CABLES.

Hastings Standard, Volume VIII, Issue 4152, 11 February 1904, Page 3

CABLES.

Received February 11, 1-38 a.m. Lotvlon. February 10. The New Yor.k Herald's correspondent slates that both the; Russian battlesh'ips grounded across the civ trance to the harbor. They are helpless, lying very close together, but not blocking the entrance, except to ships of very heavy draft. The cruiser listed to port and was torpedoed while aground outside the entrance to the harbor. At daybreak three Japanese eruis- , ers came boldly within long distance range, taking observations for two hours. A si range apathy possessed the Russian, ami no vessel chased the Japanese, or ev.en fired a shot until the cruisers prepared to leave, when the Russian!lleet vainly pursued, soon returning to the roadstead, where there are now five effective battleships, |five effective cruisers, and 17 torpedo-destroyers. Russia has 91' warships in the Far East, including eight battleships, ll , first-class cruisers, and 56 destroyers and torpedo boats. Received February 11, 1.18 a.m. London, February 10. The Moscow City Council voted a million roubles for the establishment of a hospital. Ardent patriotic demonstrations have taken place at Moscow and St. Petersburg. An Imperial manifesto formally declares war to-day^ An official Tokio telegram states that four battalions of Japanese infantry have been landed near Seoul. The coast districts of Kwantung, Yiadivostock and Port Artluir have been placed under martial law. Russia has taken over the Yladivo-stock-Nagasaki cables, compelling Japanese messages to travel via Shanghai, India or Hong Ivong, or Manila and San Francisco. RISK !: WHEAT, Received February 11, at 10.33 a.m. Sydney. February 11. Owing to the o-U .uca-. of hostilities wheat transactions are active and the market a. penny stronger. The Yawatu Nam, t'<i" last Japanese mail steamer io quit Australia, has a wiinabic e.U'go. The vessel left Tburs-'ay Island on Monday under scaled orders, probably lo go a round aboul runic to •Japan. J AF An i' U-Uij i li«j ij. i i ALL 1 ALK ii l' .JAPS. ißy Telegraph/, Auckland, February 11. Corre;-.p'jfitieiiee beiweeu the Japantse olucers and i*ir Napier, chairman oi ttie Aucniand branch oi tile Navy League, shows that as early as L'tcemijer a plan oi at.l act: t.pon Fort Arthur was dciinitely decided upon i>y the Japanese Admiralty, even iln-i." particular duties bemg well known at that time. One writes by the last maiif :—'War is inevitable, and we know we."an destroy the Rus sian lleet. I have been already detailed to go to Port Arthur on the outbreak of war to destroy, the Russian battleships wii my J* 1 s-inch fish torpedoes. I shall do this \ery well, but cannot, expect to be alive afterwlards. I Kvil! be kilk-.l with Rus sian shells, so I wish you good-bye. Our officers and men in M:" wliolc fleet are very jollv and very anxious for war to begin. NAVAL OFFICERS' VIEWS. (By Telearann.i Auckland, February 11. Captain Dawson, of 11. M. S. Penguin, being asked what would happen, so far as Australia is e'oueetn. Ed, if Britain were drawn into Ihe war, said it is probable the Australian squadron would be orderol to the Fast and the. survey vessels would, be laid up, a i;J their officers arid crews sent lo vessels to be engaged 1 in the conflict. The Australian, colonies would not Ik- defenceless ii the siiisS left their geographical positions. There are no grounds for fear so far as they are ; concerned, as no European Navy, in the event of war with Hrilain, coulfi spare a vessel to come here. Furthermore. if they did they could get no coal and again they would find a hostile people to receive them on shore. Supposing for example a foreign war vessel bombarded Auckland from the sea she could do but very lit tie damage. Bombardments from sea as a ru.e do not do much damage. They have a moral eIT-eet-.it is true, tai! the damage is eomparaf ive ly slight. The provability is that, if ;■> hostile vessel goi so far as say Auckland, there would b<> a demand for a s'Jm of money and they would Hoar <;P! when the;, had nioi it. They certain!*' would not bombard a defenceless town as thr.t is against the in! er ; ;i it ional rules of war. .Another naval officer expressed the opinion I'm I the strength of Port Aril:"!' is noi as gre.it as I lie Russians make out. ;uid he added that i!!ii<"s the Russians h;i.\e been accumulating coal for some vears she '•anno! keen her shins running vcrv long- If Welsh coal is on i*s way to the Russians it will he se-g-d t v y Japanese for a certainly. Th<* Russians have eoa! sunnlies in the Kaiping colleries. North China, hut the co 11 -i.- '.rry dirty and useless for nav al nurposes. The best coal is Welsh coal and after 'hat West port. T have KirrJt ! ;oib it: the vessel I have been in, and 1 n'riow what they are worth The Hril ; ssi lirel. at the presenl time is looking -e| probablv. and yttu mav denend unon it that the British ships are shadowing both Ihe Russian and -fananese fleets. If there is anv fight itig goit g on then they there, keeping out of the line of :;re. of course.