BREACHES OF NEUTRALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7812, 3 May 1905, Page 2

BREACHES OF NEUTRALITY.

INCREASED JAPANESE IRRITATION. MOMENTOUS EVENTS IMMINENT (Received May 2, 10.25 p.m.) ]X>NDONI, Mai' 2. The Tokio press shows renewed irritation at the continuous use of French Asiatic, ports. Tho French Government Is remonstrating with Admiral Rozhdeslvensky against the breach of neutrality which is imminent. A Tokio telegram states* that Admiral Diebogatoft's squadron passed Singapore on Saturday. lin|iortant events are expected within ten days. Rainy, foggy weather is prevailing in the China Sea. COMING NAVAL BATTLE. THE TWO FLEETS.A writer in the Sydney Dujly Telegraph, discussing the coining naval battle in the Far East, says :—Assuming that there arc 22 Japane'c cruiserff, the following is an rnten esting detailed analysis of the artill<ry mounted in the opposing worships of the rate of third-class cruisers and upwards, excluding liners whjch have been armed and adapted for war purposes, and In which the Baltic fleet is very strong : —Japanese Fleet.— Heavy, long-range guns—l 6 12in, 4 12Jin, and 5 18in. 21 Medium guns—4 12in, old puttwn 4 lOin, old pattern ; and 30 8 in 38 Light guns—2oo Oin, and D 8 4.7 in , - 298 Total guns ~, 8&7 —Russian Fleet.— Heavy, long-range guns—24 12in and 7 lOin 28 Medium guns—2 Bin 2 Light guns—l 27 Bin. and 88 4.7 in vH 165

Total guns 195 The foregoing almost gives the Japanese a two-Wone chance in artillery, but then the Russians have a marked preponderance in heavy longrange guns, and that is the most important factor in battle. No allowance is made for the guns carried on Uic three Russian cruisers, whic,h must rcntain iccMmund at Vladivostok for some weeks to come.

To balance that, there is a possibility that the Japanese have the Yashiinu in commission once more. Alt things considered, if the opposing fleets were to meet under otherwise equal conditions, victory would proIwilil.v lie with the Japanese, but It would b.e bought at a ruinous cost. And it would he fairly within the bonnda of possibility for the Russian fleet to triumph. Hull "'otherwise equal conditions" are quite impossible in the coming encounter, and all the advantages will be with Hie islanders. Hence it is that, even ou paper, the ltusuian chances are better than fair. On sea or land, it's the man behind the gun that counts', and Togo's trained veterans must, man for man, gun for gun, and ship for ship, bo expected to beat KoshdcslvcntskJ'a untried and comparatively undisciplined crows. The personnel of the latter was weak at starling, and although six months' asldduous training must have wrought much good, it is unreasonable to expect thai; the utmost the Itussian fflimiral could do would lift his men to the high standard of efficiency at which Togo's crews are rated. Kven presuming 100, that the coal difficulty bus been surmounted—and that is, as yet, by no means assured, although it is probable that the Hussions will be ulilu to take sufficient coal on bourd at an East Indian base to permit of their Voyaging 8000 mfiles to Vladi-voßtQk-nUw ttpaetMaclor still remains it balance on the wrong side of the Hussion ledger. After a six months' voyagv ltoshdestvcnski's Milpu will not be so foul-bottomed that they •on be handled with care In or out of battle array, .Still, thev will be from two to four knots siowor than when they left dock-and Togo's vessels will be in condition to itoht not only, as in the Huasiun cut*, for the honour ami glory of the land which launched them, but for the very existence of Vi» N(„,,„„■ u(i „„ e:»ial among the grout nations o| the earth.

Therein lies the vast iuiportarc of the comma "aval battle. It l las | w - Ita Mr ~ " , ~1 UI ""'" ,U " <>f * h>! llallu. fleet is the most si.r.ous irenace conceivable to .Japan. Snv the fleets join jssno 10-im>i-row. aiid Togo emerges a victor with the loss of one-half in his fleet, Hiissias naval resources are not yet exhausted. Sln> as UoshdeivtveiiNhis sufficiently powerful to utterly defeat the crippuXcven If repalred-Japanese navy Every vessel lost to Japan In the approaching battle wilt „ c un incalculable loss. And if it tfiould eventuate that Kohihdestvcnski is proclaimed victor the beginning o| Uie end of the war must bp ft* haad. Once* he defeatch Togo he would give sia command of the Far Eastern seas—as- far as Japan was concerned—and with her vital line of communication thus severed Japan w»u.d necessarily bo compelled to makoUio lh».«t possible terms and terminatethe struggle. The contingency iacxtrembly unlikely td ai;i*e, but since it exists tt invests the coming battie with a degree of interest, an ad. ded Important unparalleled in. tba I Wetory of modern, jrorfeirfl,