THE BALTIC FLEET'S OUTRAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12698, 28 October 1904, Page 5

THE BALTIC FLEET'S OUTRAGE.

ARRIVAL Of WARSHIPS AT VIGO--9 SEVERAL OF THEM DAMAGED. EXTRAORDINARY STORIES BY OFFICERS. ADMIRAL REPORTS AN EIGAGEimT. GHANHEL FLEET READY FOR SEA. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. THE GOVERNMENT'S DEMANDS, BRITISH MINISTERS CONFERRING. London, October 29. The Foreign Committee of the Cabinet and the law officers of the Crown are conferring at Downing-street. THE CHANNEL FLEET. READY TO SAIL. (Eeceived October 28, 1.18 a.m.) London, October 27. The Channel fleet has taken in coal at Gibraltar, and is now ready, to sail at any moment. The entire torpedo flotilla at Gibraltar also has been commissioned. ADMIRAL ROSHDESTVENSKI'S STATEMENT, "THE INCIDENT INEVITABLE." (Received October 27, 11.30 p.m.) ' London, October 27. The Spanish newspapers claim that they have interviewed Admiral Roshdestvenski on the subject of the Dogger Bank attack. The admiral said the incident was " inevitable," and he had acted in . accordance with his conscience, in order to prevent the destruction of his squadron. Before leaving Liban he had made known his intention to attack any ship that approached the fleet. BATTLE IN THE NORTH SEA. It is reported at Vienna that Admiral Roshdestvenski has informed his Government that the fleet had a serious encounter in the North Sea, and that the Russian Government is ashamed to admit the fact. __ '~..-■:...,„. ;,,', NO REPORT FROM THE ADMIRAL. ■ ; The Russian Admiralty says it has not received any report from Admiral Roshdestvenski regarding the attack on the fishing fleet. RUSSIAN ADMIRALTY'S PROTEST, NO PUNISHMENT FOR OFFICERS.-NO WAR FOR FISHERMEN. (Received October 27, 11.4 p.m.) • London, October 27. The officials of the Russian Admiralty are strongly resisting the demand of Britain for the punishment of the officers of the Baltic fleet. To do that, they say, would be to brand the Russian navy with enduring infamy, as nervous, cruel, and cowardly,. It would bo ridiculous, they contend, to go to war over the killing of a couple of fishermen. ,' .!..:•..„«,,,,,,,,,,„:

RUSSIAN EXPLANATIONS OP OUTRAGE. SURROUNDED BY TORPEDO-BOATS. (Received October 27, 10.20 p.m.) Madrid, October 27. ' The newspaper CorrespOndencia de Espana, published here, says the officers of the Baltic fleet declare that they saw two tor-pedo-boats between the lines of the squadron, and supposing them to be Japanese, opened fire. ■ They also declare that they saw guns oh two boats, and that none of the sailors looked like fishermen. They said they were not aware that anybody had been Wounded, and regretted the mistake. (Becelved October 37, 11.30 p.m.) ... » London, October 27. Renter's correspondent at Vigo reports that Prince Keretelli, an officer on the Russian battleship Imperator Alexander, states that the transport Amadul was steaming ahead of the squadron, when suddenly she was surrounded by eight torpedo-boats. She requested assistance, and the battleships, in division, advanced and signalled: "Unknown vessels must leave or state nationality." They refused, and advanced among the battleships. Suddenly one of them fired a cannon, and Admiral Roshdestvenski formed in line of battle and replied to the fire, and afterwards continued the voyage. The Russians feared the vessels were Japanese, as the admiral knows they have purchased torpedo-beats in England. OPINION IN RUSSIA. THE BRITISH DEMANDS UNREASONABLE, (Received October 27, 10.5 p.m.) * London, October 27. The Russian press and people consider the demands of Britain, excepting that for compensation, unreasonable and arbitrary, and dictated by hostility. The correspondents at St. Petersburg of both English and French newspapers mention the bellicose attitude of the military there. They place emphasis upon the danger that lies in the belief, due to the censorship, that the incident consisted mainly in running down the trawlers. The demands of the British Government, therefore, are interpreted as due to anti-Russian feeling. LEADER OF OPPOSITION'S OPINION. o "" NEITHER ACCIDENT NOR BLUNDER. (Received October 27, 10.20 p.m.) London, October 27. The Leader of th© Opposition, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, . speaking at Norwich, said the attack of the Baltic fleet on the fishermen was an unparalleled and cruel outrage. It was neither an accident, nor a blunder, nor & misunderstanding. The nation absolutely supported the Government in its demands. BATTLESHIPS DAMAGED. London. October 27. A Russian cruiser has reached Villa de Gaia, in Portugal. The Spanish Minister for Marine says that it hats been reported to him that two of the Russian battleships are so damaged that it is impossible for them to leave Vigo. The time for their departure was one o'clock to-day.

