PORT ARTHUR REPORTED TO BE BLOCKED WITH ICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 26

PORT ARTHUR REPORTED TO BE BLOCKED WITH ICE.

ST. PETERSBUHG, February 6. Apparently! with a view to pacifying Finland during the Far Eastern crisis, the Cza-r has given permission to the residents of Helsingfors to celebrate the centenary of the poet Runeberg. Since the powers of the Finnish Diet were curtailed the birthday of the poet has been the frequent occasion of antiRussian demonstration?. Russia is laying a railway across the ice on Lake Baikal, on the TransSiberian railway. February 8. The Novoe Vremya says the negotiations were a farce. Japan only awaited her cruisers' arrival at Singapore to throw off the ma.sk. ho honourable foreigner could accuse Russia of being aggressive. LONDON, February 1. Altogether Japan has ordered seven million pounds weight of American mess corned beef, and Russia six million pounds. The Russian newspapers declare that Japan demands 72 million roubles compensation for war expenses, and ridicule the childish simplicity of a savage nation. Sir Robert Hart has appointed Mr Gilchrist to control the Customs at Niuchwang. Fifty thousand Russian reinforcements are expected at Vladivostock. The Daily Mail says Japan pressed Russia for a prompt reply, intimating that other action would be taken in a very few days if the delay were con-

tinned. The Times -says a reply from -Russia is expected at Tokio on the sth. The Japanese do not anticipate solid concessions, a1;a 1 ; Admiral Alexieff's influence still preponderates, and he energetically opposes concessions on essential points and recommends that war is preferable. High military officers hold the opinion that war is inevitable. February 3. Dr Morrison says the best opinion at

the Legations is that an outbreak of war is likely within a few days. It is known that Russia's reply is unfavourable, finally rejecting the demand that Russia enter into an engagement to recognise the sovereignty of China in Manchuria. This cannot be accepted, and Japan never meant it should be

accepted. ■' The Standard's Tokio correspondent 1 says doubts are beginning to be ex- J pressed whether Russia intends to send any reply. It is believed she has dc- ' cided to fight rather than accept Japan's demands. < The St. Petersburg correspondent of 1 the same paper says the draft reply is • silent as to Manchuria, inasmuch as [ Russia's views on the subject are already \ known. I General Kuropatkin's stair is being selected in readiness for an emergency. ■ The Japanese cruisers Ni&shin and Kasuga have arrived at Singapore. j All the Russian warships at Vladivostcok are equipped for service and ready j to start. Russia claims that she has already there or proceeding to the Far East 390,000 troops, and" that she is able to ( transport 110,000 men a month. j A Vladivostock telegram states that the Japanese troops have occupied the Seoul-Fusan railways, and taken a num-

ber of guiib to Seoul. The Paris correspondents of the daily papers are unanimous in agreeing that the French people do not exhibit any interest in the Far East. They are anxious not to disturb reviving trade. Germany is sending a large flotilla of flat-bottomed gunboats to patrol the Yang-tse from the mouth to Chunking. February 4. The statement that Japan demanded compensation for preparations for the war is baseless. There is a marked depression on the St. Petersburg Bourse. Internal rentes and other Russian funds are falling. The ceiibOi'ship stops Far Eastern news. The seven battleships at Port Arthur ; in pursuance of St. Petersburg instruc- I tions join three battleships and six I cruisers outside, simultaneously with a , naval and military observation move- { rnent authorised. Nine thousand troops liave gone to . Liaoyang, on the Manchurian railway, ; others replacing tlism at Port Arthur. 1

