Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 8, 1898. Russia's Complaints.

Manawatu Herald, 8 February 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 8, 1898. Russia's Complaints.

During last week the cablegramsconveyed many items of intelligence and conjecture, but the one which we now reproduce beats them all : — " The Novoe Vremya complains of the exasperating tone of the English newspapers in connection with their calculations of the strength of the Russian fleet. It says the English papers forget that Russia could outweigh the combined fleets of England and Japan in Eastern waters by sending her Baltic fleet to China, and she could* do this without any danger to her position in the Baltic." The idea that the English papers forget the Russian Baltic fleet ! In appears that tha newspapers forget where the Baltic sea happens to be, and tha distance the Baltic fleet would have to travel before it was of service to the fleet in Chinese water 3. On the first of last December Great Britain had twelve equadrons afloat, known is the Mediterranean and Red Sea squadron which was com posed of 11 battleships, 10 cruisers, 5 torpedo boat destroyers, 5 torpedo boats, 2 gunboats, and 2 sloops. There were also attached two guardships, a torpedo-ram, a despatch vessel, a troopship, a special service, ship and a training ship; the Channel squadron of 9 battleships, 5 cruisers and 2 gunboats ; the North America and West Indies squadron of 14 ships; the South East Coast of America squadron of 4 ships ; the Pacifio squadron of 11 ships ; the Cape and West Coast of Africa squadron of 16 ships ; the East Indias squadron of 12 ships ; the China squadron which is composed of 1 battleship, 9 cruisers, 9 gun boat?, 4 torpado boats, 3 sloops, 1 receiving ship, 1 despatch vessel and 1 storeship ; the Australian squadron of 16 ships ; the training squadron 4 ships ; the On Particular Service squadron of 12 ships ; and the Surveying Service squadron of 7 ships. By this it would seem that the Russian Baltic fleet would b j likely to be seriously interrupted in its passage to the China sea?, if it ever got out of the Baltic, shouid a move not be made before war was declared, and it may be taken for granted that did the Baltic fleet deem it proper in peace tima to move towards the Ohina sea 3 for minceuvering tactics a larger force of our men of-war would proceed in a very similar direction.

What the Russians are no doubt well aware of is the uselessness of battleships if the coal to provide motive power is not to be obtained. We have learnt by the cables that she has endeavoured to purchase a large supply from China, bub that Power has not yet seen fit to supply, nor likely, as it might be providing an enemy with the power to smite the giver. The greatest of our naval power lies in the possession of our coaling stations, and in the friendship of Japan who alone holds large coalfields in this particular portion of the globe. These things have not been forgotten by the British Government and has thus enabled them to speak cut their intentions in a particularly plain manner.

As our first line of defence lies in the Navy it will not be amiss to mention that in modern ships Great Britain ha? 42 battleships of the total of 580,810 tons, with a horsp power of 455,000 ; she has 133 cruisers of the total of 635,090 tens and 1,209.100 horse-power, as well as 83 torpedo gun vessels, 95 torpedo boat destroyers, 128 torpedo boats, 17 Bloops, and 36 gunboats.