INTERFERENCE WITH SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 48, 25 August 1904, Page 5

INTERFERENCE WITH SHIPPING

THE COMEDIAN INCIDENT. RUSSIAN PRESS JUBILANT. (Received August 25, 7.47 a.m.) LONDON, 24th August. The Daily Telegraph's St. Petersburg correspondent say« that the .Russian pvess is jubilant that the Smolensk overhauled the Comedian. The- vexatious conduct of the officers of tho Russian cruieer is belnudod, and what is described as "heroic prowess" is hailed with satisfaction. Tho correspondent saya: "It is certain that verbal Notea, however energetic and courtooius, aro utterly ineffective. Enlightened Russians admit that the Smolensk incident is an unfriendly act, and is running counter to Count Laimdorff's vaguoly-worded promises, and calculated to provoke serious measures on me part of Britain, tho least unfriendly of which would bo to escort merchantmen on the high sefls and protect them from fcho caprice of Russian officers." Th« correspondent adds: "My exhaustive enquiries at the Foreign Office enable me to affirm that Russia, far from accepting tho conditions set forth in Count Lamsdorfi's Note, presented on tho 16th, has not replied, and will not take any official notice. It would be a pure waste of words to continoo to protest, because statesmanlike action cannot bo expected while the naval and military authorities, who predominate among tho influences an- ' sworablo for deliberate provocation on the ocean, remain unchanged. Britain has addressed to Count Lamsdorff representations regarding the Comedian, but the rulers at St. Petersburg imagine that Britain is desirous of a convention with Russia, nod thoy recoil from energetic action." Both the Standard and tlie Telegraph, refcring to the Comedian incident, emphnsiKO the new grave aspect of the question which has arisen. The Times declares that the Hipsang outrage is one in a series of outrages. The latter journal is slow to believe that the outrage was a deliberate breach of Russia's pledge, but if Russia has ostentatiously defied tho explicit vtiniings of our views of the Smolensk's status, then tho nation will ask whether it is not time for the navy to protect, and if necessary vindicate, our rights. It is absolutely essential in the interest* of peace that Russia should bo made to understand on this subject that neither the Government nor the people will tolerate further equivocation.