; A cruiser from Ckeinulpho brought to Port Arthur complete Japanese charts of the Korean coast. A total of 70,000 tons of Kaiaping coal has been ordered for Port Arthur. The Russian delay and the idea that Japan is treated with contumely have carried the tension of the Japanese to a climax. Tk" C/sar has earnestly considered the Teply to Japan. Its delivery at Tokio is )i ,-tponed for .several day. , Heater's St. Petersburg correspondent I states that on Tuesday the General Stc-ff 1 authorised Admiral Alexieif to declare war and open hostilities on his own responsibility if the circumstances appeared to him to render that course necessary. The early issue is expected of an Imperial manifesto declaring war 1 if Japan does not accept the terms embodied in the reply, which is Russia's last word. An unofficial despatch has reached Tokio that Russia has decided on war. j No corroboration of Reuter's despatch ! has been received in official circles in ' London. Scepticism as to its accuracy is most pronounced. It is interpreted , as a blind threat after ineffectual bluff. ! The Times' St. Petersburg correspondent says the Military party professes a j belief that argument emphasising as ; ! Russia's turnip card the loss of prestige , , by backing down before Japan will ulti- j matety overcome the Czar's irresolution. , The Council carefully discussed measures ' to preserve internal order in the event of war. The situation in the Caucasus is especially dangerous. Japan is aware that all the Russian warships in Port Arthur except one, which is being repaired, left on "Wednesday for an unknown destination — pro- I bably to try to effect a junction with j the Vladivostock squadron. | Russia has informed the Japanese residents at Vladivostock to be prepared for a sudden proclamation of a state of siege. If the residents decided to remain they must remove to Khabarovsk. February 5. |

it i^ officially announced from St. Petersburg that officers of all regiments of the Guards are permitted to volunteer for service for the Far East. The Times' St. Petersburg correspondent %ays it is almost impossible to believe war cau be averted. Russia can make no concession. The Czar's, hesitn-

i tion has been overcome. ! The New York Herald states that ' Ruv-ia is sending troops to Seoul, the , capital of Korea, on an unconfirmed allegation that Japan already ha.s 3000 there in disguise. It ako alleges that Korea invited them. I Four companies of Russians left Port 1 Arthur and Yongampho for points along ; tne lalu. I The Morning Post says the delay in Russia's reply is attributed to a desire to give Admiral Alexieff time to prepare for the possible consequences of its delivery to Japan. In the House of Commons Earl Percy (Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Office) stated that frequent representations had been made to Russia in regard to the delay in the evacuation of Manchuria. The Russian battleship Ohlabya and the transport Saratoff, with three destroyers, have left Suez for the Far East. The Oslabya has a displacement of 12,674 tons, and carries four lOin and 11 6in guns. The Russian fleet has returned, and is now lying outside Port Arthur. It is believed that it was (intended to throw troops into Chemulpo, but a large Japanese fleet was sighted off Wei-hai-wei. The reserves for the Russian Pacific squadron have been commissioned. Russia has engaged 18 additional foreign steamers to convey coal and munitions from Odessa to the Far East. February 6. I The Times' Tokio correspondent says the situation is regarded as hopeless. The Admiralty has given orders at Cardiff for a prompt supply of coal to the British fleet in Japanese waters. February 7. The Russian reply to Japan was telegraphed to Viceroy Alexieff on the 4th. M. Rosen, the 'Russian Minister at Tokio, handed it to Japan on the 6th. It is authoritatively stated at St. Petersburg that, though the irreducible minimum is not granted, the reply is

■ couched in conciliatory terms, and that the tenor gives ground for hope that it

; will meet with a reception permitting mutual accord finally being reached. Renter officially announces that Russo-Japanese negotiations have been broken off. 1 The Russian representatives abroad

were officially advistd on the 6th that in consequence of the receipt of the Japanese note breaking off negotiations the Czar hrd ordered the ambassadorial staff to leave Tokio. The message added that Japan's action, without waiting for Russia's answer, throws the responsibility for the consequences of the rupture upon Japan. The Japanese voluntary subscriptions to ths war funds exceed two million yen (about £200,000). The Rursian officers assert that there are two submarines at Port Arthur. Sir Ilalliday Macartney, English Secretary to the Chinese Legation, London, on being interviewed, said that he had given up all hope of peace. Russia's • policy, merely covering bellicose deeds j with pacific words, had left Japan 110 alternative except fighting. i The Japanese Minister in Rome is similarly pessimistic. He declares that the Russian reply is identical with -the 1 earlier one, Russia declining to acknowi ledge Japan's right to interfere in Man1 churia. j Two thousand JaiDanese residents left i Vladivostock on Friday. 1 Every steamer is packed with passen- | gpr«. 1 There nre only a few persons at Tokio , or St. Petersburg who are aware of the I rupture, and the Russian press tc-day I is optimistic in regard to the prospects [ of peace. j The P. and O. steamer Patawan has sailed for China, carrying a large quantity of ammunition for the British fleet. Japan has despatched troops to Seoul (capital of Korea).

