Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-19
BRITISH CABINET TAKES IT UP.
A Most Serious View is Taken of the
Status Ofthe SmOleusk and
ST. Petersburg.
COMMENT or LONDON PAPERS,
Russian Press is Rejoicing Over the
Exploits Of the Steamers Of the
PatrOling Fleet


London. July BIN British Official
circles the recent seizures and over
hauling Of British ships in the Red sea
by the Russian yoluneeer fleet steamers
Smolensk and 81. Petersburg are re-
garded as very grave International in
cidents. The seizure Of the Peninsular
ana Oriental steamer Malacca by the
81 Petersburg and her arrival In the
Suez canal as q prize OF war on her
way TO LiOau on the Baltic, has come
as a climax ana the cabinet today is
considering the course to pursue. The
British law officers acknowledge the
right OF The Russians 10 seize and de-
tain malls, provided that only official
communications are taken, but they
take the most serious view OF the stat
us OF the two Russian ships patrolng
the Rel sea, and II any official action
or protest ensues, II will be chiefly I'm
regard To the passage OF these erstwhile
merchant ships through the Dardan-
Giles and their subsequent TRANSFORMED
ton into ships OF war
In official circles strong comment is
made in regard to Russia's policy In
tbs matter II is regarded as impos-
sible that the commanders ~ the Smo-
lensk and ST. Petersburg were given
full power, and the officials therefore.
are inclined to the grave conclusion
that the Russian government gave Inn
pllcit instructions TO the two COM
manders.
The effect on the stock exchange to-
| day WIS seen In a heavy fan IN consOls
and other gilt-edged securities on fears
| OF international complications. The
| dangers and difficulties OF the situation
til an ts,
Iapers which are practically unanl-
| nous I'm denouncing the dubious and
irregular character Of the volunteer
| feet vessels.
TT their actions prove to be, as we
| believe, those OF vulgar hlibusters,"
| said the 81, James Gazette, they must
| be recalled by Russia or the skull and
cross-b0nes must be- run up and they
VIII be fired upon whenever sighted %"
Another element adding TO the dam
gers Of the situation, is the attitude
Japan may assume. The Pail Mall
Gazette points out that II as stated In.
dispatches from Constantlnople the
Russian guardship ChernomoTetse
traversed the straits fully armed, 1T
would seem TO justify Japan In regard
ing Turkey as an ally Of Russia and
invoking the terms OF the Anglo-Jap-
anese treaty"
RUSSIAN PRESS REJoICEs.
st, Petersburg July ls--Without dis
cussing In any way the international
questions involved the newspapers
nS'V are Im teJoltihs over the exploits
lied soo Tbe Noyoo e'V Vrarys " sa ,vs
that the work they are doing indicates
the wisdom OF establishing the fleet
which was begun by national subscrlp-
ton when the country was too Inn
poverlshed TO build the vessels after
the Turko. Russian war II was the
pioneer subsidized lire OF auxiliary
t,niFgrs which most countries have
SINCE initiated.
The NoVoo Vromya adds that there
Is plenty OF scope Cor the fleet in
European AthUtic and Pacific waters
By threatening lo acprlye the .Iapan-
ese OF arms and munitions IL cnr come
pei the detachlecnt %, mart of the
Japanese fleet. 'rhls rs WIS the np-
prarance OF the votn,cor .9eat I'm tIs
Red sea Is hailed with so narrb geiie.
faction.
Besldes the Smolensk. 81. p,torsburl,
and Orel. the latter now bcins dtt,d
out as a hospital ship. only the Kher-
son. Sarataff and Moskya have a spccd
Of 10 to 20 knots, The other II vessels
OF the fleet register about 10 knots.
SUM OF lhe recently puFChASeu tlllls-
Atlantic liners might, however, be OUT
fitted as commerce destroyers and six
weeks ago the Associated Press was In
formed that such was the purpose OF
the admiralty
NO FLEET SENT TO ALEXANDRIA.
London, July 10 (5l0 p. mD.--The for
egn office this afternoon authorized the
statement that there is absolutely NO
truth iu tho story circulated in tha
United states by news agency, that
Great Britain had informed Germany OF
the dispatch OF a British fleet 30 Alex.
andr8. with the intention of checking
Russian ilegllitles I'm the Red sea-
The foreign Office also says there Is no
foundation for the belief expressed In
the dispatch from Malta TO the Daily