The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎583v] (57/239)

26
THE BATTLE OF THE SEA OF JAPAN.
were well in the Channel between Tsushima Island and Japan,
with the “decoy” squadron ahead, Admiral Togo, with
four battleships and two armoured cruisers, appeared round the
northern end of the island followed by Admiral Kamimura with
the other six armoured cruisers. After a feint, the whole twelve
armoured ships steered diagonally across the face of the enemy so
as to bring their broadside to bear in a concentrated fire on the
leading Eussian ships. When by this manoeuvre the preliminary
demoralisation had been produced—the Eussian battleship
Oslabia taking fire—Admiral Kamimura raced to the rear of the
enemy, while three light cruiser divisions worried his flanks, and
in a special degree attacked the transports. Thus were the
Eussians hemmed in owing to Admiral Togo’s bold tactics—
“ Demoralisation and then destruction,” might have been the
Japanese motto. They w T ere determined to have a fight to a
finish, and they acted on Nelson’s dictum, “out-manoeuvre a
Eussian.”
In this wise did the battle open. Could Admiral Togo win?
Those who care to read again the anticipations of qualified
writers may see that even to the last it was held that though
the odds were in favour of Admiral Togo the outcome of a set
battle w T as uncertain to this extent, that the fighting might prove
so desperate, the losses on both sides be so great, that the
victor, to whichever side the laurels fell, would be so shattered
and even decimated that he might emerge from the conflict with
a fleet only in a complimentary sense ruling the Far Eastern seas.
Assessed by every tangible fighting asset the comparative strength
of the two fleets approached something of an equality. In guns
and torpedo equipment they contrasted thus : —
Calibre of guns.
12 in
Number of
guns.
Russian.
26
Japanese.
23
10 in
3 )
9 in
12 1.32
4/4
8 in
13 J
34 \
6 in
147
196
Number of torpedo tubes (about) ...
... 124
200
Judged on this basis, there was no reason why the two fleets
should not emerge in something of the condition of the Kilkenny
cats after their famous encounter. How completely were all
prognostications falsified in a matter of thirty-seven fateful
minutes. While still about eight miles distant, the Eussian ships
opened a quite ineffective fire. The Japanese waited in patience.
At a range of three and three-quarter miles, so as to give full play
to the main armaments of his battleships and armoured cruisers,
Admiral Togo began a terrific cannonade and rained shells with