The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-29
JAPS CLAIM VICTORY
Cossacks and Mikado's Infan-
try Clash Near Chongju.
AMERICAN AND BRITISH FLAGS DOWN

Russians at NewchwnnE Under Pre-
text of Martial LAW Remove En-
signs-An Consular Juris-
dictiOn Ii AnnuIled.
LONDON, March pa Seoul report
says that in an engagement between a
force of Japanese infantry and several
sQuadrons of Cossacks between Anju
and Chongju the japanese were vic
torious, but lost fifty killed.
Details of the Russian action in plac-
ing Newchwang under martial law
show that American and British flags
were removed by the Russian military
from the property of citizens of Amer
lean or British nationality.
Viceroy AleXeieff's order placing the
| city and port of Newchwang under
martial law which is drastic in its
terms. is in some quarters regarded as
an apparent challenge by Russia to
neutral powers especially to China, on
account of the appropriation Of her ter
ritory.
1t is also interpreted by some as rem
dering the United States gunboat He
lena and the British cruiser Espiegle
liable to an order to leave port
The foreign consuls had conference
with the civil administrator, when the
latter informed them that the full in
tention OF Russia's order was to pro
claim martial law and also TO annul
consular jurisdiction and that the same
already was annulled.
The British consul interpreted the or
der as not declaring martial law.
The other consuls are unable to com
prehend Russia's complete intentions.
The administrator agreed with the
consuls to suspend n rigid enforcement
Of said order until the foreign govern
ments act in order to lessen the compli-
cations.
The Americans here call attention to
the apparent defeat of American aims
regarding placing consuls in Manchuria
hy the execution of Russias order.
A st. Petersburg dispatch says the
Russian government will substitute
gray for white uniforms throughout
the entire army for the coming sum
mer campaign in the far east. Unfor-
tunately the commissariat department,
like the United States war department
during the war with Spain, has no
suitable khaki attire for a summer
campaign, and hundreds OF thousands
of gray uniforms will have to be man
ufactured although 1t is well known
that Viceroy Alexeieff as far back as
1901, when he was on the Liaotung
peninsula, declared that the white uni
form was too conspicuous.
The general staff announces that for
the present no more volunteers will be
accepted. About G0,OO0 men have vol
unteered for service in the far east, Of
which number 1900 have been select
ed. 1t must be understood that those
who have volunteered are men who
are not subject to military service
In diplomatic circles at st. Peters
burg the possibility Of a new triple
alliance between Russia, Britain and
France, with farreaching consequences.
attracts considerable attention, the
opinion being that it is not so fan
tastic as at first appeared. There is
an ntimation from a well informed
quarter that King Edward. who is now
practically his own prime minister,
sincerely harborS u desire to compose
the long standing differences between
Great Britain and the empire of his
nephew and that while the time is not
yet ripe for the satisfaction of this de-
sire the way is being paved for its con
summation A prominent diplomat at
ST. Petersburg said:
"A thorough understanding between
Russia and Great Britain would be the
greatest possible guarantee of the
worlds peace, and there is no reason
why the spheres of their ambitions
should not be delimted The mistrust
of each others purposes imposes upon
both countries enormous and useless
burdens, RUSSIA keeps three army
corps and she has built three railroads
in order TO exert pressure on Great
Britain in India, although 1t is patent
that Russia could not conquer India
without the mastery of the sea. Great
Britain is compelled to keep strong
garrison at Peshawar and to fortify
the Indian frontier in order to Offset
the Russian forces in central Asia.
The maintenance of these ornaments
involves what Golden called panic
expenditure equivalent to capital.
cation of f10O,00O0oO Great Britain
has repeatedly tried to come TO an
agreement with Russia, but thus far
something has always come in the way
of such an agreement. Lord Salisbury
used to say that Great Britain and
Russia were like the fairy prince and
princess whom the wicked magician
always kept apart, or like two men
cropping in a dark room anxious to
shake hands, but unable to meet each
other. Personally l think that there
can be no new triple alliance for the