1959-02-21 — Page 7

This century,

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUAR

most fantastic chapter

in the annals of naval warfare

(Continued from Pagò d)

St Petersburg," he instructed his chlof star officer, do Colongue, "gitat. I wish to be Felieved

nty command."

of

Then, feeling suddenly ex-** hausted and ill, he retired to his buni. For two days no one Now hiin.

Then fiery

Christmas morning (by the Russian calendar) arrived en, route to Nonsi~Be. At ten o'clock the order was given for the crew of the Suvoroit to resemble on the quarter-deck. The 100 mæn gathered together quietly,

Rozhestvensky, looking bent and drawn, and 20 years older, but with a glass of champagne in his hand, began his speech O quietly that at first few could hear him.

Then, as if foreing himself out of a coma, he raised his drooping body and launched into a Bery oration.

"You as well as I serve our This series is based од The Fleet That Had to Die, by Richard Hough (Hamishi Hamilton, 188.).

country," he snouted, "It is my right and duty to report to the emperar that you are doinst your duty, and what fine fellows you are

Now he raised his hat above his head in his left hand, bis voice fell again, and the words

of his toast were broken by his sobs.

"May God help us to serve her honourably, to justify her deceive her confidence, not to

hopes. To you, whom I trust. To Russla"

drained his

Rozhestvensky glass and then held It high above his bared head, while thic chvera rong across the water, and enps were thrown in the air. "Lead us." "We won't give in." "We'll to it" Rozhestven- aky could see that many of the men were in tenra. Then the erash of guns Aring the salute drowned all other soun

In spite of all her defielences the Sunoroff would have made a formidable foe that day:

Reunion

ADMIRAL ROZHESTVENSKY- The man who quelled a mutiny.

May 27)

Phang: "16

F(April 2

de L

Fish Bay

Vidge Suarez *Salete Maria

Dec. 291

This is the 18,000-mile journey across a hostite world made by Rozhestvensky's ramshackle armada of do ships. Most of the coating was done at sea. Never has a neat had to face such a prelude to battle.

The Russian ficet at Nossl-Bd, in Madagascar. The ships spent three months there

the creios spent riotous days ashore,,, and the Arat mutinies broke vilt,

battle can you wash

'Only in

out your sins'

demoralisation

was

but

defiance

The

errors

Useless

Alexander 111.

Pacific

The crisis was reached when end made his way to the upper the mon refused 10 cat their deck, where he could look down- ceremonial dinner' (of diseased on, the entire ship's complement cow) and threw their bowls assembled below. overboard, shouting for Sidoreff"He did not salute uses was end demanding, that their come cualemary," one of the stamen rade' should be released and described him · later, "but fresh food supplied.

remained standing, plunged in As A full-scale

bead rlat thought towering by threatened, the oneers dining above the mumbers of his staff. and celebrating in the deck- cabin at last became

that

'Traitors!'

Squadron," Tozhestvensky was gill deler- Third mined to dely his Admiralty's answered St Petersburg, ence order to wait for the haled again, adding plaintively this

He had no- Ümer

aware "Third Squadron.”

"And

keep pleaso intention of geing near * informed of movanen is.”

something serious WES Kamranih. In his mind, he

"After a long and dramatic Once again, there was the

afoot, arned themselves with formed a bold plan: to sail wearisome routine of coaling.

revolvers and barricaded silence, Rozhestvensky, suddenly shouted out "Traitora Rascals! straight en to Vladivostok, H And, this task

themselves in their cabins. completed, found himself necessary running the gauntlet Rozhestvensky

Meanwhile, Sideroff, ki full Mutiny would you?" and pro- The bluejackets openly dis- the deck, shouting and grabbing armado had to halt in mild- of the Japanese Navy. But that nighting a renewed war of dress uniterm, bravely anade his ceeded to hurl imprecations and

the Valco

of weapons.

ocean for coaling or repairs. regarded

was killed by the diplomacy.

way to the upper dock, appeared abuse at them, quite beside him- Authority.

dumanded, self with dury. "I will not They reeled

At two o'clock on the after- battleship Alexander III.

