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HE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1959.
The fleet that had to die
A
PART TWO of the drama that brought Britain and Russia to the brink of war
MUTINY...900 MEN RIOT
IN A BATTLESHIP
THE Spanish port of Vigo was the first stop for
the Russian fleet sailing round the world to do battle with the Japs in that strange war at the start of this century. The sun shone brightly, and the wide, smooth harbour looked peaceful und inviting.
The fleet arrived on October 24, 1904, 10 days after leaving the. Baltic ports and six days after its blundering action with the British trawlers in the North Sen.
Five German colllers were waiting in fulfilment of the Kus- slan Admiralty's contract with a German shipping line, and the C-in-C, Admiral Kozhestvensky, gave orders for couling to begin
al once.
But the Spaniards adopted an atlitude of strict, non-co- operative neutrality. Belligerent warships, they said, could re- main in neutral waters only 24 hours.".
There must be no replenish- ment of stores, Spanish Police- men boarded every ship to see that the regulations were not in fringed
Rozhestvensky wits furious.
He issued orders for the colllers
to come alongside to be ready
to coal at a moment's notice.
But the bunkers of hf deet remained enipty.
Critical
That evening, when news papers begun to circulate among the fleet, the crews realised for the first time the immensity of the crisis they had created.
War with Britain seemed imminent. Would France and Germany remain neutral?
It was reported that the ad- miral and commanders of every Bhip involved were to be tried
℗ Russia, at war with Japan, had lost one great fleet, destroyed in harbour. Now all Russia's hopes were pinned on har sacond fleet, sailing round the world from the Baltic to the Yellow Sea.
This is a record of that 18,000 mile journey,
which in its blundering grandour has no parallel in sea warfaro.
by RICHARD HOUGH
by court martial. At the very from the Spanish the conces Cast the ironclad divisions were rion that the ironclads
to be sent back to Reval....
The
Continental news
could
eath take on 400 tons of cod and no more-from the colliers. papers were nearly as out- At the request of St. Peter- raged as the British. "Mon- sburg, Hozhestvensky sent two strous and inexplicable," long telegrama Kiving the .commented one German Russian version of the Dogger
paper.
Bank Incident.
"The
'Provoked'
incident of the North
of darkness
The situation appeared no less critical the following morning, and it was becoming obvious that the British Government was determined that the Russian battleships should in effect be Sea," he insisted, "was provoked retained in custody in port, with hy two torpedo-boats which the Royal Navy on guard out- without showing any lights, slide, until satisfaction was under cover obtained.
vanced to attack the vessel But, by diligent diplomacy, steaming of the head of the Rozkentversky Anatly extracted detachment.
"When the dotachment began to sweep-the-sea with its Bearchlights, and opened fire, the presence was also dis- cuvered of several small fishing Vessela.
detachment The endeavoured to spare these bents."
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In the second telegram there was a conciliatory note. While auggesting that it was imprudent of "foreign fishing vessels to Involve themselves in this enter- priso by enemy torpedo-bouts,” he begged "in the name of the whole fleet, to express sincere regret for the unfor- tunate victims of circumstances in which no warship could, even in times of profound peace, have acted otherwise.”
DUT
These widely publicised-mes- sages slemed momentarily to harden the Russion
An International -commission was to be set up to investigate; the Russian Emperor had showni great wisdom.
The nation wag visibly relieved.
When, however, the Russian warships sailed on November 1, after putting achore а fow junior officers to meet the British demand for witnesses, it became clear that the Royal Navy was not yet done with the Russians.
and disappeared
All the way to Tangler the British cruisers made sport with the Russian battleships, darting the bridge, ahead and crossing from port to down the ladder. starboard
beautifully executed movements
In
At night their searchlights
And so the flest sailed on.
TANGIER,
flickered on and off aral, November 3
darting over the sea, pausing Orsi
on another and then on the Russian battleships. in turn, plodding along without lights at bine knots, as if to reassure themselves that their prizes were utili safe,
Humiliated
For a raw squadron that could scarcely malutuin station in a dat enim on a stendy course, it was hard to bear. "It's dis- gusting to treat us like this," a in midshipmen
the.. Oryol exclaimed upgrily, "Following us about like criminals)"
The ultimate humiliation came attitude early on the morning of Dect But the sudden passion in ber 2 when the steering gear of
Britain was on the wake.... two fishermen, one trawior!
Relief
Here the Russians got one of their few genuine welcomes. The Sultani of Morocco was at pains to prove his, disregard for Westeril power politics, and opinion. He told the Russians they could stay as long as they jikud,
WORSLEY
rubby but with one of his wives.
The next day the reception was more impressive, and he mel them in ancient naval cooked hat, frock" coat, loose neoklic.starched cuffs, and sword, Icking ceremonial only shirt and trousers, Surrounding him were his court ludies and wives, all stark naked; and by his side was tho ancient queen dowager, who let down the tone by begging for money and demanding to ba photographed arm-in-arm with her 72-year-old son.
The storm
The mutineers prabbed weapons. "Give us bread they shouted.
away on the other aldic of the Islanit, in accordance with Rus- They alan Admiralty orders. were overhauling, and would be unable tu mail for two weeks.
with
Rozhestvensy's force
would have given the BussÍATIS substantial superiority, no longer existed.
And then came the heaviest Rozhestvensky burst into one blow of all. Rozhestvensky had of his dreadful rages. How left behind in the Balule ports a dered those interfering idiots at few old ships so useless that St Petersburg aller the fleet's they would have been nothing
encumbrance, to him. plins without reference to the but C.-In-C. and send orders direct But now came orders from the.
