The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-10-28
BRITAIN SENDS
URGENT NOTE
DEMANDS EXPLANATION OF At
TACK ON FISHING BOATS BY
BALTIC FLEET.
WILL NOT STAND FOR DELAY
MAY STOP RUSSIAN FLEET PEND
ING SETTLEMENT OF TIE
WHOLE AFFAIR,
OBVIOUSLY A GREAT BLUNDER
APOLOGY AND AMPLE COMPENSA-
TON is EXPECTED FROM
RUSSIA.

RUSSIA.
London, Oct. 26.-Great Britain yes
terday sent a long and urgent note to
the Russian government officially de-
failing the circumstances of the amaz-
ing and unexplained attack by the
Russian Pacific squadron during the
night of Oct. 81 on British fishing
boats in the North sea. The text of
the note has not been given out. but it
is officially stated from the foreign Of
fee that it contains the significant an
nouncement that "the situation is n
which. in the opinion of his majesty's
government, does not brook delay"
Meanwhile the conservative public
and press are remarkably undemon-
strative. AS Usual the jingo+ element
demands war. and eve in official
quarters some go so far as to say that
it may be necessary to
Stop the Pacific Fleet
pending a settlement of the whole af-
sbAA SiouSh NLlo ~
is believed. will not be necessary.
Everywhere there is evidence of the
very positive opinion that this is no
time for the usual diplomatic dilly-
dallying, that there must be no delay
and nc limit set by Russia to her
apology or the extent of compensation
for sufferers by what King Edward
himself terms "the unwarrantable ac-
ton of the Baltic squadron command
erS.
The deep resentment of the whole
British public, however, is reflected by
the incident at the Victoria station
last night on the arrival of Count
Benckendorff from the continent,
when a crowd hooted and attempted
to break the windows of the counts
carriage. There is no attempt any
where among men of responsibility to-
magnify the occurrence into a
Deliberate Act of War;
but in view of the present inability to-
find an explanation there is being
poured upon the heads of the officers
of the squadron a flood of invective
and ~insinuation, though incompetence
first and thereafter complete panic is
the most generally accepted explana-
ton. Thus far no official word a
been received from ST. Petersburg a $
to the attitude of the Russian govern
ment. The fact that it had been de-
cided during the day to prepare a
semi-oficial note expressing the regret
Of the Russian government and its
willingness to make full reparatiOn SO
soon as the responsibility is fixed was
communicated by the Associated Press
to Lord Lansdowne and was the
First information
on the subject he had received from
st. Petersburg. The absence during the
day of Count Benckendorff, the Rus
sian ambassador, necessarily caused
some delay; but the Russian charge
d~'affaires, who called at the foreign
office on request by note from Lord
Lansdowne, unoffi cially expressed deep
regret, and, as far as it was possible
for him to 20, gave assurance of
speedy action by the Russian govern
ment.
At the Russian embassy it was
stated that "the whole affair was So
obviously a mistake, from whatever
cause, that Russia's course was plain
ly dictated, namely,
Apology and Ample Compensation"
All eyes are now turned toward ST.
Petersburg, awaiting word from the
Russian government.
At the inquest at Hull yesterday it
was stated that n vessel, the Crane,
was sunk, and that four Or five we're
more or less damaged. In the state
ment OF the coroner to the jury that
official said it was a question of very
grave and possibly international i'm.
pOrtance; out it would be their duty to
find who were the murderers of the
dead men. After the Identification of
the bodies the inquest was adjourned
to Nov. 2.
Russia Will Make Amends.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 26.-No official
publication of the Russian explanation
of the unfortunate affair off Dogger
Bank is forthcoming up to this time
and the world must wait until to-mor-
row to hear Vice Admiral Rojestven-
sky's version OF the firing upon the
British fishermen.
While no formal action has been
taken the deepest regret is expressed
in all quarters and the purpose of the
government to make amends II
R~ojestvensky shall be found to have
been in fault is proclaimed in every
governmental department. Emperor
Nicholas himself was deeply aggrieved
when he heard the news. The Rus
sian embassy at London has also been
directed to convey similar expressions
to the government of Great Britain.
That a horrible blunder has been
committed is recognized and deplored
everywhere. It developed during the
day that the admiralty had strong