THE VLADIVOSTOK SQUADRON HOW IT ESCAPED. JAPANESE ADMIRAL CRITICISED. LONDON, 20th June.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 147, 22 June 1904, Page 5

THE VLADIVOSTOK SQUADRON HOW IT ESCAPED. JAPANESE ADMIRAL CRITICISED. LONDON, 20th June.

Admiral Skrydloff, Ru&mitn ntivnl comniamler m iho Far Ea.^l, announces the safe return to Yktdivoslock of the squadron under Vice-Admiral Bezabrazoff, whidt has been l aiding m Japanese svateiw. Heavy «;a.«i nnd fog interfered with Adininil Ivamiinuia'H pur.tuit of the Vladivastock fleet. Jt is also stated that an unusual route was Liken by Vice-Admiral Bowibruzolf, which was not uscortainod owing to tho abhetico of an ethergr.iin. It is urged by many people in .Tup.vi thut it is the duty of Admiral Kamimuni to commit harikairi (oflioiul^auicido). Suicide, in old Jtipiin, wuo not rcsoitcd to, an among a luxuiiouff and decadent jK-ople, (\n a. meaiiM of escaping from a waited lifo with its disjiiipomtineiiL and futile roniorae. It. wa» held to be a noble and worthy method "to coca*,*' 'falling into the hands of a victorious eii'Mivy, to n*-monMraf-o again«>t- «omo ollicial ahiwse which no ordinary complaint fcould rvnch, or, by nu'iiiif) of a dying nrot-ojtt, to turn a licgu lord from pursuing com we* injurioiia to his ivj)utatioti and his fortune." .fhere wan no violation of any religious preempt, for the uncoinpiomuiiiig fatalism 1 of Buddhism, with its supercilious contempt for all ifflitidiinc thing-'*, and its hopelew iiuliHVtyiu;u t»> a life which was one only of millionN of miccossivo in,cnrnatioiw, wa« favourable rather than otherwieo to suicide. "Japanaw pa roil t« of tho militaiy flu.«s Umk pains to familiarLvo tlK»ir ch'ildrwn of both sexes from very tender yearn with the idea of self-destruc-tion at uny time. Tim little boy was taught how tlio sword should bo directed . itgiimst hi.i bosom; the littk* girl, how the dagger must bo held to pierce the throaty and both grew up in eofwtnnt fellowship with tho conviction that suicido must bo reckoned mnong tho natural incklents of overy-day exwtence." Tlie practice of hnrikatri wa» one by which an actual douith-w-ntt'iico could be executed without any so< i ial d tag nice or p'WHial indignity attaching to tho victim. If his life was lu'ld to ln> forfeit — and of Ui'ik a military Miiierior, or, in tho ctwo of a noble., the Emperor, was the solo judge — a sword was sent wiUi all eetvimmy to Ihe culprit, as a complimentary "gift." Tho recipient would then invite hw friends to a great reception, attire- himwlf in accord with his dignity, and ttilenmly and publicly disembowel himself with the .sword, which wan then returned to tlio donor in token that hia will had been obeyed. Sometimes a friend .stood c'.ose- at hand to decapitate the victim after tho- wound had been inilicted, but it was ron.Mdered more honourable that he should perform the deathcxpiation umi«>isted ; and by a legal fiction the Baeriflco was held to bo voluntary. The custom was abolished a few yeaya ago, when a Daimio, wlio had received tho customary jewelled nword from the Mikado, tookliw departure for Europe by the first miiillical, carrying with him tho weapon, arid leaving a letter of profuse tlumlcs to llis Majesty for his munificent gift. Whatever may bo thought of the ethics of tho underlying motive, there has 'always been to tlie WVsU-rn mind a strong feeling of disgust at Iho cruel and indecent nature of the ceremony ; but in new Japan, us in the old, it is apparently htill regarded — »t any rate in somo quartern, as a worthy custom of the good old times. TH« PORT ARTHUR GARRISON. FOOD BEING SMUGGLED IN. • • LONDON, 21st Juno. There Is undoubted testimony that junks aro daily smuggling food into Port Arthur.