The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-01-01
EASTERN SITUATION Is
STILL CRITICAL.
ENGLISH FLEET is ACTIVE
Japanese Government Working Night
and Day Getting War ships Ready
British Naval Reserves Ordered
ont, ~ Is said Canada May
re Called Upon to Tend
Aid-Iatest Reports.

LONDON, Dec. 3i-A dispatch from
Shanghai, says: A British fleet OF
eight ships and four torpedo boats
has arrived at Chemulpo (the port Of
Seoul. Il is reported that there are
two japanese cruisers in the Yang.
Use -Kiang river Japan is working
night and day preparing for war. 1t
is believed that the British and Jap
anese fleets are in close touch
A letter from Kobe says: Military
maneuvers Of great magnitude were
executed in Japan last month for the
first time since the war with China q"
LorDoN, Dec 3L--A news agency
announces that the British naval re-
serves will be modified.
According 10 recent estimates. the
reserve forces of the British navy
number about % 600 men. In addi-
tion TO the men in the naval reserve,
Great Britain has large reserve fleet
and a number of reserve merchant
cruisers, including such vessels as the
Campania, Lucania. Etruria, rmbria,
Majestic, Teutonic. etc.
The Daily Mail has received a tele-
gram from Hong Kong and from Ton
quin, denying the report of French
occupation of the island of Hal Nan.
but it regards il as morally certain
that Hai-Nan was occupied about a
fortnight ago when Port Arthur was
occupied by the Russians, the coinci-
dence forcing the suspicion that
France and Russia are acting in con
cert
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Toxic says Marquis Ito is forming a
cabinet According to a dispatch to
the same paper from NagasalSi, dated
Thursday, il is believed that Marquis
Ito win aim TO maintain peaceful at
titude
The Daily Graphic asserts ION au-
thority' that the British squadron was
definitely instructed TO assemble OFF
Chemulpo TO support strong British
eNpostulation with Korea ou the dis
mssal of Nc cLeavy Brown british su-
perintendento of Korean customs), who,
under the advice OF the British consul,
has twice returned the notice OF dis
missal served upon hitn
OTTAWA, Ont, Dec 3l.-Informa-
tion has been received from an inside
source thai the Canadian govern ment
notified the Canadian Pacific officials
to be IN readiness for the immediate
transportation from Montreal TO Van
couver and Esquimalt of 3. 500 men,
the contingent consisting of engineers,
gunners and deck officers The road
has prepared for handling 10000 men,
five trains being held in readiness for
this service The officers included in
the first contingent are intended to
reinforce the Japanese fleet, which is
said TO De very short on engineering
talent and deficient in gunnery.
IL is reported that secret agree
ment has been concluded between
Great Britain and japan, by the terms
Of which the Russian preteusions in
Corea are TO be overcome and Russian
aggrandizement in Asia permanently
checked.
Captain Ronald Rolfe, r. ~ (retired),
declines TO discuss the probability OF
an Anglo. Russian imbroglio. but as
serts that in case Of actual hostilities
the British Aslaic squadron is
of sufficient strength to enforce
any demands Great Britain may have
TO make lie denies that there is any
probability of an Anglo-Japanese
| alliance, remarSing that England 5
combining with fourth-rate power
like Japan would be a confession OF
weakness that does not exist