NEWS OF THE WEEK
INTEREST in the Far Eastern War has been suddenly revived by the arrival of Admiral Rozhdestvensky with his entire fleet in the neighbourhood of Singapore. He passed that port on April 8th with seven battleships, two armoured (-misers, five unarmoured cruisers, three converted cruisers, seven destroyers, and about twenty supply steamers, and was sighted by the P. and 0. liner 'Nubia' at noon on the 11th about one hundred miles south- east of Cape James, steering N.N.E. His plan is believed to be to proceed north by the shortest route without stopping, and after coaling at a point south-east of Formosa, to make a final dash for Vladivostok. It is known that his instructions are to defeat Admiral Togo if he can, and a great naval battle is eagerly expected in St. Petersburg ; but as no one in Europe knows the Japanese plans, the date and locality of that battle can only be guessed, though we should think ourselves that the engagement would be fought off Formosa. The Russian fleet is reported in bad condition; but Rozbdestvensky has diligently trained his men, and while the Japanese have a great superiority in armoured cruisers and destroyers, the Russian battleships are seven against their enemy's five. No expert appears to doubt the result; but the uncertainty which hangs over every battle extends in a special degree to battles at sea.
