THE SLACK SEA FLEET.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 871, 22 April 1903, Page 2

THE SLACK SEA FLEET.

RUSSIA I'KKUAK! NU. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. BERLIN, April 2ft. The Frankfurter /.eitimg slates that the entire Russian Black Rea lies;, is being mobilised at Keha.xUipol uiic N'leolaielT.

Tlio Russian navy is subject to spoeia conditions, such as do not a fleet the navies of odier Powers. For geographical reasons i! is necessary to liiaiiitani four iliaiinet 11-.-ets or tlotiilas, each with ils own organisation. Of these the most important m regard to Western relations is the Balcie tleet. Owing to tlio limits imulo up.in it for foreign .service it is by no means s,, powerful as it is generally suppose!! In lie. It lately consisted ui only two li - class b i’lnships and four secondclass. ai-.ihlc lor -enic--, together with ii'ii: riiisi-r liihl a on übei* ol uiointoi's of in Lie or iii> lighting vaiilu. The elnef base of the Baltic ih-ut is Kronstadt, which is oiio of the most heavily fortitied forts hi the world. The Block Sea lleel, which (ill recontfy

had no acec-s to the MediUirtmean except by the i xereis 1 of force, lias been largely augmented. The Tiisuiiiteha is the most heavily protected ship in the world. ‘Tnia vessel, with seven or eight good secondclass battleships, makes up tlio licet. In addition to the above mentioned warships Russia possess a third-class cruiser, three torpedo gunboats, six gun vessels, and seven torpedo boats, as well as two lirstelass cruisers which .some iiiont h.s back were bunding, and now are probably ready for service. Great additions have lately been maiio to the Russian squadron in the Pacific and China seas, whege. ABadfos- 2; and Port

Arthur are tlio bases. Practicaliy the entire available Heel is generally maintained ill Ilia ia.- iva '. i'lie-re is a Ujlilla also in the Caspian Sea, winch ensures tlio liommunieutions of the Tt ms Oaspi ui rail way between Bilta and Umu AUa/xml would have its purpose in up:-,,, ais against Turkey. Tn- annual R.i-siau naval estimates are now between ten md eleven millions sterling. But the portion of the navy must in tlio public mind at this moment is the • Volunteer Fleet,” which has recently received considerable additions, but which, io tlio opinion of experts, is somewhat overrated. The ships, about Id m number, are m peace time merchantmen, winch could in time of war ho armed and used as cruisois. They provide for the regular trallic oetween Odessa, Vladivostok, and Port Arthur, and run in addition tile tea trudo and passenger traffic between Chirm and the Black Sea, besides being employed in peace as transports for troups, particularly for carrying recruits and reserve men between Odessa and Batoum. The volunteer licet- is now under the Russian Admiralty, but lias its own management and capital. Guns are stored for its use, but only oid ones, and few, if any, of the ships, suvo the newest, have at the present day speeds that would be of use in war.

As Turkey’s navy is mostly on paper, and not much at that, it will not be worth, while to more than glance at its constitution. The four old sister battleships which make up the greater part of the Ottoman iJeet are now coast defence vessels, which have been transformed by having barbette turrets placed at each end ol their batteries for the heavy Krupp guns. An unhorclad of 0700 tons was launched in 1885 (and comparatively recently for Turkey), and is said, after long delays, to have made her trials, but it is believed that not all her guns are even now mounted. This vessel, another battleship. and an unfinished barbette cruiser, are the largest ships in the Turkish navy. The nominal personnel includes 11 rearadmirals, 208 captains, 880 commanders, 228 lieutenants, 187 ensigns, and 00,000 sailors, besides about 0000 marines.

But as it is hardly likely that Turkey will voluntarily allow her ageing warships to be sunk by exposing them to action, it will be more profitable to turn to the subject of her land defences. Ah .Mussulmans

over twenty years of age are liable to military service, and this liability continues for twenty years. Non-.Mahometans are not liable, but pay an exemption tax of about 6s per head, levied on males of all

The army consists of (1) the Nizar. or regular army, and its reserves; (2; :• te dil or Landwebr ; ana (8) tne MustahiU/.. or Lainisturm. The whole empire is divided into seven army districts, with which are associated seven army corps, with headquarters respectively at Constantinople. Adriahope, .Monastic, Brsioj tr, Damascus, Baghdad, and Sanaa (the Yemen).

The infantry are being armed with Mauser rifles, about 450.00 uofwh ca have been distributed, 250,000 remain in the depots in Constantinople, arid it was recently proposed to pure rinse 220,000 more. The total of the effective combatant services of the Turkish army is stated at <00,620, including ril'd battalions of infantry with 0dd.200 men ; 202 squadrons of cavalr.v, with 50,800 men; 1850 guns, manned by .51,720 men ; and 89 companies of engineers, including units to the number of 7100. The total war strength of Bu’g-trta is stated to be 205.000. the infantry being armed with the Manniicner repeating rifles. Servia’s theoretical strength is 050,866; and Eoumania’s something over 200,000, representing a total of 758,866 for the three more important Balkan States that are likely to take part in the present revolt. Thus it will be seen that the comhined armies of these States aractually in numerical superiority to tin# of Turkey. But it allowance is made for the nature of the material in the former case and for lack of drill and organisation, the fact loses much of its significance.