CO885(3-4) — Page 473

↓

(No. 499.) My Lord,

118

Inclosure 1 in No. 120.

Mr. Plunkett to the Marquis of Salisbury.

St. Petersburgh, October 7, 1879. THE inclosed translation of an article of the "Golos,” relative to the new service on which the Russian squadron in the Pacific will henceforward be employed, owes its chief interest and importance to the fact, communicated to Mr. Michell from a confidential source, that the article in question was founded on the official instructions issued to Admiral Aslanbegow, a copy of which instructions was in the hands of the writer at the time the article was composed.

I also inclose translation of an article from the "Cronstadt Gazette," declaring that the "Golos" has given too much importance to Admiral Aslanbegow's departure, and that he is after all instructed merely to continue the same course as has been followed by his predecessors in the Pacific command,

This latter article is, however, specially interesting as showing how much more formidable the Russian North Pacific squadron is at present than ever it was before. It will not escape your Lordship's attention that Admiral Aslanbegow's flag-ship, the “Minin,” is an iron-clad, and is the first which has ever been sent by Russia to those

waters.

I have, &c.

(Signed) F. R. PLUNKETT,

Inclosure 2 in No. 120.

Extract from the "Golos" of 91, 1879.

October

NEW PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN SQUADRON IN PACIFIC Ocean.— Our Government, it would appear, is commencing to direct special attention to our Pacific squadron. This squadron has recently been reinforced, and the service on which it will now be employed is altogether of a novel character, and previously did not form part of the instructions of Russian vessels cruizing in the East. With these means now commanded by the squadron much may undoubtedly be done. For the first time a Russion iron-clad, the frigate "Minin," will appear in Chinese and Japanese waters. As already stated, Admiral Aslanbegow, the new Commander of the Pacific squadron, hoisted his flag on the "Minin" at Naples in the early part of September, and at once proceeded to his new destination. The head station of the squadron in the North Pacific will be the Japanese port of Yokohama, where, towards the end of this year, all the vessels forming the squadron are to assemble. The squadron will include the clippers "Cruiser" and "Djigit," the clippers "Nayezdnik" and "Rasbonik," the cruiser "Asia," and, lastly, the iron-clad "Minin.” The first three-named vessels are to leave Cronstadt the end of September. Persons more or less acquainted with our vessels of war are aware that the clippers "Nayezdnik" and " Rasbonik," after the "Zabiyaka,” are considered from their speed to be the best vessels in the whole Russian fleet. All the vessels under Admiral

Aslanbegow are of a purely cruiser type, and the slowest of them attains a speed of not less than 12 knots an hour.

Among the duties to be performed by the Pacific squadron we may mention the following:-

1. The survey and description of the Russian coasts of the Pacific Ocean, together with the adjoining seas and islands.

2. The selection of the best means for the transport of condemned criminals to the Island of Saghalin, and the study of this subject.

3. The protection of Russian subjects engaged in the fisheries in the seas of the Pacific from persecution on the part principally of Americans-persecutions which have frequently been of an aggravating character, and up to the present time pass unpunished.

4. The study of the great Pacific Ocean in respect to the capabilities it affords for operations of cruisers.

It is impossible not to regret that the Ministry of Marine, while improving the efficiency of the Pacific squadron, had in view principally the objects appertaining specially to that branch of the service, and evinced but little interest in other and more extensive problems tending to develop colonization of the maritime and Amoor region, and the encouragement of Russian trade with China and Japan.

The article then proceeds to bewail the position of the transit trade between Russia

119

and China, which, it states, is in a lamentable condition, and advocates the encouragement of the transit tea trade via the Rivers Usuri and Amoor. In conclusion, it observes :~~

"It would be very easy for the officers of the Pacific squadron to investigate on the spot by what route tea could be transported from Hankow and Shanghae avoiding the circuitous navigation of the Amoor by way of Nikolaensk, and how commercial intercourse may be solidly established between Chinese and Russian ports in the Pacific by means of a line of river steamers in the Amoor basin.

