The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-28
JAPAN'S WAR INTERPRETATIONS
MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS TO BE -. KEPT SECRET.
Newspapers Requested to Refrain from Publishing News Concerning Them The Attitude of china i'm Event of HostIlitIes-GsneraI Belief That Ma ,,on,s Lot shoaId be Thrown in win That Of Japan.


 t,on,s Lot sho aId be Thrown in Win
 That Of Japan.
 London, Dec. 2S.-The Daily Mails Kobe correspondent asserts that the Japanese authorities have requested the newspapers to refrain from publishing news concerning the movements of troops, or other warlike preparations. In an editorial the Daily Mail says 1t regards this as a practical censorship and an ominous sign.
 Editorials in other newspapers ex- press concern over the movement of foreign warships towards the far east, and particularly over the statement that United States marines have been ordered to Corea, fearing some unfore- seen incident may precipitate events. On the other hand, the speech delivered by M. Delcasse, the French foreign minister, in the senate Saturday (say- ing that nothing had occurred to cause him to place faith in the alarming re- ports that were being published daily) is looked upon as reassuring, and 1t is believed that the efforts of the powers may still be successful in preserving peace.
 Special cablegrams published in this mornings newspapers record no impor- tant developments of far eastern af- fairs.
 The Daily Mails Tokio correspondent reports the opening of negotiations with Prince Ching's party with the object of forming an offensive and defensive alli- ance between China and Japan.
 The Morning Posts Pekin correspon- dent says that all classes of Chinamen unite in believing that, in the event of war, China must help the Japanese and that if this help should not be given there will be a patriotic insurrection against the Manchu dynasty.
 Pekin, Dec. 27.-The opinion enter tained by the best informed diplomats In Pekin that war between Russia and Japan is probable and almost inevitable remains unchanged.
 Nothing has been received here to corroborate the special dispatches from Tokio which said that the Japanese government was adopting an impera- tive tone in pressing for speedy reply to it's last note. The report is not be- lieved.
 Official communications received here from high sources say that the Japan ese war party is growing in strength and is bringing all its influences to bear on the government.
 The Chinese minister of war has or dered the viceroys to furnish full in- formation as to the numbers of foreign trained troops available for active ser vice The viceroys of three of the cen tral provinces in response have reported that 90,00O such troops are in readiness. This is unauestionably a remarkable exaggeration, as the great majority of foreign-trained troops exist only on paper.
 The dowager empress has issued an edict, at the request of Prince Ching, appointing several unknown and prob- ably inexperienced officials as heads of army departments. One such has been appointed director of training, another has been given command of the depart mert of instruction, while a third has been put in charge of the department which has to do with the supply of am- munition.
 Influential officials continue in their determination to, if possible, keep Chi na neutral in the event of war.