LATEST CABLE NEWS

West Coast Times, Issue 14142, 19 June 1907, Page 3

LATEST CABLE NEWS

United Preeb Association— Copyright

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

(Received June 19 at 12,33 a.m.) St Petersburg, June 18 Russia is singularly indifferent over the dissolution of tbe Doumt. S x'een of the members of tbe Douma accused of complicity in the revolutionary \ lot have escaped from the capital, and their whereabout? are unknown. Tho next; Doutna will consist of 442 members. Tho representation wil', in accordanca with tbe Czar's manifesto, be altered greatly. Tbe landlords will have the chss suffrage extended to them, and in consequence the p' amut electorates will be reduced. Tbe representation of Poland, Siberia, and rhe Caucasus will be reduced by one holf. As t j the citie?, in the ltrger ones the usual direct elections will be held, bnt the voters' property test will be in* creased. Some important centre?, such as Kazin, Eharkoff,' aad Saratoff, will be disfranchised. While a Russian torpedo boat was di'oba-ging torpedoes at Sevastopol, one struck a cutter in which tbe Commanderiu'Cbief «a^ cruising, and he narrowly escaped drowning. In consequence, the officers of the torpedo boat have been arrested en a charge of attempted murder, London, June 13 Tbe Euqlish press is somewhat pessimistic in regard to the situation In Rusia. The Diiiy News declares that it isr rumoured at St Petersburg that the plot n a fiction, and that the real ciuse of tbe dissolution of tha Douma was fear of offending Germany by making coceossios on the ltngnage question to Poland. Without the support oE the Polish members the Russian Government would ha 7e been unable to pass its budget in the late Douma, and the Poles withb Id thoir support with a view t> bargaining over it with the Government for concessions on tbo language and other qcesttons. German influence at the Russian Court decided the Prime Minuter, M. Staljpin, not to yitll reasonable reform to the Poles. The Odessa correspondent of the Daily Express Btates that it is reported at Sevastopol tbat t s .e Black S<a Squadron has been temporarily placed out of ccm^ mission, tha gunlock3 having been removed, and that seven hundred of tbe seamen aod gunners have been placed under arrest.