STERN PUNISHMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2666, 11 January 1916, Page 9

STERN PUNISHMENT

FOR EUSSIAN NAVAL OFFICERS. Russian papers by the mail publish ail official report of the public courts martial of tlio late commander of the Russian cruiser Jemcliug, Captam Baron J. A. Tcherkassoff, and his second-in-command, Lieuteuat-Comrnaiider N. B. Kulibin, both of whom wero accused of negligence. The Jemcliug was destroyed by the Emden at Penang in October, 1914, and the circumstantial letter of the prosecution at the court-martial set out the following points of indictment:— The Jemchug left Vladivostok on August 25, 1914, with orders to place herself under the command of the British Admiral Jerram, who was the senior officer on the spot. Baron Tcherkassoff was accused of failing to comply with the orders of Admiral Jerram, of failing to keep a regular rota of watches on board, or failing to enforce a change of watch among tie guns' at night, and leaving the torpedo tubes unloaded and xmmanned. ' Ho allowed the cruiser to lie in open roadsteads fully lighted and with only one man on the look-out. He allowed strangers to visit tho cruiser and move freely all over her. At the time the cruiser was at the Philippine Islands seeking for enemy transports he .sent to the cruiser Aslcold a wireless 1 message, indicating his own position, without putting it into cypher. At an unprotected port in the Andaman Islands lie left the ship with five of his officers, and spent the night on shore, while the Jemcliug was coaling. Tho vessel was fully lighted up, but no guns' crews wero standing by, and the torpedo tubes were not loaded, although he Kas well aware that the Emden had beeir three times close to the place. He allowed his wife to accompany him during the cruise, and she followed him from port to port in a private steamer. On October 26, after the =earch for the enemy in the Gulf of Bengal, he anchored at Penang and ordered all shells and cartridges to be returned to store and the torpedo tubes unloaded. He then asked tho British Admiral for help to clean out his boilers, and emptied 13 boilers, leaving only one with steam. He did not increase tho lookout, and the crew wefe allowed to sleep <on deck without any regard to watches. Baron Tcherkassoff went ashore at 6 p.m. and spent the night there. In tho early morning the jemchug was attacked and destroyed ii; live minutes by the Emden. The Court found both prisoners guilty, and, taking into consideration' their hitherto unblemished record and their brave service during the Russo-Japanese war, passed this sentence: — Both officers to lose all civil rights, to be dismissed from the Imperial service, aad deprived of all decorations. Captain Tcherkassoff to lose his rank of baron, and be sent to gaol for three and a half years. Lieutenant-Commander Kulibin'to bo sent to gaol for a year aud a half. Tho sentence wero subsequently presented to the Tsar by the Minister of Marine for confirmation.