Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-27
CASE OF KNIGHT COMMANDER.
If Diplomatic Demands Are Not Heed.
cd, Other Measures Will
BE Taken.
INDEMNITY WILL HAVE TO BE PAID
Russian Press is Silent-Lack Of Com,
ment is Notewortby--Defe use COM
mlttee Holds Meeting in LOndOn.

London, July 2T.--The British govern
ment Is sending instructions to Sir
Charles Hardlnge the British ambassa-
dor to Russia today to energetically
protest against the sinking OF the Brit
lsh steamer knight Commander by the
Russian Vladiyostok squadron. Until
the presentation OF the note to the Rus
sian government the greatest secrecy
viii be maintained regarding It's con-
tents, but it is known that Premier
Baltour and his colleagues have decd-
ed to demand that the fullest reparatlon
shall be made by Russia, or measures
viii be taken to follow up the diplo-
matte demands
The British note Sir Charles Hard
| inge will submit will not mention the
amount Of indemnity Russia must pay
the owners Of the ship and British sub
| ieots having goods on board the vessel
but all that will be sought will be the
establishment Of the principle Of indem-
nifty and apology. a salute OF the Brit
ish flag must also be conceded and the
future protection OF neutral shipping
assured.
The attitude Of the British govern
ment Is the result of the thorough con-
sideratlon given TO the reports received
from Sir Claude Macdonald, the Brit
| ish minister at Toxic, and the examn-
alton OF international law authorities
| by legal experts. A dispatch from Sir
| Claude Macdonald confirms the reports
that the knight Commander had no
eontraband Of war on board for Japan.
The government and all the British au-
| thorties, Il is asserted. unite on the
| point that there was no justification for
the sinking OF the vessel.
II Is felt In government circles that
the knight Commander incident over
| shadows the Red sea seizures, which
| practically have been adjusted, but
which have failed 10 settle the question
OF the rights OF neutral commerce.
In the light OF the declaration OF the
| Russian government respecting CONTRA
| band Of war, made three weeks after
| hostill,ies commenced no representa-
| tons have been made by Count Benck-
| endorff, the Russian ambassador TO
| Great Britain, to Foreign secy. Lans-
| downe, regarding the Knight Command
| er, the ambassador not having received
| adYices from ST. Petersburg on the
! subject, nor Is II seen by the Russian
diplomats how II Is possible for their
government TO make prompt answer
10 the British demands, II Is not known
when the Vladivostok squadron will
return to port. The commander of the
squadron, II Ia pointed out, unques-
| tionably seized the papers OF the ves-
| sci, including lter manifest. and there
fore VIII be able TO present reasons to
| show why he sank the ship and with
| these reasons in their possession the
| Russian authorities will be able 20 COM
| plete their answer to the British repre-
| sentauons. In the opinion Of these
| diplomats, the cargo, or at least por-
| ton Of the cargo OF the knight Com
| mander, included contraband Of war
under the Russian declaration. The
| bridge-work among the cargo is said
! to have been destined for the Fusan-
| Seoul railroad which the Japanese are
| building for military purposes. The
| Russian declaration also announced
| that rice and other food stuffs are con-
traband II sent at the enemy's cost or
| order,
Attention Is specifically called TO tho
| feature of the declaration that neu-
tral ships Of contraband Of war OF any
] sort can, according TO circumstances,
| be not only seized but also conilscated."
II the shin can be contiscated II Ia
| contended. she can be sunk MS we'll
| While Russia holds that hor declara-
| ton has never been seriously ques-
| toned, the British authorities claim
| that the British ambassador at ST.
| Petersburg first specifically reserved
| the rights OF his government IN case
! Of an emergency arising, and later,
| filed objections against the various pro-
| visions Of the declaration. The United
| States also reserved her rights when
| acknowledging the receipt OF the Rus
sian declaration The British au-
| thorities are persistent in their desire
| TO induce the United States to make
declaration In respect to the policy
| II proposes 10 pursue In the matter OF
| the protection Of commerce, but moth
| ing has yet been done so far as known
| here, and the authorities are looking
| forward with intense interest TO the
deliberations OF President Roosevelt
and Secy Hay.
BREACH or INTERNATIONAL
LAW.
London, July 21-That the British
| government regards the sinking OF the
| steamer knight Commander as
| breach OF international law, was con-
| frmed by Premier Balfour in the house
| OF commons this afternoon, Answer
Ing questions regarding the destruction
| OF the Knight Commander and the seiz-
uro Of the Malacca and other vessels,
the premier said he hoped TO be IN
position to make a brief statement re-
gardlng the Malaoca tomorrow. As
| 10 the sinking OF the knight Com.
mandor he regretted that informa-
| ton which reached me this morning
| confirmed this regretable occurrence"
Mr. Balfour added
There Is no question Of loss OF life,
but / am afraid there Is a question Of
a breach OF international law
RUSSIAN PRESS SILENT.
ST. Petersburg July 27.-The Russian
press has been significantly silent for
two days past regarding complications
over the actions OF the Red sea cruisers.
Not a single word of comment appears
IN this mornings newspapers concern
ing the sinking Of the British steamer
Knight Commander, and there Il no
doubt that the government has request
ed the papers to refrain from printing
their Views on the affair The govern
ment deprecatcs the provocative atti-
tude Of the British press, and probably