The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-01-09
RUSSIANS MADE A MISTAKE
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE AT
NUI CHWANG.
Cznr's Soldiers Sent to Arrest Some
Reading Room Occupied by american
Tars-The Latter Resist Arrest but Are
Overcomo-Later the British aud
American Sailors Worst the Russians
In Several Fights.

PelSin, Jan. S--While the actual cas-.
ualties during the fighting at Nu
| Chwang between American sailors be.
longing to the United States gunboat
Vicksburg, which is wintering there
and Russian soldiers attached to the
garrison of that port, are tritling ur
to date the matter has resulted in un-
pleasantly strained relations between
the American. Russian and British au-
| thorities there The Washington and
st. Petersburg governments are now
endeavoring to arrange matters so that
there may be no further friction on the
subject.
The trouble originated in the action
70 some sailors belonging to the British
sloop-of war Algeria (also in winter
quarters at Nui Chwang) in carrying
ashore six rifles for use in a theatrical
performance The Russian administra-
ton sent a force of men to arrest the
British sailors. The Russians, however,
by mistake broke in a reading room
where party of the Vlcksburg's men
The Americans resisted, using chairs
in so doing, but they were overpowered
after a sharp fight and handed over to
the United States consul, who sent
them on board the Vicksburg. The bad
feeling which arose from this incident
resulted in several fights whenever the
American and British sailors met Rus
sian sailors and the latter not being ac-
customed to fist fights We're usually
badly wOrsted This state of affairs
eliminated on New Years day in
more serious affray and the Russian
minister here, NJ. Paul Lessar, COM
planned to the United States minister at
this capital, Edwin Fl. Conger, that
two members of the Vickskburgs crew
had fred a revolver at an unoffending
Russian soldier, wounding him in the
arm.
The relations between the American
and British consuls and naval com
manders and the Russian administra-
tor at Nui Chwang are strained, which
makes a friendly settlement of the af-
fair difficult. The administrator at
tempted to enforce a social code which
the foreign officials refused orecog-
nige and consequently relations have
been limited to strictly official inter-
views, which have not been amiable,
mostly in protests against
the action of the administrator, and
protests of the administrator against
the conduct of the sailors.
The memorandum presented by the
Russian minister to the United States
here relates to various alleged
assaults committed by Americans. On
one occasion they attacked a sentry,
and owe their lives to the sentrys for
bearance in not exercising his right to
shoot. The administrator demanded
that the United States consul try the
offenders, but the commander of the
E. B. Barry, wrote a curt
refusal.
Mr. Conger is endeavoring to restore
friendly relations at Nui Chwang. He
Is urging the United States consul to
with the Russian authorities
In suppressing and Furnishing violence.
The steps taken however are seriously
handicapped by the action of the Rus
slams. who refuse to allow foreigners to .
use the telegraph line.
Pekin. Jan S-The attitude of Russia
at Nui Chwang results largely from
of the reasons for the
presence there of the Nicksburg and the
Algerine.
Russian officials have repeatedly in
ormed the foreign consuls at Nui
Chwang that Russia soon intended to
,vacuate the city. The consuls, fearing
hat the interests of foreign residents
would be endangered when the govern
nent of Nui Chwang was restored to
he Chinese, requested that the Vicks-
burg and the Algerine be sent to the
,ort.