Baltic fleet cot vtad..

REMARKABLE EXPLANATION OF THE OUTRAGE. -. A , '■ ■& , London, October 26." i! The Baltic fleets off Vigo, in Spain. / Despatches from St. 1 Petersburg await it there. - ■■■•*—— toiatti —r' J n —lira i mi. v .'■ ; *:-. '-."-■'. ~ i ■ s OBJECTIONS OF SPANISH COMMANDANT. (Bedßivta October 37, 10.5' p.m.) * ~'.,'•< London, October 27.- • : The battleships Imperator Alexander 11., Kiiiaz Suvorov, Borodino, and Orel, and the transport Amadul, have arrived in the port of Vigo. ■ : The commandant of the port warned Admiral Roshdestvenski ; that he must not ship stores. The admiral replied that his ships were damaged, and had been obliged to separate from the rest of the squadron. , I; The commandant then promised to communicate the fact to his Government. ' ■<.' , ! \ On five German colliers going alongside the warships, the commandant requested the admiral not to violate Spanish neutrality. He also notified the colliers that he expected them to obey his directions. - - The admiral then applied for leave for each ship to take at least 400 tons of coal; with which to reach Tangier. Three of the colliers then sailed for Tangier. < To the newspapers Admiral Roshdestvenski hast stated his regret that he was unable to revictual at Vigo. He hoped to be allowed enough coal to reach the calmer waters at Gibraltar, where he would revictual at sea.

LORD ROSEBERY'S OPINION, AN UNSPEAKABLE OUTRAGE. • (Received October 27, 10.20 p.m.) London, October 27. Lord Rosebery has sent £100 to the relief fund opened by the Mayor of Hull. In his letter he characterises the attack on the fishermen as an unspeakable outrage. RUSSIANS AT CHERBOURG* NO OFFICIAL RECOGNITION. London, October 26. Seven Russian torpedo-boats and two coaling vessels crept away frotn Cherbourg early this morning. As their arrival there had not been announced, official visits had hot been exchanged. Officially the French authorities were ignorant of the presence of the Russian warships, though they were in the harbour for 36 hours.

THE WORLD'S PRESS.

CONTINENTAL OPINION.

London, October 26.

The French newspapers show in their continents oh the Dogger Bank incident that they are staggered by the conduct of the Baltic fleet; their expressions of disapproval -are strong and Almost unanimous. , The German newspapers admit that there is no, shadow of excuse for the neglect of the Russians to assist the trawlers.

Many-oi i the English newspapers, including the Radical newspapers, express astonishment at the Russians representing that the outrage was the result of a misunderstanding. Some,of them bluntly declare that the admiral either must have been drunk or acted deliberately.

The Japanese newspapers express indignation at the inhumanity of Russia in attacking fishermen. They describe the outrage as the crowning act of the violation of the rights of neutrals. ,',/

The French newspapers hold that the demands of the British Government are in strict conformity with diplomatic! usage. Russia, they lay, must yield, and the sooner she admits her fault the better.

Russian press state- •:.'■ MENTS,

London, October 26.

The Svjet newspaper, published at St. Petersburg, says the affair was the result of British imprudence. The Rossia says that part of the fault rests with Britain for not warning the fishermen of the approach of the Baltic fleet.

RUSSIA'S ONLY FRIEND,

GERMANY'S FATAL. WARNING.

London, October 26.

The St. Petersburg correspondent 6f the Echo de Paris says that Germany, wishing to appear the only friend of Russia, had repeatedly warned the Admiralty at St. Petersburg of the possibility of an attack in the North Sea. These warnings, says the correspondent, drove the officers of the fleet off their heads. This was the real cause of the incident.

RUSSIAN RELIEF FUND,

PROMOTED BY THE FOREIGN

OFFICE,

St. Petersburg, October 26.

The Journal de St. Petersburg, the organ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has opened a subscription list for the sufferers by the Dogger Bank tragedy.