THE WAR IN THE FAR EAST.

Evening Star, Issue 12398, 11 January 1905, Page 6

THE WAR IN THE FAR EAST.

THE ■■KUSStAIT LOAN

VERY HARD TO FLOAT

RUSSIAN OFFICERS' CHOICE

Press : Association—By Telegraph—Copyright CHEERING UP! THE CZAR. LONDON, January 10. (Received January 11, at 8.30 a.m.)

General Kuropatkin reports the ambush and capture of a Japanese baggage convoy to the south-westward of A-chan-tau.

THE MONEY MARKET.

GERMANY GETTING NERVOUS.

LONDON, January 10. (Received January 11, at 8.30 am.)

Berlin is underwriting the Russian loan at 2f per cent. Only sixteen millions sterling is offering at present.

'The Times' states that many people believe that German financiers are saddled with three-quarters of the loan. Investors are badly impressed by Port Arthnr'a surrender and Russia's internal condition.

OFFICERS PREFER CAPTIVITY

APPRECIATE THE ENEMY.

LONDON, January 10. The 'Standard' states that the fact of one half the officers choosing captivity is due to the cold terms of the Czar's message regarding bis opinion of their conduct daring the siege.

The officers nwrching to Chang-ling-tzu station tere careworn. They were surprised and pleased at the Japanese kindness in carrying the Russian soldiers' kits when the latter were fatigued, and offering food and cigarettes.

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW.

CHINESE FAIRY. TALES.

LONDON, January 10. Continental opinion as regards the supremo heroism of the Port Arthur defence is changing since the revelation of the strength and condition of the surrendered garrison.

General Stoessel up to the capitulation believed tie stories of Chinese spies that General Kuropatkin was only a few miles north of Port Arthur. BANZAIJ KALGOORLEE, January 10. The Japanese residents here held si processdon, all of them carrying Japanese lanterns, in honor of the fall of Port Arthur.

RUMORS,

LONDON, January 10. Mr Bennet Burleigh states that a large portion of General Nogfsforce was hurriedly I despatched to Liao-yang. A disastrous' mine explosion in Port Arthur is reported! at Chefoo. The 'Dairy Mai' states that the British, cruiser Forte, at Mauritius, received an ethergram from strange warships. The cipher is believed to be Japanese. THE BALTIC FLEET, "WRAPT IN MYSTERY.^ LONDON, January 10. (Received January 11, at 8.30 ajn.) It is beneved that the Baltic fleet is sheltering in some of the obscure Madagascar harbors, or else at the Comoro Islands. AN EXPLANATION, LONDON, January 10. The Navy Department at Tokio explains that the refusal of H.M.S. Andromeda's offer of medicine, provisions, was duo to the Japanese commander's general instructi&ns. The offer was gratefully accepted at ToMo, but by the time Port Arthur was notified the Andromeda had already left. RUNNING THE BLOCKADE. j The secret history of the war in the Far East (writes our London correspondent) must contain many chapters of thrUling ini terest. We hear but little about blockaderunning, for instance, but there is no doubt that this perilous business has been in full swing, and wo may be sure that there have been stirring episodes in plenty and the makings of a score of stories of adventure were the facts available. The bloekadenmners reap such a handsome reward if successful that there is no dearth of volunteers. How otherwise could the ammunition supplies of Port Arthur have been maintained in the face of the tremendous drain upon its resources during the long months of the siege? This is the way the thing is believed to have been managed: When the Russian Government want a cargo of ammunition run into Port Arthur they either give the owner of the ship that undertakes to elude Togo's fleet an indemnity against Ihe capture of his vessel cr they pay him a freight so handsome that even if the boat be captured by tie Japanese he will net a fine profit. The profits to the shipowner would work out something like this: In an average case, where the shipowner takes the risk, he would receive about 60s per ton as payment for the cruise. Suppose the owner sends a ship built, say, in the seventies with 4,000 tons of cargo to Vladivostock. He would receive 4,000 times 60s from the Russians—i.e., £12,000. All this is not profit. He may want to insure the vessel, which, at war risks, would mean a payment of £3,250; and stores, wages, and incidental expenses would run away with another £4,750. So that he would only have £4,000 left for the journey.' But if he had sent his vessel on a peaceful expedition his net profit would not exceed £7OO. Thus by his warlike adventure he stands to gain £3,300 more than if he kept his vessel at her normal work. And if he chose to risk the' capture without insuring hhnwelf, ho could add another £3,250 to this sum. It is oh the newer vessels they have chartered that the Russians have adopted the alternative course of granting indemnity against cap-, ture. But the purchase of contraband goods has not been confined to the Russians by any means. The blockade-runners are just as Teady to oblige the Japanese. Aecordiufr to a correspondent of ' The Times,' British traders and shipowners have simply poured coal into Japan. British firms have also sent our ally guns, ammunition, sections of torpedo boats, blankets, and ' army clothing, rails, waggons, end other munitions of war. The war orders for heavy woollen goods, most of them on Japanese account, are estimated at £1,500,000. Nine or ten steamers have gone to Japan with guns and annuunition, their cargoes worth not lessthan £2,000,000. It is an open secret that the Baltic fleet is receivinjr most of its huge supplies of coal from Wales, through the agency of German vesf=els. During the last three months at least fifty vessels have left Cardiff, Barry, and Newport for points along the route of the fleet. But if report speaks truly, the same system is operating'on behalf of fhe Japanese. It is stated that almost every steamer from Europe for Japan during the last nine months has carried contraband goods, supplied by British traders, and our-, ing the past few weeks quantities of Cardiff coal have been bought. by the Japanese,

and at least two local firms are chartering British vessela for the transport. As an indication of the brisk times in the shipping trade, it is mentioned that one charter lately included ten steamers, each of from 5,000 to 8,000 tons capacity, to take coal out to Vladivostock, and seven. or eight other vessels were chartered with contraband for the same port. Altogether the blockade-runners seem to bo having "a high old time," at their own risk, but at- other people's expense.