It is, according to the Admiral, absolutely untrue that he
aimed at the fishing-boats. On the contrary, as soon as they were perceived, the firing was stopped for fear of damaging them. Fourthly, it is stated that the squadron could not have mistaken the Russian torpedo-boats for Japanese because they (the Russian boats) were already in the Channel. On the other hand, it is true that, whereas eight Russian torpedo-boats left Libau, only seven reached Tangier, the reason being that the eighth was damaged before leaving the narrow Danish waters, and returned to Libau. There- fore the Russians will affirm that, if torpedo-boats were seen, they were not Russian ; if a torpedo-boat was sunk, it was not Russian; and if a torpedo-boat remained till next morn- ing on the scene of action, it was not Russian. We have no wish to use language offensive to Russia, but we confess it is difficult to take this narrative seriously. We are quite pre- pared to believe that the unfortunate fishermen in the excite- ment of their return gave a confused account of what took place; but we find it difficult to believe in Japanese torpedo- boats haunting the North Sea without being seen except by secret Russian informers, and as soon as they had done their work of causing panic—they are not apparently accused of anything worse—disappearing out of all human ken.
A far more likely explanation of what took place is that the Russian fleet fired either at their own vessels, whether torpedo-boats or other craft, by mistake, or else at shadows which they took for torpedo-boats, and in the confusion actually hit each other. There seems evidence that a chaplain
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