THE NAVAL OPERATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12817, 17 March 1905, Page 5

THE NAVAL OPERATIONS.

RUSSIAN THIRD SQUADRON. : • London, March 16. The third Russian squadron, under Admiral Niedb'ogatoff, has arrived at Suda Bay, in Crete. (Received March 10, 9.17 p.m.) London, March 16. Twenty-two Japanese warships have been sighted off Singapore. BLOCKADE-RUNNING. (Received March IG, 10.51 p.m.) London, March 16. Japanese cruisers have captured the British steamer Tacoma, laden with contraband for Vladivostok. GERMANY AND THE WAR. HER STRICT NEUTRALITY. (Received March IG, 9.17 p.m.) Berlin, March 16. Count von Bulow, speaking in the Reichstag yesterday, said that Russia's position as a great Power would probably outlast the vicissitudes of the war and the internal disturbances. The correctness of Germany's attitude towards Russia was absolutely unassailable. The Russians knew that Germany would not make profit out of their present difficulties and great embarrassments. Both Russia and Japan could count on Germany's strict and loyal neutrality. Japan, he added, would respect Germany's acquired rights in the Far East. RUSSIAN LOAN. FRANCE DESIRES PEACE. Paris, March 15. The action of the banking syndicate in postponing the raising of the Russian war loan of £20,000,000, was instigated by the French Government. It is the desire of France that the Tsar should make terms of peace. London, March 15. The opinion is held in Berlin that the decision of the Tsar to continue the war has been arrived at in a spirit of despair. STATEMENT BY LORD ROTHSCHILD. (Received March 10, 9.17 p.m.) London, March 16. Lord Rothschild has stated in an interview that the action of the French banking syndicate in postponing the issue of the Russian war loan of £20,000,000 is equivalent to a refusal to raise the money. The French bankers, he said, know that to continue the war means a revolution, and that to cease the war in present conditions also means a revolution. He does not, he says, believe the French Government is exercising pressure upon the banking syndicate in the interests of peace. COREA AND JAPAN. A PALACE CONSPIRACY. London, March 15. The Japanese officials at Seoul, the capital of Corea, have discovered a conspiracy to induce the Emperor to repudiate the Japanese convention and seek refuge himself m a foreign legation. The conspirators have been arrested. Under the convention between Japan and Corea, made in February last, the Emperor of Corea bound himself to accept the advice of Japan regarding the improvement of administration and to permit Japan to occupy any strategic position necessary for the safeguarding of Corea's territorial integrity. The Emperor, in clause 5, in effect, placed the foreign affairs of Corea in the care of the Japanese.

NOTES ON THE WAR. It is a singular fact that the Japanese* have made 110 statement regarding the captures of guns beyond the number of guns found at Mukden. Field-Marshal Oyama's report was that he had taken 6b guns, and later he reported the capture of six machine guns in the I'ushun district. The Russians, 011 the other hand, reported first the loss of 100, then 500, and now 866 guns. General Kuroki has been depicted in the illustrated papers as fishing for minnows. He may now set about fishing for 12pounders and 15-pounders. The guns are believed to be in the rivers. According to the Japanese, the Russians at the outset of the battle had 1300 guns. They should thus have more than 400 still with them. Aooording to a cablegram, a division of Trans-Baikal Cossacks is missing. The suggestion is made that it has been cut to pieces. The greater likelihood is that it is somewhere in the mountains between, Mukden and' the coast. Throughout the war the Trans-Baikal Cossack has been a runner rather than a fighter. In C-orea a foroe of them refused to attack a Japanese detachment, which they greatly outnumbered. It was a body of Trans-Baikal Cossacks that roamed about Corea terrorising the people and then settled down at Ham Heung. Upon on© occasion a Russian officer ordered a charge by Trans-Baikal Cossacks. Tlje men refused' to move, and the officer advanced alone and blew out his brains in the sight of his own men and the Japanese. The Siberian infantry have done well in the war, but the mounted men have shirked the combat. The usual optimistic report that has ever preceded Russian defeats comes from Tieling. General Kuropatkin reports a fierce attack upon his centre at Fanhu, and says the Japanese were repulsed. It is probable that the Japanese ran lip against the defensive positions that have been prepared since the retreat from Liao-yang took place last year. However, there are ways round at Tieling. Flanking movements are in progress, and the country, being fairly open, should present few difficulties to a fore© advancing eastward. The river Liao would have to be crossed if a westward flanking movement is to be made. In yesterday's cablegrams it was statedthat fifteen Japanese warships had been sighted near Palawan Island in the Philippines. To-day it 19 stated that twenty-two Japanese warships have been seen off Singapore. This may be tho same fleet, making westward, or it may bo two squadrons, one going through Sunda Straits, and the other through Malacca Straits. Tho Japanese would hardly take so many ot their vessels so far westward unless 011 battle bent. After passing tho straits it is not likely the Japanese warships will be beard of within a week.