THE WAR CLOUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12457, 30 December 1903, Page 5

THE WAR CLOUD.

MORE PREPARATIONS.

JAPAN'S POLICY.

OCCUPATION OF MANCHURIA.

RECRUITS FOR EAST.

THE JAPANESE FLEET.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright. (Received December 30, 12.12 a.m.) London. December £9. Mr. Bennett Burleigh reports from Tokio that the Japanese Cabinet has decided to preserve a resolute policy. . , , The Japanese officials have taken over the Fusan railway. The fleet is so disposed as to check Russian movements out of Vladivostok and Port Arthur. Mr. Burleigh declares that Russia has little transport in Manchuria away from the railway, and is not ready to maintain her position there for at least another three months against a determined attack. Excitement prevails at Portsmouth owing to the receipt of an Admiralty order requiring the naval reserves to notify their addresses where telegrams may reach them. New York, December 29. The New York Sun states that the Antoney Gibbs Company have sold the Argentine cruisers Morano and Rivazavia. It is believed that Japan is the purchaser for 7,500,000 dollars. Russia has ordered a million and a-half pounds of mess meat from the Armour Company, to be delivered at San Francisco by January 22.

(Received December 29, 11.45 p.m.)

London, December '29. News has been received that the Russian commander at Mukden has forced the Tartar general to disband and disarm his militia.

Tokio, December 28. The Sixth Army Division, stationed at Kaumamoto, is being held in readiness to sail for Oorea.

The Russian Government has ordered from Omaha, U.S.A., one million pounds of tinned meat, to be delivered at San Francisco by January 26, and then shipped to the Far East by two Russian steamers. Count Cassini asserts that the action of America with regard to Panama precludes her protesting in the case of Manchuria, which Russia has permanently occupied in the interests, of civilisation.

The Times' Odessa correspondent states that the transport Ekaterinasloff has sailed with 2000 picked recruits and several naval officers, and fifty gunners and engine-room artificers, for the Far East, INTERESTING VIEWS. RUSSIA'S FORTIFICATIONS. JAPANESE EMISSARY TO AUSTRALIA. The passengers who arrived at Brisbane by the steamer Kumano Maru, on December 20, expressed some ' interesting opinions on the situation in the Far East. One of those spoken to was Mr. Denbigh, a Russian merchant at Vladivostok, who declared that war between Russia and Japan was practically inevitable. .He said that Russia was quite prepared, though both the Russians and Japanese seemed to be hanging back. Russia, he said, has fortified Port Arthur; also Dal'ny and Harbin. She is not likely to evacuate Manchuria, simply because of . the very great interests she has there, and the millions she has spent in improving the country. He added that the Russians expected that war would break out in the spring. Regarding the Chinese, Mr. Denbigh believed that they would side with Russia. He expressed the opinion that the Japanese fleet is not in a position to even attempt to destroy Russia's fleet. Major Robinson, a retired Imperial officer, who spent some time up in the East, stated that he had witnessed a review of a -large body of Japanese troops in Corea; but was very reticent when questioned as to the feeling there. There was' also on board the Kumano Maru an attache _of the Japanese War Office, who is visiting Australia on a secret mission. It was learned, however, that this mission was to approach the Commonwealth Government, and to ascertain the attitude of Australia towards Japan in the event of war being dec'nred. This gentleman said that war must come sooner or later, but he emphasised the fact that Japan was quite ready. ' Sppaking to other passengers, it was learned that when the Kumano Maru left Japan nothing officially as to the position of affairs was available. In fact, beyond the mobilising of the army, the reviewing of troops by the Emperor, and special movements of the fleet, there was nothing unusual.