THE VOLUNTEER CRUISERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 217, 10 September 1904, Page 5

THE VOLUNTEER CRUISERS.

INTERNATIONAL AMENITIES. HOW THE INCIDENT CLOSED. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, September 9.

The volunteer cruisers Smolensk and St. Petersburg were lying in Mwania Bay, to the south of the island of Zanzibar, when the British cruiser Forte approached.

They weighed anchor, and the Forte signalled, "Have important "despatches." The cruisers then dropped anchor, and the Forte's boat carried the Czar's cypher message and the British Agent's protest, embodying Britain's demand that the volunteer cruisers should cease searching.

Captain Skalsky, of the St. Petersburg, came aboard, and ■was received with a guard of honour. He stated that he had arrived in the bay on the previous day. Owing to stress of weather the steamers had not taken coal aboard, nor communicated with anybody, and only one steamer had been searched. Owing to the stress of weather the Smolensk had only 300 tons of coal aboard. She had cruised off the Cape for a month, meeting with continuous bad weather. Captain Duhdas, commanding the Forte, impressed upon Captain Skalsky the necessity for prompt departure of the two steamers.

Captain Skalsk was most courteous, and announced that he was leaving forthwith. The St. Petersburg fired a salute of 21 guns, and the salute j?as returned. Captain Dundas returned the visit, going on board the St. Petersburg. The St. Petersburg was full of coal., and carried seven five-inch and a few smaller guns. The Smolensk had eleven more or less obsolete guns. After Captain Dundas' departure the St. Petersburg and Smolensk proceeded south. The Forte remained in the bay watch* ing, and when the cruisers were seven miles away a steamer was sighted approaching their anchorage. This vessel proved to be their collier, believed to be the Hamburg-American steamer Holsatia. She altered her course, and the cruisers likewise did so. The three vessels were last seen fifteen miles west 01 the southern point of Zanzibar. The Russians would gladly, if possible, have stopped the collier from being sighted, as but for the Forte r s visit the Smolensk would have coaled at Zanzibar. Captain Skalsk, in the interview, asked permission to coal at Zanzibar, but Captain Dundas replied that he must inquire of the British Government if it were permissible. A second German vessel was seen bringing provisions for the cruisers from Dar-es-Salaam.