Japan was exerting renenise above the men end-

treason. This The mutineers were prepering noon of April & the news sud-

tolerato

#can- through the streets,

Thir ship, or lay

one of the pressure GT

the French to allence. dead drunk

the where they fell, to rush bridge and the denly spread through the streets squadron's four modern balis adhere to the rules of neutrality. "Feed us on carrion, would dalous ship will be bombarded the rest of the Others

crawled about on all. ufikers' quarters when the cap of Singapore that a great naval ships, and office:ed by the crean So great, that despite the profit you?" the sailors shouted, "Set and mumis tay

the squadron, Hand over tours.

talą appeared and by drawing After two weeks at Nessi-Be their attention to the big guns and had been sighted steam of the Russian collity, had to be obtained by the feet's the prisoner irce!"

appalling

to the ringleaders. Where, are they?" ing towards the

town, and mode

in stay, the French

This set the polic fually

complete capitulaties ihat When officers had picked out This requested his departure. epenpleie. of the Suveroff, which had

After Sidoroff and haphazardly eight men and was discovered when Rozhest- fren!. One gang of sailors from the swung round and were pointing thousands flecked to the water estimating lis coal stocks,

Rozhestvensky found a simple followed.

up alongside Groznyi starter

discussed brought them them, succeeded in

a Ansi

Captain Yung had tearing down straight

cool solution. He moved on to "It was a splendid spectacle," venalty ordered silencing them. Fourteen of the cabled The Times correspondent, report.

the upper the situation in the caporative Rechestvensky ---en recluded bay further north. native hule.

Complaints from the local arbitrarily selected ringleaders and the 42 ships were ccrtalaly

Meanwhile there was Ester accurity of the owning tower, deck, ha thundered at them: French administrator, M. Tilenu, were shot, and othtze gabled. •

to logressive a eight As the

to be relcurated, an important Storoft reappeared to meet the "Look at them, these enemies of Russia. They are more like at 1:st aroused Rozhestvenský

Rozhestvensky's fron rod euth.

calendar, catcalls, with the prisoner, event in the Russian

and from his sick bed and brought lessly beat out the fires of revolttish Navy had ever provided

now with religious ceremonies

"Here he is, my lads, he boasts than men....What prico for the naval base.

"Now then, no did you get for selling "your him, withered

palo

flickering up all over the fleet.

All the dockyard resources reperied that despite a day's reasts and Mass in great make told the mon The fleet could not have had rear like a lion, from his den. Suddenly courts martial became

Rozhestvensky needed coding her streks were 400 tons shit tarpaulin chapels decorated more trouble. I am going to country?... Their pockets buize which D more. suitable or inore

order you a new dinner! Appoint with Japanese gold, Look, all figure given the with potted troplen! plants. He ung himself into action abnost, daily excals. –

were there in abundance al less then the magnificent base la Madagascar

with Its pretty with all his cld vigour, rep:1-

Shuzure-but dent to him. previous day. than Nossi-Be,

But Easter this year was to a few delegates to choose two of of you, at their pockets, bulging Slowly the squadron straggled The Alexander TH was to

be marked in the battleship the best bulleeks, which will with gold!"

Tho cfficers were then given a of immediately be slaughtered." on, the only contact with the all intents and purposes now

Oryal..._by__an__pu(break En ineffective unit. The cont por being with a launch, sent

indiscipline, among fer

"Peace came to the ship. The scarcely legs severe dressing-- En she carried was just cut by the Russian consul.

the down in front of the men: “Az of 900 that led. to one of men sobered down, while This brought more bad news- euolent to take her directly

the squadron's most serious cooles set about preparing the for you, only in the ace fight, and in your own blood, can you four for the 'crew of 900. standard of conduct of his 10,000

to Vladivostok. of sweeping Japanese victories;

mutinies. the collers m.cn.

ent a further emphatic instrue. The hidds of

The trouble

But it was not the end of the wash out your sins.... De Always This inflammatory..

situation

Was to be away. And in that Rozhestvensky was to aryanying the feet were diseased cow which Commanber affair. The next day Rozhestven

Copyright: needed bul a éparic to set the impatient

wait for the "Third' Squadron.” · empty, and fresh supplies of coa! "Sidoroff had all denclencles and The

slaughtered for sky arrived in a steam pinnace, of revolt burning. That despite

rendezvous given was would not arrive at Kammanh the men's dinner..

mounted the statbeerd isdier

Richard Hough of which coal spark was provided by news shortcomings, he gave the order

en the Cochin Bay for many days. Krimran Hay,

That Saturday night there (deem the head

1958 papers which revealed to the to sail on March 18, His decision China ecast.

Rozhestvensky could not pos- was heavy drinking of locally had frantically to te cleared), crews, for the first time, the true had been expedited by the news

sibly afford to leave the Alex- brewed hooch in the crew's site of things at home. They that the wanled Thi

ander III behind. carried stories of grert riots and had been though--at Crete.

Squadren"

quarters, broken by outbursts of was nearT

For some minutes he stared angry shouting which grew co upheavals against the Czarist

silently at the piece of paper loud that the officer of the regime.

