Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-09-21
Uncle Sam Will Demand a Strict OBJ.
servance Of Neutrality Laws
DECISION IN CASE OF tue LENA
The Russian Auxiliary Cruiser VIII
Have to Depart From San Fran
cisco in Short Time or Remains
Until the Termination OF the Rus.
sian-Japanese War.

Oyster Bay, Special.-The Russian
auxiliary cruiser Lena. which put into
the port of San Francisco Sunday.
presumably from Vladivostock. either
will have to leave that port within q
brief time prescribed by this govern
ment or will have to dismantle. That
In brief, 1t can be stated authoritta-
lively, is the decision OF the Ameri.
can government.
II In the judgment OF the experts
who arc making an examination the
vessel can be made seaworthy in "a
hours. orders will be issued to her
commander to leave port at tho ex.
piration OF that period Indeed. it
may be within the discretion of the
government to give her commander a
little moro time if that be advisable.
On the contrary, If the report should
show that the ship is in actual need
OF extensive repairs, and the over.
hauling and the making OF the re-
PAIRS would occupy any considerable
to dismantle the vessel and
she will remain in that condition
till the termination OF the Russian
Japanese war. 1t is not anticipated
that serious difficulties or embarrass-
ments to this government will grow
out of the pending incident.
The State Department, through
which matters pertaining to the ar
rival and examination OF the Lena
are being handled, has notified MIR.
Takh!ra, the minister of Japan in
washington, OF the action OF this
government and OF which 1t expects
to do in the future. He has express
ed his satisfaction at the present
status OF the affair.
The Case Of the Lena.
Washington, Special.-The develop.
ment OF the day. so far as 1t related
to the Russian cruiser Lena in San
Francisco, was the clearing of the Of
fetal muddle into which the case has
gotten, owing to the doubt OF which
Of the five departments of the gov
ernment should deal with II. 1t was
finally decided by the President that
the State and Navy Departments
should treat the case, acting jointly,
decision calculated to greatly sim
plify its handling
Over night came a telegram from
Admiral Goodrich, at San Francisco,
showing that on his own initiative
he had caused one OF his expert Off
GERS to make preliminary examina-
ton OF the Lena and he was able to
report results namely. that temporary
repairs would occupy six weeks time,
and new boilers would involve eight
hab 4aIa Nh4
proved of this action by the admiral
and decided that hen should continue
TO handle the case in San Francisco,
under instructions from the State
and Navy Departments. This in.
volved a further expert opinion of
the ship.
The admiral adopted the precaution
OF guarding the Lena with his own
vessels. a course also approved by
the Department. Agreeable to the
Presidents instructions. Acting Secre
tary Adee, for the State Department,
and Captain Pillsbury, for the Navy
Department, mad two conferences dur
ing the day and the result was the
preparations OF instructions to Admir-
al Goodrich. There is good ground
to believe that they contemplate the
allowance OF sufficient time 10 the
Lena to make sufficient repairs. How
ever, there Is growing belief here
that the vessel will be obliged to in.
tern in the end, for 1t is scarcely
doubted that by tie time she could
be made ready to go to sea and would
be obliged to leave il she desired to
preserve her character as an active
warship. one or more Japanese would
be off the Golden Gate ready to sink
or capture her. Foreseeing such an
event as q request for the right to
intern, the officials have already been
giving some attention to the solution
OF the question as to what shall be
done with the crew-whether they
may be allowed to return to Russia
on parole or must be interned on
their ship in San Francisco harbor.
On this point no decision has been
reached.