Naval Contemplation: The Naval Battle of 1905

1805-1905 

The magnificent victory achieved by the Japanese in the straits of Corea on Saturday and Sunday has been won almost exactly a hundred years after Nelson's great victory at the battle of Trafalgar, which was fought on October 21, 1805. There are many points of similarity between these two great naval engagements. Nelson's triumph at Trafalgar came at one of the most critical conjunctures in english history. It destroyed Napoleon's bold, ambitious, and far reaching plans and gave us command of the sea. Which we have never lost. Togo's victory has come to Japan as Nelson's did to england a hundred years ago.-viz., as a crowning mercy in a time of great anxiety. Were she beaten at sea, Japan would have lost the fruits of nearly all her victories and sacrifices in the land campaign. Japan's whole future depended on the result of this naval battle. Togo has been equal to the occasion. Just as Nelson baffled Napoleon by defeating Villeneuve, so Togo has destroyed the last hope of the Russians by annihilating Rojestvensky's fleet. In view of this comparrison it is worth recalling the details of the battle of Trafalgar. Enemy's force:- French vessels, 18; Spanish vessels, 15; total 33. British vessels, 27. Losses-France, Spain, 19 ships captured, sunk, or destroyed.

-Evening Journal, Adelaide, South Australia, Saturday 8, July 1905

Source: Australian National Library

Related (19th July, 2018):

'The Dmitrii Donskoi was part of a Russian Imperial Navy force fighting against Japanese in the 1905 war between the two nations.

It has been reported the warship was carrying the 5,500 boxes filled with gold bars along with a haul of 200 tonnes of gold coins.

Shinil Group estimates the gold to be worth 150 trillion won ($176 billion) in today’s value.

The company plans to raise the wreck in October or November. It said half of any treasure found would be donated to the Russian government.

Part of the remaining treasure would also help fund infrastructure projects in north east Asia such as a new railway linking South Korea and North Korea.'

Source: https://www.9news.com.au/world/2018/07/19/11/33/russian-warship-wreck-reputed-to-be-carrying-billions-of-dollars-worth-of-gold-found