THE NORTH SEA OUTRAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13209, 16 February 1905, Page 6

THE NORTH SEA OUTRAGE.

The cabled summary of the conclusions submit,tod on behalf of Great Britain and Russia respectively The' Haguo Commission indicates that the inquiry is drawing'to a close, and that bcfpro long wo may expect the publication of tho finding of the Commission. Ft- will bo remembered that the Commission decided to sit in camera, although Great Britain desired that the inquiry should be conducted openiy, and tho outline of the argument published yesterday may be assumed to be an , official report. It will be noticed that Russia has adhered to the defence it was anticipated that she would set up, ami is endeavouring to brazen it out to the last that the Baltic fleet was actually attpcked by torpedo bojita in the North Sea, and that the reprisals were conseqiiently justified that eventually proved to have been made at the.expense of a harmless fishing -fleet./' The' necessity for setting up a defence of some description being obviqus, the Russian authorities, while no doubt as fully conscious of the weakness of the torpedo boat theory as anyone could be, decided to cling to it in the absence of a more plausible justification of the outrage. In the first instance the British people, from Mr Balfour downwards, were inclined to scoff at the idea'and reject it as a chimera of_ the imagination, but tho torpodo boat theory having been put forward seriously, and bolstered up by a quantity of evidence and testimony from persons prepared to 'swear there were torpedo.boats in the vicinity of the Dogger Bank at the time of the passage of.the Baltic fleet, it is necessary .to take it very seriously indeed. Prior to tho opening of the inquiry Lieutenant Pobiesky, of the battleship Kniaz SnvarofF, disclosed in effect the evidence he proposed to give at the inquiry, and it is 110 doubt a sample of what has been forthcoming from other quarters,. Lieutenant Pobiesky istated that he was on the bridge of the Knian Suvai'off at the time of t|ie Hull incident. "The moon was shining brightly. The sea ivas calm and tho jharizpn very clear. With his fielcl-gliiss he could see a distance of ten miles. He was absolutely certain that'they were in the presence of two .Japanese torpedo boats —one havi-tig four funnels, and. the ptiier three, and both having masked lights. After some minutes' observation he noticed that the torpodo boats wore proceeding towards thorn' at slow speed. The allowed the'ip to approach to ivithin 1000 metres, and beipg certain they were not mistaken they opened With a large volnme-of. testimony such as this from men ivhp; like Captain Glado, liave ■ seen many years' naval service, and who ought to know all about torpedo boats and about their appear? ance by night, or day, it is easy to understand that very positive evidence to the cpntrary may bp required to convince the Commission that the > Russian theqry be dismissed as Untenable. The ease for Great Britain is supported by the disavowal of all rinrppefin , Pantries are TCliecl by the North Seay as well as by that v ,of Japan, th&t apy of tjieir torpedp boiitfl were in'the vicinity of the Dogger, Bat?)? at tho time. While it is contended that the torpedo boats, upon the, existence of which the Russians rply so thoroughly, wore absent from the scene of the outrage, it has apparpntly beet) conceded' by the'.'British representatives, that the Russians had some ground for believing that they'might encounter torpedo boats ip> the Nprth Sea, and the, explanation put fo'nvard lY that' the' officers ,oHha Baltic fleet had beeq jed on alarmist rppq'rts before Jeaving hojne and that-

le | they were further misled by a mistal n-1 roport from tho Kai-fischatka that s s- j had really been attacked. it is furtl it submitted on belmlf of Great Brit-< m thqt the outrage was aggravated by f it indjfference of the Itijssians towards t in injured fishermen after they must ha jf becoma aware of their'mistake. Wi ingenuity it. is 111 tg declared in defence of the Baltic flee 3, action on tin's point that tho trawh n wero sufficiently'numerous to help ea is other, anil that the Admiral was bon is to jeave tho point of the attack rapid 11 since' lie had no guarantee that it wan it not be repeated. The naive admissi ,t of their readiness to seek refuge - flight is scarcely complimentary s Admiral Itozhdestvonsky and his flee d which was apparently prepared to be y a hasty retreat before » couple t torpedo boats I As far as can be judge e the Russian advocates haro not mai e much headway wjth tljeir defence, ai t ifc will be rather surprising if tho Cor r mission does not dismiss tho torpw - bpat theoiy as altogether imspuncrai: a utterly fantastic. .1 ' r B Yf>sterday morning, prior to tho departu: of the Hon. W. Hall-Jones,. Minister i T Publio Works, for