Russia's hurried Preparations.

Manawatu Herald, 27 September 1898, Page 2

Russia's hurried Preparations.

» .'■■ THE FEAR OF ENGLAND'S NAVYi An important statement is pab« liahed by the " Daily Graphic " from its Sebastopol correspondent with reference to Russia's activity oaused by the Far Eastern imbroglio. The 1 correspondent says the Admiralty order in giving notice of the removal during the autumn, of the naval headquarters from this port back to Nicolaieff, is thus explained : — The relations between Russia and England, offing to the Far Eastern troubles, may, in the distent future become strained to snapping point. In case of rupture, England, it in presumed, would strike quickly and , beavity at Russia's qearest and most 4 vulnerable points. Bhe would, it is also assumed, find mean 1 * of coercing

the Porte into opening the Dardanelles and Bosphorus for the passage into the Euxine of her powerful Mediterranean Fleet. Lacking the per. mission of the Porte, each an armada as England could send into these waters would be easily able to force the ju-dsage of both straits with trifling toss, and at the same time destroy or dismantle the Turkish batteries. The likehood ia that Turkey would, under formal protest, concede the passage in order to save tlonstantinople from bombardment. lam here giving, continues the correspondent, Russian views and preBumptions, not my own. Once the British Admiral found himself in the Black sea the Russian Fleet would be at his mercy. Il would be simply suicide on the part of the Russians to steam out of this harbour and offer battle to such an invader. The Bassian Fleet would have but the one alternative of hugging the shelter of the inner or, as it is generally described, the land-locked bay. As a matter of fact, no hostile fleet could safely pass between the enormously powerful batteries whioh protect the entrance to the harbour of Sebastopol. The view taken by the Russians is that the British "Fleet would not attempt to run the terrible gauntlet of the cross-fire from these harbour-mouth batteries, bnt, with its heavy and long-range guns, would throw its destructive shells over the city slops into the faraer harbour. The destruction of the fleet inside would probably Involve the ruin of the city. If the Russian flotilla, however, were not within the port, the oity would probably be spared. Here, then, is the avowed explanation of the impending transfer. The Russian Fleet assembled at Nicolaieff would be safe from destruction, as that par! lies 40 miles up the Bong river beyond Otchakoff, and the deepwater channel is intricately zig-zag and dangerous. The passage of Otchakoff by an enemy's, fleet is well-nigh impossible, owing to the very powerful batteries of the midstream island fortress and those on the mainland opposite ; at any rate, %bo Otchakoff defences* are considered impregnable by the Russian Admiralty. If such a rupture should come within the next two or three years the Euxine Fleet would still ; be at the mercy of the powerful \ invader, inasmuch as none of the Black Sea battleships can ascend the Bong until the dredging operations now being actively expedited are i complete, and it will occupy the | lime above-mentioned to deepen the i fairway channel to 80ft. The j Otchakoff bar gives at present only , 20ft., hence the battleships hitherto j built at Nicolaieff are sent round, 1 unplated and unarmoured, to j Sevastopol for completion. j The correspondent concludes : — ( '• I should certainly hesitate to say that this explanation of the housing of the naval headquarters, and, as , noon as possible, of the fleet itself a*. ; Nicolaieff, is not well-founded an! ; reasonable. It is supported, too, by , the* material strengthening of the j Otchakoff insular fortress and main- j land defences, which has been | quietly carried put during the lass , six months— so quietly and secretly, indeed, that extra ordnance hn; latterly been shipped at Odessa t) Otohakoff by the Rucsian company' < night steamers running to Nicolaieff Except for such purposes those linen never ?top at Otchakoff on the night trips." ______ _