The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-23
JAPAN is READY FOR WAR.
SIGNS THAT BRITAIN BELIEIES
CLASH WITH USSIA IS NEAR.
Urgent Dispatches Sent TO the Far East
keeping Gen. Roberts Al Home
Considered Significant -COrea, Rather
Than Manchurla. Cause OF the Crisis.


Special Cabe Despatch to THE sun.
LONDON, July 22.--The delicate, not to
say critical, situation in the Far East aris-
ing from the rivalry between Russia and
Japan and involving, as Indicated in THE
Suns recent Pekin dispatches, the ques-
ton of peace or war between those Powers.
is causing no little anxiety to the British
Government.
The Foreign Office received two or three
days ago from the British Legation AT
pekin dispatches representing the condition
OF affairs Us one OF considerable danger.
The matter was the subject OF elaboration
by the Cabinet yesterday. and late last
right very urgent cable dispatches were
sent TO the British Charge d. Afaires at
Pekin.
Investigations in well-informed quarters
in London confirm the statements that
Japan is firmly determined to oppose to
the utmost of her ability what she regards
as Russias aggression in Corea. for it is
there rather than in Manchuria that Japan's
sensibilities are touched.
Russia operations in the timber forests
of the Yalu Valley. though they are ostensi-
bly, commercial, are viewed In very diff
ferent light in Toxic, where they are re-
garied as a definite military occupation.
Rather than acquiesce in such n situation
Japen is prepared to go to war She is
not disposed to carry on diplomatic CORE
spondence for an unlimited time, and
feeling herself ready to put the matter
to the final test OF arms, she does not shrink
from meeting the ordeal
The contempt OF Gen. -Kouropatkin,
Russian Minister of War, and ether high
Russian officials for Japan milit lry organi-
cation endangers the situation, especially
as each country considers that further
delay in settling the question tends to bene-
fit its rival.
Certain incidents that can be observed
here indicate that the British Gov
eminent realizes that the situation
holds serious possibilities. 1t is re-
marked that the Admiralty re-
Gently has been ususually silent regarding
the movements of the British squadron
on the China station, while it is known
that enormous stocks of coal have been
going to the Far East depots for weeks
past concurrently with the issuing of or
ders to keep the stocks renewed 10 the full
est capacity.
In view of these developments it may
be relevant to remark that the reasons
alleged for the abandonment of Earl
Roberts's visit to the United States appear
to be curiously insufficient.
A section of the British press lately called
attention to the fact that Sir Ernest Satow,
the British Minister to China, who was
returning Ia Rskin from his leave Of absence,
which he spent in England, stopped in
India and made journey to Simla to con-
fer with the Viceroy and Indian Govern
ment, and it was inferred that he went to
discuss possible contingencies in the Far
East
Whether the incident henrs such an
Interpretation cHn only be coniectured,
nor can any confirmation be obtained Of
rumor current here TO the effect that in
The event of certain circumstances arising
in the Far East the United StGtes squadron
now at Lisbon will go to Chinese waters
by way of the Suez Canal.