Admiralty that these ships. to his subordinates! can't steam," he stormed, "then "Third Pacific Fleet," were to "If they are so old that they under the ludicrous tile of the they may go to the devil. We join Rozhestvensky's force.
have
LSD
for rubbish
Already the ancient, rusting here....
But I'll go there coast defence vessels were being. myself," he added with relish, atted out for the voyage east. "I dig them out fast enough,' And Hozhestvensky's instruc- Next came reports that Port tions were that he must await Arthur was about to fall, and their arrival-in perhaps eight that the Russian ships which weeks time.
ad escaped the Jups' first onslaught had been wiped out, for him to do. "Telegraph to There was only one thing left the "First Pacifio. Squadron," which combined (Continued on Fare 7)
At the little Portuguese bar But Rozhestvensky was eager bour of GREAT FISH BAY the to get away and he now split feet look on more coal outside his force into two, sections.
Thus, the three-mile limit; and then He sent two old battleships, came the worst coaling battis three cruisers, And some of all, ut, the German port of. destroyers through the Medi- ANGRA PEQUINA.
terranean to Buez, The main Here, although the Russian part of the fleet would make fezt was allowed in the har the Journey round the Cape bou the shelter was not bf Good Hope. Nobody understood reasoning behind this sudden change of plan,
the
Perhaps he feared torpedo- boat attacks in the narrow con- fines of the Red Sea or for the safety of the old ironelnds on the longer and rougher Cape trip..
DAKAR.
good as it appeared, and the For two days Rothestvensky wind increased to a full gale. waited Impatiently for it to blow itself out, then in despera. Uon ordered up the colliers.
Rolling and pliching in the heavy sta, the coal ships struggled to come alongside. -and-time and again cenached. against the huile of the Tron
the battleship Oryol broke down and Rozhestvensky had to halt the division while the fag engineer was sent over to her and repairs were carried out.
As the British cruisers turned After all, the Russians had about and re-formed suspicious
1x their rear in immaculate Krologised__admitted thaif- mls- to take. The way was open to Battle "order, na diflrr standing prace, and after a meeting of beside Rozhestvensky on the
- The 12-pounders ofzthe fade ko the British Cabinet on. October bridge of the flagship Suvoro 20, Mr
The first of the great coaling ship Suvorolt pierced her own Balfour, Prime while they watched this re-
the Minister,
was unfeeling ordeals. Ten colllera with 30,000 colller like the prongs of a fork, deployment, took the train
Some- damaging gun barrels and tor- Southampton, where he was enough to ask, "Do you admire tons awaited the fleet.
how it all had to be talcen pedo booms, and after an hour dite to address The Local this?"
the operation had to be called aboard. Rozhestvensky could bear it The loading instructions of.
National Union Conservative Association.
Ovember 16
no longer; his carefully assumed issued from the flagship read Lacking lighters, the
crew
All was well. The Russian indifference (until then he had like a glossary of an ironclad's then tried transporting the coal Government, he sald had done his best to ignore the anatomy: in any spare in the ships' launches.... ordered the detention at Vigo of provocative display) broke space on the upper deck, löwer the units of the fleet concerned down, and half-sobbing he re- deck, gun deck, poop, and 'in These struggled ́ unceasingly in the incident in order to dis- plied, "Those are real semen. the cockpit, over closed water from the colliers to the war- cover which officers had been .Oh, if only we..." And he tight manhole covers,ing the ships and back again with their responsible.
broke off, walked swiftly across bathrooms, drying rooms, filthy sackloads, the ironclads engine-room workahoyer, wing heaved at their moorings, and PRSTIECA fore and aft torpedo the wind blew day after day, fints..."
whistling through the shrouds, The coal dust sprendi every scuffing up grey clouds of coal where-into eyes, mouths, and thust food..
The squadron left African There was no escape from shores for the last time it; only growing hatred December 17, steaming out awk- that soon affected everyone in wardly. Inaded mon heavily. the fleet.
than ever before.
And
you see SWISSAIR
ererywhere
Taking with It is accompany-
in this condition the ing cloud of coal dust, the feet deet ran into the wont weather spiled on through the tropies.
GABON,
November 26
This littig French colony was
of the whole voyage, w stormu that went huge waves breaking even over the bridges of the battleships. The water rolled of the ships in a coal-blackened
flood. Had they not been running before the wind there without a telegraph, and there is tile doubt that the top- fore unaware of the Inter heavy, over-loaded ships would national wrath the Russian Beet have capsized.
bad, brought upon itault...
For first time in six Madagascar,
'weeks, tho' aficers and men could escape from the Alth, damp, and over-pervading coul dust of their ships.
The officers atrode pahore intent on exploration and a good time Toy called on the dinge and found' he was asléco, IA
From The Fleet: That Hid To Dia" pebilehed by: Hayslari” Hamilton, London,
Doc.-March
WEEKEND Friell
{BAN PELTH
TO GO TO R
"Wo feel it might be better for the Party H Randolph were to be adopted for Bournemouth. Of course he'd have to stay there.and nurse the constituency,”
ANTI-UGLY DEMONSTRA
"I think they are students who feel strangly chait the hideous monstrosiflas which disfigure our modern
JUST FANCY THAT
SCOTLAND YARD got no warning from the
innging alarm, webon, thieves-raidest in Limehoug bobutilky and stole a pafe? 2The gang turped off the fisan