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CZAR’S BALTIC FLEETSECRET MEETING PLACE SET SOMEWHERE IN INDIAN OCEAN.Roster of the Two Detachments of Warships—Admirals Rojestvensky and Folkersahm in Command.Correspondence of the Associated Press.LONDON. December 10. 1904.The warships of the Russian Baltic fleet, comprising the best of the remaining element of the Russian navy, are today on all sides of the African continent, working their way. singly or in groups, to a secret rendezvous somewhere in the Indian ocean. They are accompanied by a host of volunteer cruisers, transports, repair and store ships and colliers and had Africa been the objective of their hostile movement they could hardly have surrounded that continent more completely. Some are hurrying forward at full speed, others are waiting In more or less friendly ports, coaling and provisioning the while, while still others, stragglers or ships which have had, for one reason or another, temporarily to drop fut of the line, are working their way from port to port through the Mediterranean to the east.The Secret Rendezvous.The approximate location of the secret rendezvous in the Indian ocean has been determined by outside observers with reasonable accuracy. Naval experts who are familiar with the Indian ocean have worked the matter out with quite convincing certainty. The place of meeting has been fixed by strategists near the Chagos archipelago, although some authorities are of the opinion that the rendezvous will take plce off the small Island of Mlnlcoy.The Chagos are a group of coral islands, practically uninhabited, forming a dependency of the British colony of Mauritius and situated 2.100 miles southwest of Aden and 2,800 miles to the northwest of Delagoa bay, on the east coast of Africa.Mlnicoy is a coral atoll some 350 miles to the west of the southern end of India, and about 9U0 miles north of the Chagos group. From the Chagos It is 2,000 miles to Batavia, on the Straits of Sunda, where the fleet will probably enter the East Indies and turn north in the direction of Japan, and where, It is said, attack by the Japanese may first be expected.Computed Date of Arrival.As the rate at which the Russian warships are proceeding from port to port 1b known, the date of their arrival at theChagos Islands can be computed with reasonable accuracy. The detachment going through the Red Sea has had the shorter course and has therefore taken Its time, evidently confident that It can reach the rendezvous on the appointed day. The main part of this squadron, under Rear Admiral Folkersahm and consisting of some twenty ships. Is today at Jlbutll, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Jlbutll Is 2.100 miles from the Chagos, and at the slow rate of 2tx) miles a day ten days and a half would suffice to cover the distance.From the Great Belt to Tangier the cape detachment traveled at the rate of about 200 miles a day. It left Tangier on November 5, and was reported on November 29 to be at Angra Pequena, on the west coast of Africa, south of Swakopmund. This record shows the speed to have been Increased to about 220 miles a day. From Angra Pequena to the Chagos. allowing for a detour into Delagoa bay. is 3.WOO miles: at the rate of 200 miles a day nineteen days would be required to cover the distance, and at the rate of 220 miles a day seventeen days would be employed.Difficulty In Coaling.The cape detachment will experience Its greatest difficulty In the matter of coaling In the Indian ocean. From Angra Pequena around the cape to Delagoa bay is 1,400 miles, and from the latter place to the next probable coaling place, the French Island of Bourbon, or Reunion, 1,100 miles more. Between Delagoa bay and Bourbon Is Madagascar, which also offers coaling opportunities.Both these distances are comparatively short and to traverse them without access to fresh coal supplies will not be difficult for the Russian vessels. It Is after leaving Bourbon that the long stage without a port, 8,340 miles to Batavia, will be entered upon, and here the great difficulty will be encountered. Even this, however, can be overcome by coaling at sea or In the shelter of some of the Chagos Is-lunds, a measure known to be quite possible of successful accomplishment.The Two Detachments.The two detachments of the Baltic fleet are composed as follows:Proceedings via the Cape of Good Hope, under Vice Admiral Rojestvensky:Five battle ships—Knlaz Suvaroff (flagship). 13.516 tons, 18 knots; Alexander 111, 13,516 tons, 18 knots; Borodtno, 13,600 tons, 18 knots: Orel. 13,000 tons. 18 knots; Osla-baya. 14,500 tons, 18 knots.Three cruisers—Admiral Nakhlmoff, 8,524 tone, 16.7 knots; Dmitri Donskol, 5,882 tons, 10.5 knots; Aurora, 6,630 tons, 20 knots.Transports—Kamschatka, Anadyr, Korea, Malaya, Meteor and others.The Suvaroff, Orel. Borodino and Alexander III are neiw vessels and among the best battle ships afloat. They carry four 12-lnch and twelve 6-lnch guns each, and are protected by 6-lnch Krupp armor on the water line. The Oslabaya has four-10-lnch guns and eleven 6-inch guns.The Aurora Is a new cruiser. The Nak-hlmoff ar.d Dmitri Donskol, as well as the Admiral Komlloff (also reported proceeding via the Cape, are old cruisers which have beer, reconstructed and modernized. Admiral Folkersahm’s Fleet.Proceeding via the Red sea, under command of Rear Admiral Kolkcrsahm:Two battle ships—Slssol Veliky (flagship), 10,400 tons, 10 knots; Navarin, 10,206 tons, 10 knots.Five cruisers—Jemtchug. 3.080 tons, 24 knots: Svletlana. 3,828 tons, 20 knots; Almaz, 3,285 tons. 19 knots; Oleg. 0.675 tons, 23 knots; Izmurud, 3,080 tons, 24 knots.Destroyers—Blestlachy, Bezumprechnl,Bulstrl, Bedovi, Bravl, Bodrl and Vidny and others. 28 knots speed.Volunteer fleet—Kiev, Vladimir. VoroneJ, 10,500 tons, 12 knots; Tamboff and Yawslar, 8,640 tons, 12 knots.Transports—Gortchakoff, Kltal, Jupiter and others.The Slssol Veliky and Navarin are old war ships, but carry four 12-lnch guns and six or eight 0-inch weapons each.The Oleg, Jemtchug, Izumrud and Almaz are new and modern ships. The Svletlana Is an old vessel. The destroyers are of a type built for hard work at sea.The transports are for the most part well known mail boats purchased In Germany, and are very fast at sea. carrying an armanent of 6-lnch and 4.7-lnch guns. The volunteer cruisers are also armed steamers of high speed, serviceable for scouting or for the attack upon commerce.Jamee P. Sanders, aged eighty-six, believed to be the oldest past master of the order of Odd Fellows in this country, was found asphyxiated by gas In his home In Yonkers, N. Y.. Sunday.“H-O” Self-Raising Buckwheatand“H-O” (Steam-Cooked Oatmeal)for those Erho want the best of Everything.Nippy, frosty air makes you think of good old buckwheat cakes 5H-O Self-Raising Buckwheat bakes into the kind you used to get—good, wholesome, light snd sweet.
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Evening Star
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Mon, Dec 19, 1904
Page 2
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USA 14 Nov 2023
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