the south, lie was waiti 1 upon at the Grand Ifotel by his Wovsh 1 the Mayor (Mr IV R. Christie) and Mr Gooi 1 man (electrical engineer) with reference I l tho objection taken by tho Public Worl . /Dopijrtinsiit ta"'tlia fljstaiipo behvcop tl r utiles as set out in the South Duncdi 1 Order-in-Council. It was arranged that tl 1 distance between tiro poles should I 1 similar to that between the poles in tl ' City, Caveisljam, and North-East Yallpy; 5 namely, two chains (132 ft). Tho suggestio ; of the department was that the distant ! should bo 120 ft.' Tho Mayor agreed th: I the South Dunedin Order-in-Couneil shoul be endorsed to tile effect that if the Minist* of Public Works should at any, time requir 1 tlii. distance betffeoj) t-jie poles in Soijt \ Dunedin to be reduced to 120 ft tiio Cit i Council would carry out the work, Th , South Duncilin -Order-in-Council will b returned immediately to the Public Work Department jn Wellington, to bo nitere i|i accordance with tho agreement arrive at. The City Valuer (Mr J. R. Morris) ha completed the valuation- of tho four ward of the city. Tho increase in the 'rateabl value is £5636, which is made up as follows ■ South Ward, £212; Hiuh Ward, £2674 Bell Ward, £952; Leith ' Ward, £159E The number of new houses erected durin; the year is 65. Mr Martin Pearce, value of the Caversham Ward, reports the valna tirrn of the ward to be £37,159, an increas of £1412 for tho year. The following figure are also given:—Number of rateabl dwelling houses in ward, 1156; hut occupied by Chinamen, 13; shops pot usei as dwellings, 18; sundry buildings, 34 dwelling houses not rateable, 5; houses ii course of erection, 8; 1 number of properties 1052. The mention of the .proposed school a Maori Ilill evoked some discussion at thi Education Board's meeting yesterday, ii which the chairman was understood to stat< that all tho board's inspectors were no favouralilo to its establishment. Ho saic he was informed that thero was ample roon at the Kaikorai School, except for th) infant classes, and proceeded to slate tha he was told by one of the inspectors tha there were about double the number • o: infants (including 40 from Maori Hjll) ai tho Kaikorai Soliool that tho aceommodatioi was suited for. More than 100 infants, th( chairman said, wan tod taking out of th( infant room at Kaikorai, Tho suggestior that aqpommodation at Kaikorai could b< increased was soouted by mora than one number, and Mr Mitchell remarked thai want of a school at Maori Hill had overcrowded tho infant room at Kaikorai. Ths secretary was understood to state that there were 250 children in tho borough ready tc go to a Maori IJjll school to-morrow. The board dropped the discussion at that point. Cr Carpenter, at last night's meeting ol tho City Council, raised tho question fi\ overcrowding at theatres to tho discomforl of thoijo paying for reserved seats. He described how an orderly method of admission was arrived at in other oolonies, and expressed the hope that tho General Committee would ho requested to forni some sort of a by-Jaw so that tho polico. could movo in the matter if necessary. He also ventured io say that if the eounoil trusted to cdupale public opinion in this matter to such an extent that crushing would be avoided the waiting would be long. The Mayor said tho chairman of tho committee would' no doubt note the suggestion. The Soencry Commissioners spend to-day in Dunedin, and will probably visit luvcrcargill to-morrow. Hampden and Waikouaiti will mast likely bo visited in about three weeks, on the return of the commissioners from Inycrca-rgill. Tho summons in Chambers, fixed/for yesterday morning, in' -re the .Golden Glen Dredging Company v. Sinclair, was not called on, the matter having been settled out of court. The question "was as to an application by tho liquidators for an order compelling the defendant as a contributory of tho company (q pay the liquidators a sum of money, being tho amount due in respect of allotment- money payable on shares and calls. A private lotfor received in • Dunedin from Mr i. Deans, the Otago Acclimatisation Society's -curator, whose services are at present being utilised by tho Government in connection with t|io opening of a consisnmtmt of salmon ova at the Hakataramca salmon station, gives. a very gratifying apeptmt of the nijinnor in which the shipment has come to hand.