1908-10-21 THE TRIALS OF THE RURIK

London Times, 21 October 1908, p. 7: THE TRIALS OF THE RURIK. (From our own correspondent.) St. Petersburg, Oct. 20. The official report of the Rurik’s trials is not yet available for publication. It will be handed by the technical committee to the Minister of Marine to-morrow, and with him rests the decision whether to make it public. In view of the criticisms of the Rurik in the Duma and in the Press, it is hoped that the Minister will make a departure from the usual secrecy observed here in such matters.

Admiral Wirenius, president of the technical committee, who, I may mention, is in favour of publicity, said to me to-day, “The trials of the Rurik have given the fullest satisfaction except as regards the turrets. A certain structural weakness was disclosed therein by the gunnery tests, but the defects can be remedied.” My informant emphatically contradicts the reports appearing in the Press to the effect that the turrets are unserviceable.

According to a statement emanating from the representative of the builders, the weakness of the turrets is due to defective designs and therefore independent of their control. It is interesting to add that the Rurik was inspected by the Tsar during the recent review of the Baltic fleet on the Finnish coast, and his Majesty expressed his satisfaction by conveying official thanks to Captain Stetzenko.