THE BATTLE OF TSU-SHIMA BETWEEN THE JAPANESE AND RUSSIAN FLEETS, FOUGHT ON 27TH MAY 1905 BY CAPTAIN VLADIMIR SEMENOFF (ONE OF THE SURVIVORS) TRANSLATED BY CAPTAIN A. B. LINDSAY 2ND KING EDWARD’S OWN GURKHA RIFLES WITH A PREFACE BY SIR GEORGE SYDENHAM CLARKE G.C.M.G., F.R.S. NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 1913 “Captain Semenoff’s little volume, which would well repay translation, is a remarkably graphic and luminous account of Admiral Togo’s great victory, compiled from notes taken by th

The paucity of war experience since the introduction of the steam-driven armoured ship invests the battle of Tsu-shima with supreme importance. Between Trafalgar and the 27th May 1905, there had been only two fleet actions on a large scale—those of Lissa and of the Yalu—and the first was fought before the wooden vessel had disappeared and the rifled gun had become universal. The various minor engagements which occurred during this long period were either destitute of teaching, or failed to provi

The following account of the battle of Tsu-shima, fought on 27th May 1905, is a translation of the narrative of Captain Vladimir Semenoff, a Russian naval officer who was on board the flag-ship ( Knyaz Suvoroff ) during the engagement. It is of more than usual interest, as the writer had previously served in the Cesarevitch at Port Arthur, and had taken part in the disastrous sally from that port on 10th August 1904. At the great battle of which he now relates his experiences, he was present in

In memory of the Suvoroff !...

A fresh breeze mournfully droned through the wire rigging and angrily dispersed the ragged, low-lying clouds. The troubled waters of the Yellow Sea splashed against the side of the battleship, while a thin, cold, blinding rain fell, and the raw air penetrated to one’s very bones. But a group of officers still stood on the after-bridge, watching the silhouettes of the transports slowly disappearing in the rain haze. On their masts and yard-arms signals were being flown, the last messages and fina

Fate had apparently been kind to us, as up to the present we had not been discovered. The sending of telegrams in the fleet was forbidden, so we were able to intercept Japanese messages, and our torpedo officers made every effort to fix the direction from which they emanated. On the morning of 26th May and later on the same day, a conversation between two installations had begun, or perhaps more correctly speaking it was the reports of one ahead of and nearer to us to which the other, more dista

“Now the fun will begin,” thought I to myself, going up to the after-bridge, which seemed to be the most convenient place for carrying out my duty of seeing and noting down everything, as from there I could see both the enemy and our own fleet. Lieutenant Reydkin, commanding the after starboard 6-inch turret, was also there, having dashed up to see what was going on, as the fight was apparently to commence to port, and his turret would not be in action. We stood side by side, exchanging now and

After steering on their new course for a quarter of an hour, the enemy had again forged a considerable distance ahead, and now the Mikasa , at the head of the column, gradually inclined to starboard to cross our T. I waited for us to incline to starboard also, but the Admiral held on to the old course for some time longer. I guessed that by doing this he hoped to lessen the distance as much as possible, which would naturally have assisted us, since, with our wrecked range-finders and gun-directi

I remembered that in the event of the flag-ship leaving the line, the torpedo-boats, Biedovy and Buistry , were to come to her in order to transfer the Admiral and his staff to another and uninjured ship. In such circumstances, in order to avoid confusion, until the flag had been transferred or until a signal had been made as to the handing over of the command, the fleet was to be led by the ship following the one which had fallen out of the line. I do not presume to be able to say whether our o

Meanwhile, having turned abruptly away from the Suvoroff , our fleet had steamed off, gradually inclining to starboard so as not to give the Japanese a chance of crossing its T, which they evidently were trying to do. The consequence was that both belligerents moved on the arcs of two concentric circles. Ours on the smaller—the Japanese on the larger. About 4 p.m. it seemed as if fortune for the last time was endeavouring to smile upon us. In the midst of the thick smoke which was pouring from t

PRINTED AT THE EDINBURGH PRESS 9 AND 11 YOUNG STREET. 1  These cruisers had no armour protection for their guns. 2  All, except the naval transports carrying war stores, were left at Shanghai.—A.B.L. 3  Evidently the Oslyabya was omitted by a printer’s error. She should come in as the fifth ship, i.e. after the Orel , and leading the 2nd armoured squadron.—A.B.L. 4  Cruel irony! We were attempting to force our way through to our base , and had been ordered to take with us, if possible, everythin