THE RUSSIAN OUTRAGE

Otago Witness, Issue 2647, 7 December 1904, Page 19

THE RUSSIAN OUTRAGE

THE MEETING OF THE COMMISSION. VIEWS OF THE RUSSIAN PRESS. LONDON, November 28. The North Sea, Convention, in connection with the -North Sea outrage by the Baltic fleet,-has been published. It menthe fatalities among the fishermen and the damage from' Russian guns. It provides for an. inquiry on. the lines j cabled on the 7th and 19th inst. The instructions are to report the degree of blame attaching i;o the subjects either of Russia or any other nationality, if their responsibility be established. ~- The Tunes and most other papers consider that the North Sea Convention is thoroughly satisfactory. The -Morning Post (C-), however, considers it a bad precedent, destroying, the deterrent effects of Great -Britain's possible action in cases similar -to that of the North Sea. 'The French' and Russian papers comment on th&:' •outburst"' of good feeling in Russia owing .to the courtesies the ißritishwarships offered the^Baltic'fleet when-pass-ing the Suez Canal^ and the . precautions taken to ensure .a safe passage. ' v .Marshal Haya'shi denies that .Japan is purchasing " coal" fro'in -Great, Britain. - - Lord^Lansdowne has issued a circular letter ,. explaining - the prohibition (cabled on the 4th inst.) -of any chartering of British colliers to follow the RussiaE. fleet. This, he says r would constitute- a serious offence, "and might involve proceedings under the' " Bth ' section of the. Enlistment Act of 1870. "Denmark: ordered" the departure of thecruisers Oleg and Izumrud while they^ wef c ~"coaling*iat Skaw. November 29. x The Novoe Vremya states thas. Admiral Rozhdestvensld's squadron requires 16,969 tons of coal ' to steam 1000 miles at an economical speed, and threefold that quantity if at full speed. Advices" have been received at Capetown _ that . Admiral L Rozhdestvensld's squadron is coaling off Swakopmund. v Several, supplementary- vessels belonging to the JBaltfc' squadron .passed Prawle Point -(Devonshire), bound westward. The New York correspondent of ,The Times says that Americans generally, commenting on the N/orth " Sea Convention,' assume the existence a secret »articl* providing for the_punishment of the 'officers responsible for the Dogger Bank incident. November" 30. . Admiral Dewey declines to act as com-" lnissioner in the' North Sea inquiry~because, as a ranking officer, he would be president, and compelled ' to give a, deciding vote. Admiral Fourier will be the French commissioner. # The Japanese are beginning to watch the Baltic fleet with some concern. The Uussian destroyer Prouzetelni, badly disabled in a gale, was dry docked at Brest. The North Sea Commission meet in a fortnight. Great Britain desires the proceedings to be open. / December 1. r Rear-admiral Davis will be the American Commissioner on the North Sea Commission to inquire into the Dogger Bank outrage. The Emperor Josef of- Austria has Selected an admiral of Spain as the fifth member and referee of the commission. December 2. »Several supplementary vessels for the Baltic fleet have arrived at Tangier. The Novoe Vremya and the Bershewiya Viedomosti consider that the North Sea Convention is a triumph over British jingoism. French influence on England is acting as a lightning conductor by averting Britain's hatred of RussiaDecember 3. The colliers coaling Admiral Rozhdestjfrensky's squadron at Dakar Bay include t&je German andi two English steamers. ' Admiral Foelkersahm's fleet' paid £14,700 in canal dues. The Moscow Russian Gazette condemns ihe policy qf sending the Baltic fleet to klmost certain destruction. T3ie Novoe Vremya's military critic says

I the ■warships at Port Arthur and Vladi- ; vost-qek will be unable to assist the Baltic ' ■ fleet.^which must rely on its own resources. Admiral Foelkersahm's squadron is at Jibutil.