* Mr Deans writes: ."They arc (l|o finest lot of ova I ever saw landed in Now Zmiland—clo?o on 100 per cent, arrived good. Out of 300,000 only 262 bad ones were removed 24 Hours after they wero laid down in the hatchery, and I. estimate there are 12 per cent, more eggs than t-hpro were last year. The whitefish eggs are turning ont equally well. Tho curator of this hatchery (who is in charge of the Tekapo portion of these ova) and also the Chief Inspsnfor of Fisheries (who has charge of the Kanieri Lake consignment) both report that ihe yield is about 95 per cent- This spcgljs volumes for tho attention they had received at tho hands of the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, who had charge of tho whole shipment from America. Tho salmon here are a perfect sight, more especially tlio yearlings, bqt' all ages ara in splendid condition.'' The weekly meeting of ..the Benevolent - jtulion Trustees, held yesterday 1 afternoon, was attended by • Messrs "it. M. Clark (chairman), E. A. Tapper, W. Burnett, -J. Hazlctt, It. Wilson, W. Talboys, .T. Green, and the Hon. If. Gonrlev. On the motjon pf tlio cl|airitifin, it was decided that opco a month the Visiting Committee should inspect the fire servico at tho institution. Sir Green further moved that the matter of introducing patent fire-extin-guishers into the institution, tin's matter I having at a previous meeting being brought MP by Sir Tapper, be left ill the hands of the Finance Committee, with power to act, The motion was carried. . A parcej of books was received, with thanks, from Mr E. E. Q;' QuipK* Relief hurnhep'ng 26, W«re dealt with, and accounts amounting to £174 6s Id wpra passed for payment. Mr T. Mackenzie, Sf.H.R,, received tho following letter yesterday from Mr -Blow, to the Publio Department, in regard to the Ratlin's River railway. The letter is dated 13th inst., and is as follows:—"I havo the hq'gour by direction pf the .Minister of Publio Works fp acknowledge receipt of your letter of 7th inst., covering one from the- Catlin's River Railway League, wifh reference to the construction of tho line boyond Ratanui, and in reply to state that fiirtherinforma.t'9o in reference tj> the survey qt tho' line' is ; required befprp the. construction- of tho work ean bo put in hflnd." : , .

It is understood that tho Port Chajmcrg Dock Trust has successfully floated its £75,000 loan at 5 per' cent., tho entire loan being taken up by one largo financial institution. . Inspectors Gladstone and Donaldson on Monday seized and condemned as unfit for human consumption 226 out of 1700 cases of bananas ex the Navua from Fiji. The making at tho Wyndham Dairy Factory of tho monster cheese, to be included in tho exhibits of tho New Zealand Court at tho Indian and Colonjal Exhibition, to be held in the Crystal Palace, London, from Slay to October .of this year, took place on Saturday under very favourable conditions. The cheese, which approximately weighs one ton, stands 'three feet high, and has a girth of 11 feet. It required three largo vats full (upwards of 20,0001b)' of milk to furnish the curd, the intake of milk for the day being 30,0001b. Tho process of manufacture was in tho capable hands of 3fr Andrew Cunningham, tho factory manager, ably assisted by Mr Singleton (dairy instructor) and Mr Sawcrs (manager Kdendale Daily Factory), together with tho 'cgular working staff of tho factory, all of whom wero kept busily employed during Iho operation. Besides the directors and officials of tho company thero wero present a fairly large number of spectators, including several ladies, who followed the proceedings throughout with lively interest. The vats wero carefully watched to secure n uniformity in (ho curd, and it was tho expressed opinion of thoso who know, that the cardinal features of flavour, body and texture, and colour wero practically identical. Mr Milne, chairman' of directors, took occasion to congratulate tho manager and those who had assisted him on tho success that had attended their efforts of tho day. Thereafter Mrs Cunningham kindly invited thoso present to partake of substantial refreshments, to which tho company did ample justice. A large and influential meetiitg of farmers and threshing-mill owners was held . at Mosgiel on Tuesday evening. All the threshing-mill owners in the district were represented, Tho meeting was held to take into consideration the question of in-, suring mill hands for the ensuing season. After a good deal of discussion regarding the position of farmers during threshing time, it was agreed to send a deputation, consisting of mill-owners and farmers, to confer with the insuranco companies, and to report at an adjourned meeting, to be held at Mosgiel on Monday, 20th inst. The question of the weighing of grain while threshing was also discussed, and it was also agreed lo allow threshing-mill owners Is per day for tho following season, on condition that they supply weighing machinrs, subject to the. approval of tho inspectors of weights and measures. Tho meetjng, which was a very'enthusiastic one, terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman (Mr John Henderson). A close holiday was observed at Tort Chalmers yesterday, all the factories and chops being shut on account of tho District High School picnic at AVaikcuaiti, which was largely attended. When thoso interested in tho Burnside