memory, but which is not carried on board. "-' ; V Until the yejsel has arrived at" the neutral port in China;- it 19 hoped that the first : document will secure her from capture, but after then she must dash across to a Russian port, trusting only to her heels and luck. v

, ,THE SECRET ■ CHARTER-PARTY. . The secret charter-party runs as follows:— "The ship shall clear for Tsingtau (or Woosung) from this port. It is left to the captain to reach either Port Arthur,, Dalny, or Vladivostok. Freight is stimulated on intaken colliery weight per tqri of 20 hundred,weighty';! :45s for any .Russian ports. Of this freight 32s 6d per ton is payable here (the" home port) without discount oh signing bills of lading, and 15s a ton is to be deposited in : the ' "—— Bank ! at'.- Hamburg against, % receiving, bills of - lading. As soon as the cablegram arrives from Port Arthur, Dalny, -or Vladivostok ; that the boat has arrived at either of these, ports, the bank to pay to the owner the remaining freight of 15s per ton, always without dpduction. „,, "In case the vessel is seiaed by the .Japanese or enemies of Russia and thereby prohibited to reach "* one of the above-named ports, the ; above deposit is to be! paid by the bank over to the owner as, soon, as the cablegram arrives that the seizure has happened-". '■'**' '" .. . '. .*';'. The secret .charter-party goifljs'iqn to say that if the vessel is delayed .it the 'Russian' port of discharge, demurrage o£_£ss is to be paid by ;■• the charterers ' day by day. Further, that if the captain does not think he is able to make a Russian port ok account of danger of capture, the boat must wait tat the neutral port for 30 days. If no opportunity has then presented itself, the coal is to be landed at a neutral port between Tsingtau and Singapore as ordered by the charterer, and the money which has been deposited in the Hamburg bank shall be released and paid over to the chartecer. ' This remarkable document concludes by saying that for further conditions both par: ties refer . to. the charter-party made tip between them running pro forma for' Tsingtau as port of discharge. (This is, of course, a reference to the first; charter-party, which is to be carried for the inspection' of Japanese and other authorities.)

VESSELS ALREADY CHARTERED. The vessels chartered in London under those circumstances belong to British, German, Norwegian.! and American owners, and the Russian agent has succeeded in obtaining other vessels at Continental ports, bringing the total to about twenty vessels, carrying some 60.000 or 70.000 fens of the aline cessary coal.' .' ' Some owners, however, have obtained considerably ; better terms than ; those given in the secret charter-party we ' quote from. One, for : example, is' taking out 3500 = tons of coal from Cardiff for which the Russian Government are paying 35s a ton to ft neutral port payable at once, and an extra 23s r ton to be paid if the vessel discharges at Port Arthun Thus, Russia is willing to pay nearly '£5 a tori carriage on coal worth only 17s a ton in England.

PLANS FOR THE MF4)ITFaRAN^AN^ •,As everything depends :'' on the success of the Far Eastern fleet, it can be easily understood that the for fhe first part of the journey of the 1 reinforcing waxships are at present in a less settled condition. A Russian naval official at r present in London has been 'approached on' behalf of a well-known line V of/Atlantic boats asking whether hjs Government are open to take » number of large': vessels'on? 5' time-ch^rtei.*? This means that the owners will part with the control of their ships, placing them at the disposal of Russia for' a stipulated sum per day or week. :;■ It is understood • that these vessels when chartered will load : with coal, proceed to the Mediterranean, apd wait at "a given latitude and longitude for the Russian fleet, .which will thus be ', able to coal on the high seas. The official who was written to replied' that his Government ; would most likely require some vessels on time-charter, but up to the present he has made po further communication.

IN BALTIC AND NORTH SEA. Here somewhat; h& elaborate prepaytions j have been necessary. A' number of comparatively small vessels have been carrying steam coaj to ports in to the order of the Government. In their charter is a clause to the effect that, if needed, they must discharge their cargo at sea. Once the Russian fleet gets under way it could be accompanied by its attendant colliers, refilling empty bunkers at the rats of from 200 to 400 tana a' day each,. . ■ . So far the scheme \ takes the reinforciag fleet as far as the Suez' Canal. "Beyond'tfc at point the warships wquld j»*W to depend 'on an extension of the Mediterranean per* tion of these preparations, and aa the Yellow S#a is neared the risks wjl| becoma greater and greater. ' '-