The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-07-23
MaIacCa Will Be Inspected
and Released,
RUSSIA WAS COMPLACENT
General Belief that the Russian
Captain Had Good Reasons
for the Seizure.

LONDON, July 23.-A special from
St Petersburg dated today says that
the steamer Malacca Is ut Suda bay
island of Crete, where, under the
agreement reached between Great
Britain and Russia, she will be per.
functOrily inspected jointly by the con.
suls Of the two countries and released
together with her cargo. unless pal
pable contraband Of war intended fol-
the japanese shall be found, in which
case only the contraband will be held.
British government stores on board
,he vessel will not be examined
From the very first the authorities
acre We're convinced that the captain
Of the Russidn volunteer fleet steamer
st. Petersburg must have had good
reason for seizing the Malacca as
prize, and his report stating that the
skipper of the Malacca declined to
produce the ships manifest seems to
have justified their confidence.
There is reason to believe that had
the fact been known in advance that
the Malaccas skipper took upon him
self the responsibility of questioning
the war status of the st. Petersburg
and had defied the Russian war flag
contrary to international law, which evi.
IDENTIFY came as a complete surprise to
the British government. that nation
might not have acted as it did In
spite of this development, however,
Russia adopted most conciliatory at-
titude. The emperor himself was de-
sirous Of avoiding the slightest pre-
text for a quarrel and personally gave
orders to settle. the matter promptly.
According TO a very high authority
Russia has conveyed assurances that
there would be no repetition of the Red
sea incidents. How the collateral ques-
tions growing out Of these incidents
will be regulated has not yet been dis
closed here. There is no talk of an
conference at this time
to discuss neutral commerce, but diplo-
mats here believe that such con
ference to discuss this as well as new
questions raised by the war. like the |
use of wireless teegraphy, is advisable |
when the war ends.
dispatch TO Reuters Telegram
from St Petersburg says it
is reported there that cruisers said to
have been bought by Russia in Ger
many have joined the Nladivostok |
which went to sea especial.
ly to meet them.
Special semiofiicial advices from |
General Kuropatkin's headquarters in |
the field, via Fusan, Korea, say that !
the japanese attack on the Russians |
at Kiaotung resulted in another Rus
sian disaster. Klaotung is twenty-five |
miles from headquarters.
Few details of the engagement have |
been received, but they indicate that |
the fighting was fierce. The Russians
had more than one division engaged, |,
and artillery was used freely.
The Russians are fortifying new po- |
sitions before Molten pass. There were |
more men killed in the fighting of |
Sunday, July II, than can be buried, |
and the japanese are now engaged In |
cremating the bodies. :.
The place mad been fortified by the |
Russians, who defended il stoutly.
The japanese forces are said to have |
lost 300 men killed or wounded.
If the advance on Mukden is con-
tinued, heavy fighting is imminent, and |
a general battle may be precipitated.
The Russ, the army organ of st. Pc |
tersburg, evidently believes that the |
japanese are preparing for general
advance from the east against the Rus |
sian left. The paper estimates the Jap |
anese purpose as follows:
The probable object of the Japa- |
nese advance is to move into the Lao |
river valley, which is north of our po- |
sition at Zanze pass, in order to Oc- |
cupy a more favorable position in the |
forward movement of the main army, !
which is posted along the Molten, |
Lahko and Tapan passes with a front |
ten miles to the south of the Saimatsza- |
Liaoyang road.
"The advantage of the delay consists
in the possibilities afforded of endan- !
gering our communications north Of |
Liaoyang and the fanlIing of Lieuten-
ant General Count Keller's army