Editing Russo-Japanese War (section)

=== Baltic Fleet redeploys ===
[[File:Russian_2nd_and_3rd_Pacific_Fleet_voyage_in_1905.svg|thumb|Route of Baltic Fleet]]

Meanwhile, the Russians were preparing to reinforce their Far East Fleet by sending the [[Baltic Fleet]], under the command of Admiral [[Zinovy Rozhestvensky]]. After a false start caused by engine problems and other mishaps, the squadron finally departed on 15 October 1904, and sailed halfway around the world from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific via the [[Cape Route]] around the [[Cape of Good Hope]] in the course of a seven-month odyssey that was to attract worldwide attention.

The [[Dogger Bank incident]] on 21 October 1904, where the Russian fleet fired on British fishing boats that they mistook for Japanese torpedo boats, nearly sparked a war with the United Kingdom (an ally of Japan, but neutral, unless provoked). The British pressured the French and Portuguese not to let the Russians fleet in their colonial ports to recoal, forcing the Russians to coal in the open ocean or at anchorages which was much more inefficient. Being denied docking at ports also exacerbated existing problems in the fleet, such as rotting food supplies, irregular mail delivery, and lack of shore leave. All of these plus the long voyage further sapped Russia sailors' health and morale, so for the upcoming battle they would be facing Japanese sailors who were well-rested by contrast.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2012/may/voyage-tsushima | title=Voyage to Tsushima | date=May 2012 }}</ref>

Concerns that the [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of the newer battleships, which had proven to be considerably greater than designed,<ref name="OH">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/officialhistoryn03grea |title=Official history, naval and military, of the Russo-Japanese War. Prepared by the Historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence|last=Great Britain Committee of Imperial Defence|publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office|year=1920|volume=III |publication-place=London|pages=27–31}}</ref> would prevent their passage through the [[Suez Canal]] caused the fleet to separate after leaving Tangiers on 3 November 1904. These concerns though may have been an excuse to hide worries over passing through British controlled waters.<ref name=Pleshakov69>{{cite book |last=Pleshakov |first=Constantine |title=The Tsar's Last Armada |publisher=Basic Books |publication-place=Oxford |date=2002 |isbn=1-903985-31-5 |page=69}}</ref>  The newer battleships and a few cruisers proceeded around the [[Cape of Good Hope]] under Rozhestvensky while the older battleships and lighter cruisers passed through the Suez Canal under the command of Admiral [[Dmitry Gustavovich von Fölkersahm]]. Both sections of the fleet then rendezvoused at Madagascar as planned.<ref name="OH"/><ref>{{cite journal |title=British Assistance to the Japanese Navy during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 |journal=The Great Circle |date=April 1980 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=44–54 |publisher=Australian Association for Maritime History |location=Armidale |issn=0156-8698}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Battle of Tsushima {{!}} Russo-Japanese war |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Tsushima |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |date=27 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>