Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1906 — CURRENT COMMENT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CURRENT COMMENT

Admiral Rojestvensky has published, with the approval of the minister of marine, the preposterous assertion that ths British fleet had assembled at Wei-Hai-Wei last May to annihilate the Russian fleet in case the Japanese fleet should fail to destroy it. A St. Petersburg correspondent suggests that the- publication was intended to absolve Rojestvensky and prepare public opinion for his impending acquittal and rehabilitation, “which are considered indispensable. for the sake of the reputation of the Russian navy.” But how that astonishing assertion can help therepuTatlbhof either Rojestvensky or the Russian navy passes understanding. It is known to all the world that Togo destroyed tha Russian fleet without British or other assistance. Besides? Rojestvensky asserts that he knew Togo’s exact whereabouts two days before the battle, made his dispositions accordingly and went into the battle with a full understanding, of the situation. If this can help the reputation of the Russian fleet or its commander it must help upon the theory that they went into the fight to get annihilated and accomplished their purpose. Even Count De Witte admits that no level-headed man in Russia will believe what Rojestvensky says about the British fleet, and he Ventures to account for the publication on the ground that the minister of marine was giving so much attention to other parts of the document that he entirely overlooked that ridiculous statement. That explanation will have to serve in lieu of a' better one. —Chicago Chronicle. _