At all costs, he determined

his hand.

watch appeared and, after As à forl insult, Roshesiven- Mufmy broke out first on the not to wait for those worn-out

Then he waved his arm in a suffic. arrested ond of the "Alat-irons." Only Chlef of sky read in amazement that after

in the holiest bluejackels. enabled Nakhinoff, whose efflags were staff, Clapier de Colongue, knew destroying the cremy In battle feature of hopelessness

direzion of the Alexander III on hie ar.ival that by giving the order to sall, and

hand and descended from the bridge, in his determination to see the. Vidivostol, he was to thing through in his own

carmand way, over

Admin umuring a tone of resigna- was, already

tion to Chapter de 'Colongue as the C-in-C. was guilty of an Birlift, who

he passed. Ioane orders for 'the the which roule to the For Bast by act of insubordination

fleet to proceed to the coast as dwarfed all previous acts of Trans-Siberian railway. 102-

arranged." hestvensky was outraged. they had left Libau, although For more than three weeks' Hia Inner 1urenoll again

le town of Hellville (nated manding officers

ir anklers

and com- INDIANË,

("Your med and your

after the French Admiral Hell), alles are-a-disgrace to the OCEAN,

The French had highly ficet."), and with a few days inconsistent in their attitude to transforming. the Ilves nid the Russlung. But here, every help was provided-al a sub- stantial pront to those who did

GO.

Dockyard worker were brought in from other parts of the island, a great quantities of provisions, including a thou- sand bullocks, had been made avollable.

The "Sucz" contingent of the fleet was now reunited with the few main section, and for a hours. the celebrations the crews to torget hardships past and still to come.

But Rozhestvensky, h's resignation refused, fought on with his personal, ungvidling battle against the decision to encumber him with the useless "Third Pacific Squadron,”

particularly weak and soft- dal.cat, without a thought for their mos.

No bread

The crew of the Nakhimoff

March-April

had bot tasted bread since gratif

Rozhestvensky

than

مجھے

Turmoil

to

cn

all the other big ships had Rozhestvensky's armada was brought hin near to breakdown. THE CHINA

the dry biscuits were authorities but to the world.

about

He sent cable after cable, and Anally retired to his bunk in a

their own bakeries, and now lost not only to the Admiralty "The admiral is so odd today," state of nervous disintegration.

even The truth was hidden from his,

one offers recorded. "So restless, COAST, From March 16 until the even-, so tacitum and irritable. subordinates by a report that

going mouldy,

nervously, April-May he was suffering trem neuralgia, At supper cae evening the ag et April 8 it steamed sorte nunning

miles without secing appearing first on one, bridge, Meanwhile for the crews entire crew of 400 refused to cat 3,500

dis Now, at last resigned -their-coating ordeal at last aver.com_core, throwing their food another ship, for only the last then on the other,, then

there was fun to be had iri overbeaid, arid' 'Inter, as dusk few days with sight of land, appearing for a short time in lacbedience, Rozhestvensky-abled the small Hellville.

was falling after prayers, dis- and, for much of the time more cabin; after that he moves about the Adinialty from

dismiss than 2,000 miles from the agaky on deck, locks through his signal station manned by an idle Thay Cousil hars ard gambling shiving the order to Bloons Ret up for them IT Biven by the offer of the WNDE, TONY Ost Thurgootpegs complicăng-doodmaakt eflatuleneved

he starts Kamranh Bay, Await orders." they And no fewer than 114 times in it....and dnally us fresh Bread!" requisitioned ative huts and "Give

"Remain, until arrival of the corrugated iron shacks.

called, and began milling about on that epic crossing the great talking to himmel!!"

FOUR D. JONES

THE REVOLT HAS PROVED TO BE A SUCCESS-JONES AND THE PROLES HAVE THE UPPER HAND, THEN → BLASTING THEIR

| WAY INTO HQ*......

DOMS BACKİ THATS MY KOOP

HEY-STOP?

*

BIG BROTHER, ON FINDING THE SECRET OF THE HOOP, MAKES HIS EXIT.

"GONE- AN NEVER CALLED ME BROTHER. NOW I'M STUCK IN

1984...

GOOD

ER, STONE THA CROWS WHERE DID YOU GET THAT.ER „OUTFIT FROM.

GHER{F}}>

by MADDOCKS

B-B-HAS GONE FOREVER-NOW YOU ARE OUR LEADER OUR SHERIFF

THEBE ARE THE TOGE, OUR FRIENDS TOOK FROM ARE,

¿ÂN' I'M PUTTING THEM BACK ON... NOW I LOOK LIKE "A GOLDERN.' SHERIFF

NEW

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ם

NEXT WEEK: Into the battle.

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