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Show Russia's Sunken Treasure. An engineering publication states that tho cost of ono of our battleships. Including Includ-ing armament, is. all told, nearly $3,000,000, and Russian battleships probably cost, ready for action, about tho same. In view of this fact, lt would noem Hkoly that Russia's loss of warships In tho far East since tho war began totals about $125,000,000, and may amount to $150,000,000. This estimate Includes not only tho battleships, bat-tleships, crulsors and destroyers of tho Port Arthur fleot, but tho two vessols sunk at Chemulpo and tho Rurlk of tho Vladivostok squadron, sunk in tho battlo of August 11. If the Baltlo fleet, now on its way to tho East, is similarly destroyed Russia's naval loss will In tho aggrcgato doublo tho figures given above. An expenditure ex-penditure of $300,000,0130 or moro will havo been as futile as if so much gold had been tossed into tho sea. Enormous coal bills costly repairs, provisioning, tho training and wages of Inefficient naval ofllcers all havo been waste. If to this naval loss bo added tho cost of fortifying Port Arthur Ar-thur and building Dalny and other new Russian towns in Manchuria, half a billion bil-lion will appear to havo been thrown away so far on "brilliant diplomacy" In tho far East, to say nothing of tho expenses ex-penses of KuropatkbVs army. Baltimoro Sun. |