1906-10-16 NAVAL REORGANIZATION

London Times, 16 October 1906, p. 5: NAVAL REORGANIZATION. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) ST. PETERSBURG, OCT. 15. The plan for the reorganization of the navy, to which the Admiralty has been devoting several weeks, was submitted to the Emperor to-day. I am in a position to state that one of the most important changes affects the existing system of service. Almost the entire fleet has hitherto been placed out of commission during the five or six winter months and the men have been quartered at depôts, or ekipazhy, each containing 1,000 to 1,500, under the more or less nominal command of a few junior officers. This system has promoted idleness and inefficiency and bred discontent and mutiny. Henceforth the men will be constantly on duty or otherwise actively employed, and the depôts will be used for the preliminary instruction of recruits by the numerous staff of officers.

As financial limitations prevent immediate additions to the battle fleet, it is proposed to devote special attention to destroyers and submarines. I hear that Makaroff’s dream of developing a naval station on the Murman coast is to be revived. The harbour of Ekaterininsk, which is always open, will provide warships with a port of call in winter cruises.