A Russian Fleet.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 170, 18 February 1896, Page 3

A Russian Fleet.

The Russian Volunteer Fleet is destined to play such a prominent part in case of hostilities in the Far East that the following particulars, derived from an absolutely trustworthy source, will be read with interest: —The Russian Volunteer Fleet is administered by a committee of delegates from the Ministries of Marine, Finance, and and Commerce, together with several military and naval officers, including two generals. Their services are well remunerated, being paid by the Government. Ostensibly the object of the Volunteer Fleet is the development of Russian commerce in the Far East. As a matter of fact it has succeeded in no small measure, especially as regards the tea trade between China and Russia, which it has taken out of English hands. The Volunteer Fleet is also used for the transport of troops, convicts and occasionally of free emigrants from over-popu-lated portions of Russia, These emigrants are given considerabe inducements to colonise Siberia. It is evident that for such a service of from 18 to 20 knots like those of the Volunteer Fleet are not required. They were obviously built with an entirely different object. If the Russians carry out their intention of running a local line o( fast stear mera between Vladivostok and Shangai, they would have two fleets of armed steamers in the waters of the Far East instantly available as either transports or fast cruisers—cruisers against which Great Britain’s mercantile marine in those parts would be pratically defenceless. The ships of the Volunteer Fleet are all of English construction. They do their builders the greatest credit. They are fine steamers of excellent model and general handiness, of which the largest are capable of carrying 2000 troops in addition to a crew of more than 300 men. All the officers have been taken from the Imperial Navy,