WHAT A NAVAL BATTLE IS LIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 6 February 1907, Page 4

WHAT A NAVAL BATTLE IS LIKE.

GRAPHIC DKscitll'l'lox OF UFA'S FLHI.IXcs. Captain Vladimir Seinenoll', one of the survivors of the "real battle of *-' Shima. has set clown his experi''laes in a remarkalile litfic volume translated liy Capotin A. I!, l.indsav. As a record of wliai it feels like to l'e Ml a sca-light miner niodiTn conditions, tlie book i- invaluable. Cap tain Seinenotl' was on board Ihe Suvo roir, the Commander in ChiciV flagship.

Captain Semenoll' refers to "tlie stupor which seems to conic over men, who have never been in action before, when the first sheds he;.in to fall. \ stupor which turns easily and iiist.,,i taneously, at the more significant ex tenia] shot, into c'thcr uncontrollable panic, or into unusually liijrh spirits, depending on Ihe man's character." After tne Suvorolf was fairly aligh. and completely ridd eI. Captain .Seine nolf discovered "lite danger creeping towards me," and only realised it on finding himself envelope,!, in an impeiietrab'e smoke. 'Thiniing air parchc;', my (ace and hands, while a caustic smelt of burn in« almo-t blinded lircthiiK. was impossible. . . Hon- did 1 get out of this lied, Perhaps some of the crew who had sou me on (he bridge dragged me out. J low I arrived on the upper battery on a wellknown spot near the ship's image. I can't remember, ami 1 can't imagine:" Finding a few signalmen, Captain Semenofl' net to work with an undamaged piece of hose on the lire. oc. casionally a man fell wounded. Xo attention was paid lo him. What mattered it? One more, one less!" Then Lieutenant Danlieli came up. "Haven't we any stretchers';" lie said.

"For whom t" asked Semcnoir, "Why, for you; you are bleeding." Looking down, he saw that his right, leg was standing in a pool of blond. Rut <.!••! leg itself felt sound enough. Dauebich seonicdMo be making an unnecessary fuss. lie wanted someone to go with Semelioll'. "Will) wauls to be accompanied?'' said Seine noil' angrily, and started to go down the ladder.'not realising what'had happened. When a small splinter had wounded him in the waist at the beginning the light it had hurt him, "but at the time 1 felt nothing." he writes. "Later, in the hospital, when carried there on a stretcher, 1 understood uliy it is that during a light out; hears neither groans nor shouts. All that (comes afterwards. Apparently our feelings have strict limits for receiving extotrual impressions, being even deeply impressed by an absurd sen fence. A thing can be so terrible that you fear nothing." Rojdestvcusky behaved well. Cap tain Seinenoll'' states that, a though wounded in the head. back, right leg (besides several small splinter wound,-) he bore himself most cheerfully, going off to look for a place from which he could watch the light. Proceeding to the starboard turret, he received another wound, which caused him much pain. A splinter struck his left leg. severing Die main nerve, and paralvsim; the ball of the fool. lie was carried int.. the turret and seated on -\ box. but still had si.ilicicn,- strength at once to ask why the turret was m,t firing;, anil to ordju- 'the captain t< I fall in the crews and open fire. A rumor that one of tee enemy's ships had been sunk restored everyi ne's -...nlidenee in a remarkabV manner. Men who had hem skulking in corners. J-".' to the commands ..I the commmds >f their officers, came run ning, a kiat »hfie they coohl bo of use. "They even joked and laughed." says Scmonolf. J

BRHAIN'S STOCK OF GOLD. - o SPKCUI. UKSKIIVK 01-' £12.1(00 0(10 TO BE FoIIMKD. Lon.ioii. Dcoi-mbcr 14. The iuiiioilaiil paper ivjnl on \V,.i|. liiwlay by Sir Felix Seiuis.er before the Banker's Institute, on the subjerf, of "Oiir Cold li-orvcs." conies ~i,|,<,r timely at a moment when the husmo-s man i» dreading a 7 per cent. Bank rate and deploring the waul of gold. Special in;ercsi attache,! (~ t|,i> paper from the reported intention of .Mr Asqllith and the Covenmieiit 1o act upon lt.-i recommendation. Dealing willi the various plan, or providing an increased reserve, he pronounced against jit issue of CI notes, on the ground teat th.-y would simp:.v draw tile money from the poekeis <.{ the people, and not augment the ni.'ional -upply. lie advocated: -- 1. The monthly puhlieatio,, l, v i|„. hanks of the average of t|i.-i r weekly accounts. 2. The imhlicatiou hy the Bank of Kiiglnd of a separate return, showing the bankers' balances, either weekly or moutlily. 3. The formation of a special reserve, to which each hank would contribute gradually a sum equal to 2 per cent, of its deposits, repayable on demand, or about t8.000.0U0; the (,'oveniment also to contribute a sum equal to 2 per cent, of the total deposits in the savings banks, or £4,000.000. i. A small committee of hankers to be organised, without whose copsen, the special reserve shoird never !„. used. wlcTo cmfwyp \bukj xzlitlli cm! were taken ill.