February 8. German military critics consider Japan has a marked advantage at first if she knows how to use it. She has already allowed the most favourable moment for striking to pass. Russia would be able to face the situation confidently in three months. The Italian press blames the Powers

for not making Russia respect the integrity of China. The Russian upper middle classes profess to be amazed at the rupture in view of the substantial concessions granted in Korea, and attribute the exasperation to the repeated delays in replying. The Paris paper Le Temps says Japan's abruptness was unnecessary. The Dcbats says peace is still possible if Russia does not make the Japanese occupation of Korea a casus belli. Viscount Kurino, the Japanese Ambassador at St. Petersburg, informally on Thursday, and formally on Friday, a^ked for his passports. Six times since Jani'ory 13 he had asked for a prompt reply. Count Lamsdorff invariably replied that it would be ready to-morrow. The list request was made on Thursday, when Count Lamsdorff replied that he

was unable to say when it would \<p ready as the document was before the Ck.u-. Viscount Km-iiio's demand for his passports compelled the immediate cabling of the reply to Viceroy Alexieff, with a view to its presentation, but apparently it was not presented when Viscount Kamaru on Saturday Informed M. Rosen, the Russian Ambassador at Tokio, that further negotiations were plainly futile, and Japan was compelled to adopt independent action. M. Rosen will have a farewell interview with the Mikado on Wednesday, and leaves on Thursday. Viscount Kurino goes to Berlin to-day. The Japanese cruisers Ni=shin and Kasup,a left Singapore on the 6tli. It is reported that the inner harbour of Port Arthur is ice-blocked. Crerman newspapers accuse Britain cf inciting Japan, because the opportunity ■was favourable to injure Russia. The British press is strongly .sympathetic to Japan, and is confident the official correspondence will show she was not responsible for the war despite Count Lamsdorff's disingenuous pretence. The Times says it is clear that Russia was not negotiating in tin honest spirit. It would soon be shown that Japan's demands were so moderate as to astonish the world. She also asked Russia to recognise the bilateral agreement with regard to the integrity and independence of China and Korea. It is untrue that Japan asked to fortify Mahonpo or for any strategic advantages on the Korean coast. Most of the Japanese fleet are close to the Shantung Peninsula. It is reported at Shanghai that a detachment of the Sherwood Foresters proceeds to Chingwantao to safeguard the Tientsin-Niuchwang railway. Tho British warships Ocean and Vengeance, provisioned at Hongkong for one month, sailed northward. Navigation is suspended between Chemulpo and Fusan owing to an expected battle. A telegram from Port Arthur states that a Japanese force is concentrated at Taku^hima, ready to be transported to Korea.

Japan was aware of the tenor of Russia's reply several clays ago 4 A

memorial diplomatique states that the reply, while recognising Japan's privileged situation in Korea, refused to concede her tho right of military occupation unless the strength of the occupying forco was limited by arrangement with Russia, which al°o refused to allow the fortification of any Korean ports. Respecting Manchuria, Russia, recognised that Japan possessed the .same rights as other Powers without admitting they can be subject to a special agreement.

The Russian gunboat Manjur is docking at Nagasaki, and is not likely to be able to leave.

The Volunteer fleet transports voyaging to the Far East have been recalled. SYDNEY, February 8.

The Japanese Consul here received a cabin message from Baron Kamaru, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, at an early hour this morning announcing thai the Japanese Government had decided to terminate pending negotiations, and take such indicative action as may be necessary to defend the menaced! position and protect the rights and interests of the Japanese. The Minister at St. Petersburg has been ordered to withdraw.