Russia's Fleet

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1087, 7 September 1904, Page 2

Russia's Fleet

The beat performances on tho Russian sido have been done by tho cruiser Bayan, The Groraoboli and Rossia ore both in Rood steaming condition, and so is tho Askold.

The Novik has boon several tirnos in* jurod, and, having boon also hard pressed oneo or twieo, her rnaohinery has been shaken lip a gooil deal, It is doubtful whottar sho can do' twouty knots at present. Tho Retvisan had hor onpinca thrown out of alignment whou she was torpedoed, and her steaming powers are vory poor ilespito repairs, Tho Tsarovitch suffered' no hurt at nil to machinery or boilers when torpedoed, and her propollors wore untouched, though tho torpedo hit her rudder,

Tho Pnlladu was hit umidships bv a torpedo Hint mnb through tho sido and exploded partly in a coal bunltor and partly right inside ono ?roup of Bellovillo generators. Tho tubes wero torn out and bent ii shapo. They wero takon out, enod and replaced, mostly by lior own engineers.

A not vory dissimilar hit was received by tho Pobio'dn, which was hit by a initio in the port boiler-room. A grear deal of water camo in, mid the fires woro quonoliod, but no ono was injured, no tubes burst, and tho ship relumed to harbour without assistance under her own atonm.

In tho early days of the war Russian doßtroyors were hopolessly outmatched in speed by tho Japanese; but the harbour servioo to which the latter have besn put has done much to equalise this, and there is little to choose betttwn them now,