stock sales inet yesterday morning, jlr Clias. lieid (of Messrs Donpjd Reid and Co.) said that a resolution to the following effect had emanated from tho butchers:—"Wc, tho butchers and farmers assembled at Burnside sales, hereby protest against tho action of the Stock Agents' Association in putting off the usual weekly stock sales on the occasion of Dunedin Cup Day without consulting-our interests in any way. Wo believe I hat the great majority of (hose attending the sales are opposed to tho .principle involved in the postponement of the sales for (he purpose of a horse race." Mr lidd's invitation to those present to lay whether they sympathised with tho ientimont contained in the resolution was met wiili a unanimous affirmation, no: a single dissentient voice being raised. It was eablcd last Friday that the West Australian Department of Agriculture was obtaining a quantity of Professor Moore's nitrogen-fixing bacteria to inoculate and enrich soil. Mr Kirk, the Government Biologist, informs the Wellington correspondent of ;lie Christchurch Press, that Western Australia is rather, behind the times. In May of last year Mr Kirk wroto to the Washington Department of Agriculture for a supply of the bacteria, and received a consignment on August 15. He prepa-ved cultures and started experiments at the G overmnent experimental station at Levin, and the State farm at Hamilton. l'he experiments have been made on clover, vetches, beans, and peas, and the results 6o far have been satisfactory, but the experiments arc not yet completed. Jlr Kirk , says that the bacteria is nothing like "the food of the gods" of Wells, the novelist, and does not produce abnormal growth. It merely extracts nitrogen from tho air and enriches impoverished soil. In soils already highly nitrogenous, the bacteria would bo thrown awav. If the experiments are as successful as anticipated tho Department of Agriculture will distribute cultures to farmers who require them. News comes from every quarter (reports Jie Akaroa Mail) that the cocksfoot crop is turning out better than was anticipated. Little River reports stafo that though tho ridges and very exposed hillsides have not more than fulfilled expectations, record crops Are reported from sheltered localities. Several 161b erops have been bagged of plump, well-eolourcd seed, and tho general yield is most satisfactory. Equally good news reaches us from tile eastern bays and round Akarou, and no doubt the seed threshed so far has exceeded owners' expectations. The last few days have been jplcndid threshing weather. Some seed is reported as so heavy that a wager has been i jnade that a man will cut 10 sacks in 10 i 'jour's. Of course this applies only to t localities where tho gale was not felt. Large areas that were shut up will never be cut at all, and therefore the total yield, , ; n spite of exceptional orops, will not be arge. Writing to a friend in Christchurch, Mr Harold Hodgkinson states that the rod deer are very numerous this yew on the Longslip country in North Otago, and stags are to be seen in all the big basins under .the j tops of the ranges. They aro now shedding , the velvet oti their antlers. About two months ago Mr Con Hodgkinson counted 150 head of deer from the road near tho Longslip homestead. In the evenings they come down on to tho flat in large herds, I and on ono occasion ho saw 87 grazing in c tho swamp on the Ahuriri river bed. It is anticipated that jhcra will to a large number of stalkjrs out this year. Tho season opens on April 1, and continues till n iho end of May. s Information received at Sydney states that 0 on a recent visit to the Tongan group t)io High Commissioner dnct tho King and chiefs, and informed them that it had been decided to change, for the future the power 13 of the King, and bring it into aocordanco ' with tho constitution, and that all things must be made known to the British Resident. He also directed that all German money should be called in, am) only English money used in future. The King said he w was not satisfied with certain suggestions, e: md the Commissioner then replied that if s ' he did not, agree \yith his proposals he would ■'"mediately cause the British flag to bo hoisted. The King subsequently expressed dissatisfaction with the changes, which, he wid, were not in accordance with the t i .reaty. On January 18, however, lie signed the agreement, being threatened that if lie did not do so within five minutes he would f be sent on board the man of wpr for removal to Suva. Tito feeling against the iongan Government was very strong, and • t fully ,90 per cent, of the natives and all tho European residents were honing that ' the British Government would take charge. The general opinion i§ that King George II will b? the last" Tongan King, and tlmt at cr his death England will assume control of Ie 13)8 group, , i j,

