THE FAR EAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12478, 23 January 1904, Page 5

THE FAR EAST.

WAR OR PEACE.

THE TSAR WATERING. •

ANXIOUS TO AVOID A CONFLICT. PAN WANTS UNEOUIVOC.

JAPAN WANTS UNEQUIVOCAL

ASSURANCES. APPEAL FOR ARBITRATION. By Telegraph.—lYess Association. —Copyright. (Received January 22, 30.2£ p.m.) London, January 22. A message from Moscow to the Times says the Grand Dukes Vladimir, Ale-xandrovitch and Serge, commanders respectively of the St. Petersburg and Moscow divisions, are strongly supporting Admiral Alexcieff, while the Tsar, though anxious to avoid war, is now wavering.

Ueports received in London and Berlin from Tokio state that a. peaceful settlement is approaching.

Japanese stocks at Tokio have improved.

Advices from a trustworthy source received in London state that Russia has practically acquiesced in Japan's view regarding Corea's sovereignty aid integrity.

Japan aLo insists on an unequivocal .Russian assurance as to the recognition of China's sovereignty in Manchuria. It is believed Russia agues to give the assurance, but Japan demands a written agreement and possibly a reduction of the Russian fleet in the Far East..

'Hie Labour member of the House of Commons, and several other members, also Mr. Frederick Harrison, Canon Scott-Holland, Mr. Stead, Mr. Hall Caine, Mr. George Meredith, and others telegraphed to the Tsar a,.id Mikado yesterday, petitioning them to submit their disputes to The Hague Arbitration Tribunal.

Dr. Morrison, the Times' Pekin correspondent, states that Russia has 3115 officers, 147,479 men, and 366 guns eastward of Lake Baikal in South-tern Siberia. London, January 21. The Standard's Tokio correspondent states that the Tsar's words to the Japanese Minister were not so entirely pacific and satisfactory as they were represented to bo in Europe.

The Times' Tokio correspondent says that, the Japanese Privy Council will adopt draft urgency ordinances relating to maritime defences, railways, transport of troops, and the field postal service.

A Renter's message states that the authorities in Seoul, in reply to a complaint that the C-orean soldiers were causing trouble in Corea, have informed M. Pavloff that Russia was not entitled to interfere with the frontier affairs of Covea.

An influential diplomatist in St. Petersburg declares that Russia is sending ■ fresh proposals in order to prolong negotiations by at least another week. Eight thousand soldiers have left Port Arthur. It is believed that they are proceeding to the Yalu.