The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-02-13
JAPANESE STEAMER IS
SUNK BY THE RUSSIANS
Continued from First Page

! theater of war. Germany's views in this
respect were anticipated, but Great Brit
aims failure to give Secretary HAYS note
/ unqualified support has caused surprise
here.
/ Vienna. Feb. 12-United States Ambas-
! sador Storey today presented Secretary
/ Hays note on the subject of China 10 the
foreign office and afterward had a long
! interview with Count Goluchowski. the
Austro-Hungarian minister of foreign af-
/ fairs. Well Informed persons believe the
! policy Of AustrO-Hpungary in the far
! east will be entire acquiescence with that
/ of most of the interested powers 1t is
not considered likely that Austro- -Hngary
/ will take any steps in the matter. her
| interests in the far east being slight
/ The Austro- Hungarian cruiser Aspern
has been ordered to leave her winter sta
zion at Hong Kong and proceed to Che
/ Foo so as TO be nearer the scene of war.
! London, Feb. 12.-Baron Hayashi the
/ Japanese minister here. has received a
dispatch from Toxic announcing that on
/ February II two japanese merchant
/ steamers, the Nakanoura Maru and
I Zensho Maru while on their way from
/ Sakata to Otaru (on the island of
Hokkaido). were surrounded and shelled
! by four Russian warships, presumably
the VladivostOck squadron, off the coast
of Herunshi (OkushirD.
/ The Nakanoura Maru was sunk. but the
/ ZenSho Maru escaped and arrived safely
at Fukuyama Usland of Hokkaido).
/ Washington. Feb. 12.-The japanese le-
cation tonight received the following dis
patch under date of Toxic. February Il:
Two small japanese merchant ships
the Zensho Maru and Nakonoura Maru.
while on their way TO Otaru "a port on the
western coast Of Yezo island. from Sa-
kata "a port on the northern coast of
the main island Of Japan, were fired on
February Il by four Russian meu-of-
war of the coast OF Aomori prefecture.
and the latter merchantmen was sunk.
while the former had narrow escape.
The Russian men-of-war are still seen
of the western coast Of Zeyo island
They are supposed to be the first-cIasS
cruisers which have been shut up at
Vladivostock and which tried some time
ago 10 Join the main squadron at Port
Arthur"
This is the situation tonight Meantime
I II Is learned tn3r Germany - address
ing the combatants with a note in sub
stance The same as that Of secretary Hay
The attitude OF Great Britain has been
a matter Of somer egret 10 the authori-
ties here that she should hold Up form
al acceptance 10 the invitation until II
has learned further details. On The high
est authority IL can h. stated that there
a-e 10 details 10 the secretary's note as
it would be manifesIiy impossible 20 hope
I for concurrent action by - many powers
upon any but the most general lines. That
! the officials of the Washington govern
ment could have had In mind the neutral
( ity of Manchuria Is declared on tha face
i % il 70 be absurd MauchUriz IS de-
( chUria Is recognized by this government
with Korea 10 be the natural theatre os
/ the war and for this reason primarily X
/ the suggestion made that hcs,iities be
+ restricted
= high official Of the administration
( has given these details Of the diplomatic
steps which led 20 the issuance % Sec
retary Hays note
] On Feb. S. Baron Won Sferuserb. the
| German ambassador. under Instructions
/ from Berlin. called - the White Eog-s