THE OREL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 69, 17 April 1909, Page 3

THE OREL

\S EPISODE 01' THE BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA. The following, which is a passage in the Karl of Honalclshay's new book, ''A Wandering Student in the Ear East," is an episode of the naval buttle in the Straits of Tsushima, when Admiral Toko, the Nelson of the Japanese, inflicted more than a Trafalgar upon his ' Russian antagonist. One of the hitter's vessel was the Orel. Lord Ronaldsliay ' writes :

"The last act played by the Orel in the passionate drama in the sea of Japan bus been painted in lurid colors by eyewitnesses of the scene—a scene which portrays in all its ghastly ¥ not t! ! p hideous rcuiilv of'modern war.

-A third of the crew, lay dead o.r wounded, the fries (if the mutilated ami the living rose shrill above tile storm of shut mill shell until human nerves broke down wider the terrible ovilenl, mid panic nml demoralisation reigned supreme. "Down into this frenxy oi human suffering and despair came the callous order from the conning towev—'Dispose of the wounded.,' "The order will riUbJiMy obeyed.| Tin- work in the words of a Japanese eve-witness was carried out principally by petty ollicers, and no mercy was shown. Men were picked up nmj cast into the sen like fcp mpcl.l useless ballast. . . .

'•The scenes that preceded the capturej of the battleship were indescribable, the | tea being dotted with wounded men strii"glnig to keep afloat." ••This is one. of the things that has not been generally realised In England, aiiy more than the fact that of how inimenselv superior is the Japanese navy of to-day to the fleet winch achieved such memorable successes in the laic war."