i American jffltrnsi&K! methods -liht? often ■ .been exposed, but nothing more impudent i (says the Argus) has bepn recorded tliap the I experiences of two Melbourne young ladies, who recently visited Chicago. ' They took rooms at a fashionable hotel,- and wero waited on by tho incvitablo reporter, but declined an interview. As the reporter left 1 he remarked, "Never mind, the interview will appear fill the same." In the Chicago | Tribune next morning they saw themselves described as "servant girls on a. }vorld tour," who camp "from Australia and'tell , of ideal conditions in that happy lan 3." I According to tho interviewer,, tho ladies said:—"We liavo never seen dear old England yet, but wc caU England Home in Australia, and it is the aspiration of out ■lives to see tho land our mothers came from." Their expenses wero said to come ■ out of wages earned as upper servants in ! Australia. Wages in that happy 'land, tho j imaginative writer explained, wero sida.ries, I even if tho wards arc not "ladies," arid a few years of faithful scryice enabled a girl to go round the globe provided that she husbanded her money.' Next day the Tribune apologised, and explained that the ladies lipid just completed a tour of Great Britain and Canada, and that they liad never felt the necessity of becoming wageearners in any capacity. A function that will bo tho consunimation of the hopes of old and young connected with the Hanover Street' Baptist Church for some years, and also of tho recent liberality and efforts of the congregation, will take place this evening, when tho fine new Sunday school building, that has been recently erected (a description of which appeared in these column? a few weks ago), will bo formally opened and dedicated. Tho pastor (the itev. William Hay) will preside, and Rev. ,T. J. North (of Wellington), Rev. F. W. Boreham (Mosgiel), Mr A. S. Adams (the superintendent of the school), and others will take, part. All the class rooms—lß in number—library, etc., will bo thrown open for inspection, and .refreshments will be served during the evening. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association will hold a salo of stock at Balclutha to-morrow. Messrs James Samson and Co. will ho'd n sale of property at ilosgiei this afternoon/ A special meeting of the Dunedin 'Drainage and Sewerage Board will be held on Monday, March 13, to confirm a resolution regardiii" ruling. ■ ' Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. will hold a sale of furniture on the premises, Dowlmg street, on Saturday next, 18th inst. Oil Tues, day, 21st inst., iliey will sell furniture, etc., at Roslyn. The- National Mortgage and Agency Company will hold a sale of stock and furniture' at Waiweiti Park, near Clinton, on Wednesday, March 1, on which date tliey mil also sell a farm situate at Hompden. A notica to property-owners in tho Borough of Green Island appears in our advertising columns- . D Members oi All Nations' Lodge, 1.0. G.T. and sistsr ledges arc requested to attend the funeral of tho late Bro. Wm. Campbeil. Householders in the city aro notified in this issue that a house-to-house inspection lias been ordered with a viov/ to detecting wjste of water. An adjourned ineetrng. of farmers and millwill be helu at Mosgiel on Monday, 20(h inst., to consider the question of insuring threshing mill hands. Tenders ate invited for the supply of steel '.viro cable tramway rope for the Mornington municipal tramways. A motice' to consignees of cargo by the barque Polly AVoodside, from Glasgow, appears in our advertising columns. ednesday, 22nd inst., will bo observed as a ho.idoy by the various banKs in Dunedin and also by several country branches. Applications are invited for the position cf master of the Junction Waikaka dredgo. Mr James Christie, Toiro, announces his intentioii to apply f 0 the Supreme Court on -May l? ior his discharge from bankruptcy. Ine grealcst attraction in town just now is the grcst giving-away sale at Dallas and Watt's, awl G2 George street.—Advt. At Mollisons' Sale make special inquiries to see tile big lot of dress goods which arrived too late to be included in the sale catalogue; price Is and Is 3d per yard.—Mollisons (Ltd.).—Advt! Tourists on the look-out for some good green, stone souvenirs are invited (o inspect the fine stock of Messrs G. and T. Young, jewellers, E8 •trmces street. High-class goods;, reasonable prices.—Advt. You may. read this without believing it but you can't take Ijoasby's Walioo for liver and sinniach troubles without it doing you Rood — Advt. : ' Specialty. Ladies' hair dressed for weddings photos, etc.; also shampooing, massa°eimr! InVn" 18 ' ptc>— Andy's Htiirdressing Rooms, 101 Princes sireet.—Advt. Who is Petkb Dick?-T!i6 most reliable Watchmaker ana Jeweller, opposite CoOFes i alace, Moray p.ace, Duuodin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.