Having already accomplished almost the impossible, the armada of 50 units on May 14 set forth on the last stage of its extraordinary cruise. Of three possible routes to Vladivostok--through the Tsugaru Strait between Nippon and Yezo, through the Strait of La Perouse north of Yezo, or through the Straits of Tsushima--the first was ruled out as too difficult of navigation; the second, because it would involve coaling off the coast of Japan. Tsushima remained. To avoid torpedo attack, the Russian admiral planned to pass the straits by day, and fully expected battle. But the hope lingered in his mind that fog or heavy weather might enable him to pass unscathed. He had been informed that owing to traffic conditions on the Siberian railway, he could get nothing at Vladivostok in the way of supplies. Hence, as a compromise measure which weakened fighting efficiency, he took along 3 auxiliary steamers, a repair ship, 2 tugs, and 2 hospital ships, the rest of the train on May 25 entering Shanghai; and he so filled the bunkers and piled even the decks with fuel, according to Nebogatoff's later testimony, that they went into action burdened with coal for 3,000 miles.[2] [Footnote 2: Mahan, NAVAL STRATEGY, p. 412.] [Illustration: ROJDESTVENSKY'S CRUISE, OCT. 18, 1904-MAY 27, 1905] The main Russian fighting force entered the battle in three divisions of 4 ships each: (1) the _Suvaroff_ (flagship), _Alexander III, Borodino_ and _Orel_, each a new battleship of about 13,600 tons; (2) the _Ossliabya_, a slightly smaller battleship, and three armored cruisers; (3) Nebogatoff's division as given above, with the exception of the cruiser. Then there was a squadron of 4 smaller cruisers, 4 other cruisers as scouts, and 9 destroyers. The Japanese engaged in two main divisions of 6 ships each (4 battleships and 8 armored cruisers), backed by four light cruiser divisions of 4 ships each. The Russian line had the advantage in heavy ordnance, as will appear from the following table, but this was more than compensated for by the enemy's superiority in 8-inch guns and quick-firers, which covered the Russians with an overwhelming rain of shells. Of guns in broadside, the Japanese ships-of-the-line had 127 to 98; and the cruisers 89 to 43. -------------------------------------------------- | | MAIN BATTERIES | Q.F. | |---------------------|------------ | Ships | 12" | 10" | 9" | 8" | 6" | 4.7" -------|-------|-----|-----|----|----|-----|------ Japan | 12 | 16 | 1 | | 30 | 160 | Russia | 12 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 90 | 20