The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-20
A GRAVE SUSPICION.
Japanese May Be Using Neutral Chi
nese Ports.

nese Ports.
st. Petersburg. March 10. l p. M
The governments private information
is not reassuring as regards China s
sincerity in observing a neutrality at
utude. Secret advices indicate that at
least a powerful party i'm the Chinese
government is abetting the Japanese
Although al first reluctant TO credit it,
the Russian authorities continue to re-
Ceive evidence that the Japanese con-
template landing on Chinese neutral
territory, west Of the Lao river. and
1000 men are being held especially to
await developments in that direction.
Moreover the emperOr's naval experts
who have been studying carefully the
puzzle as TO where Vice Admiral TOgo's
heet is coaling and provisioning be-
tween its appearances off Port Arthur
are becoming more and more convinced
that it il using az a base some quiet
spot on the Chinese coast.
Using Chinese Port.
After each disappearance not a word
Is heard OF the fleet's Whereabouts un--
I'll it reappeaTS. a calculation of time
and distance shows it is quite impossi-
bic for the fleet to steam to Nagasakf
or Hiroshima. take on board coal and
ammunition and come back. II is also
certain the Japanese warships could
not take on coal. much less heavy pro-
jectiles. al sea in the face Of the pre-
vailing rough weather The idea that
they are using ChemulDo F'usan or
some other place on the Korean coast
for this purpose is rejected. as il is be-
Heved that If such were the case the
numerous secret correspondents and
secret agents Of the Russians i'm Korea
would certainly have reported the fact.
So by process Of elimination the Rus
slams seem compelled to arrive at the
conclusion that the vessels Of the Jap
anese fleet must be refi!ling their bunk
ers i'm sCme inlet on the Chinese coast.
either on the Gulf of Liza Tung or the
Shan Tung peninsula. so far from ports
and Inhabited centers that the CORE
spOndents are unable to get wind Of it.
Time Alone Will Tell.
The dwindling number Of japanese
battleships appearing off Port Arthur
is increasing the conviction that many
of them have had TO put back TO Japan
for a thorough refitting.
4 high naval officer said: we prob
ably shall never know how many of
their ships were crippled or sunk al
least until The war is over.
The failure of the Japanese to rush
their operations eVOkes agreeable dis
appointment here. DIS ia gives the Rus
slams the time necessary to complete
their preparations. \ Japanese landing
on the Lao Tung peninsula 10 besiagc
Port Arthur would rather be welcomed
now. as il would not be a large force,
Yet would weaken the frontal attack
from Korea.
II was reported soon after the Japan
csc began their operations against Port
Arthur that they had seized one OF tha
Elliott islands, situated in the Korean
gulf less than 100 miles east by north
of Port Arthur for use as a base. and
tho Toxic correspondent Of the Lon
don Times, Marcia : cabled that Jap
arcse squadron took possession of Hal
Yang Tao. one of the Elliott group.
Feb. %. The correspondent added that
the Japanese found there only stores
of coal and signaling flags. the Rus
sans having evacuated the island on
Feb %