"Such a labour would be gratefully acknowledged by all commercial Siberia, and it would be particularly valuable when the two great blessings that await Siberia are realized the construction of a Siberian railroad, and the connection of the Yenesee basin with the Obi, thus establishing steam-ship communication throughout the whole of Siberia."

Inclosure 3 in No. 120.

September 1879.

71

Extract from the "Journal de St. Pétersbourg" of ob

LES JOURNAUX RUSSES.-Le "Messager de Cronstadt" confirme en les com. complétant les nouvelles données par la "Voix" sur le renouvellement de notre escadre de l'Océan Pacifique.

Le croiseur "Asie" prendra la mer avant le " Razboïnik" et le "Naïezdnik," qui ne seront prêts que dans les premiers jours d'Octobre. On ne sait encore si ceux-ci se rendront à leur station de Yokohama en doublant le Cap de Bonne-Espérance ou en traversant le Détroit de Magellan. Quant au croiseur "Asie," prendra la route de Suez et touchera en passant au Pirée, où s'est déjà rendu le Contre-Amiral Aslan- begow, Chef d'Escadre, à bord du "Minine.”

44

Notre station navale de Yokohama verra done réunis à la fois le ** Minine," le "Naïezdnik," le "Razboïnik," "l'Asie," en outre des deux bâtiments qui s'y trouveront bientôt ancrés, le "Kreiser" et le Djighite," ainsi que le clipper

Abrok" et les barques à hélice la "Nerpa" et le "Gornostai," de la flottille de Sibérie.

Le

"Messager de Cronstadt" dénie cependant à cette réunion de bâtiments Russes dans les eaux du Pacifique la signification exceptionnelle que lui attribue la Il est vrai, dit le "Messager," que le "Naïezdnik" et le "Razboïnik" sont meilleurs marcheurs que le "Vandnik," le "Haïdamak," "l'Almaz," "l'Abrek," &c.; mais ce fait est la conséquence toute naturelle du développement de notre industrie navale, et ce serait à tort qu'on voudrait en déduire que la composition nouvelle de l'escadre fût la preuve d'une plus grande importance attachée aux travaux qu'on attend d'elle.

"Voix."

Le programme esquissé par la "Voix" ne contient rien que les prédécesseurs du Contre-Amiral Aslanbegow n'aient depuis longtemps mis en œuvre; il ne faut pas oublier que les hommes qui ont été à la tête de l'escadre du Pacifique s'appelaient Krusenstern, Lazarew, Bellingshausen, Golovine, Comte Poutiatine, Kazakevitch, Tous ont fait Possiett, Kouznetsow, Popow, Kern, Brümmer, et Baron Stackelberg.

des explorations de nos côtes Sibériennes, ont envoyé des bâtiments en mission le long de la presqu'Ile de Kamtchatka, au Détroit de Behring, aux Iles Kouriles et Aléoutes, pour y défendre les intérêts de nos pêcheries et de notre commerce. Ainsi donc ce n'est pas le Contre-Amiral Aslanbegow qui est le premier chargé de diriger des travaux de ce genre: ces travaux ont été commencés bien avant lui, et ont été poursuivis avec éclat par quelques-uns de nos Chefs d'Escadre; il n'aura qu'à suivre une voie depuis longtemps frayéc.

Le "Messager de Cronstadt" conclut par ces paroles à l'adresse de la "Voix:" Quelques-uns de nos publicistes trouvent souvent du plaisir à s'en aller découvrir l'Amerique; certaines choses étant nouvelles pour eux, ils les croient nouvelles pour tous."

(No. 10.)

Šir,

Inclosure 4 in No. 120.

The Marquis of Salisbury to Mr, Kennedy.

Foreign Office, January 29, 1880. I TRANSMIT to you herewith a copy of a despatch, with its inclosures, from Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at St. Petersburgh, containing information with regard to the

¿

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

| | ||

Reference :-

LHC.O. 885

4

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO