The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-27
SPAIN FORCED To
BEG AND THREATEN
TO KEEP THE RUSSIANS
FROM VIOLATING THE SPANISH
NEUTRALITY.

I Admiral ROjestvensky Showed Up
at the Port of Vigo with Four
Warships-German Golfers Were
| Ready to Coal Them, and at First
Russians Seemed About to Disre-
gard the Warnings of Spain.
ROjestvensky Finally Yielded.
Vigo, Spain. Oct. 26.-The arrival of
the Russian battleships Emperor
Alexander III. Borodino Orel and
Kniazzouvaroff and the transport
Anatol, which have anchored in this
port, has caused considerable excite
ment.
The commander of the port imme-
diately boarded the Russian flagship
and informed Admiral Rojestvensky
that the Spanish government could not
permit the warships to coal within the
port. Admiral Rojestvensky replied
that his vessels needed repairs, and
that for that reason he had separated
from the remainder of his squadron.
The commander of the port prom
ised to inform the Spanish govern
ment of the admirafs statement and
communicate the governments reply
as soon as it was received.
In spite Of this, five German colliers
anchored in port alongside the battle
ships, whereupon the commander of
the port sent an aide-de-camp to beg
Admiral Rojestvensky not to violate
Spanish neutrality, and he also order
cd the commanding officer of the
Spanish cruiser Estramadamura to
notify the Golfers that they must obey
the port authorities.
Eventually He Promised.
Eventually Admiral Rojestvensky
promised that he would not coal in
Spanish waters at the same time beg
gfng the commander of the port to OBJ
tain the governments permission for
each warship to take on four hundred
tons of coal with which to reach Tan
gier. Shortly afterwards three Golfers
sailed for Tangier, but two remained
alongside the Russian Warships.
During the afternoon Admiral Ro-
jestvensky, accompanied by the COM
manders of his battleships, visited the
military Governor, the French consul.
and the commander of the port, receiv-
ing the usual honors.
AS far as can be seen the crews of
the battleships are very uneasy. Sem
tinels are continually watching every
movement within the harbor. All four
of the warships seem to be cleared for
action.
Wanted to Hurry Their Guests.
1t is rumored that the object of the
Spanish government in requesting the
Russians to remain the shortest pos
sible time at Vigo is to prevent the
possibility of attack by Japanese
agents, whose presence in the province
of Galicia is suspected.
1t is learned that three other Rus
sian warships have anchored in
Arosa bay The government has re-
fused them permission to coal in
Spanish waters.
The Spanish warships Marques De
La Victoria and Vasco Nunez De
Balboa are keeping watch along the
coast.
The authorities have ordered that
all fishing boats shall fly the national
flag in order tc avoid a repetition of
the Dogger Bank incident
Prince Keretelli, an officer OF the
battleship Emperor Alexander III, has
been interviewed and gives the follow
ing explanation of the attack by the
Baltic squadron upon the British
trawlers off Dogger Bank:
"The transport Anatol. which was
steaming ahead of the squadron, was
suddenly surrounded by eight torpedo
boats and requested assistance, where
upon the battleship division advanced
and signalled to the unknown vessels
to leave or disclose their nationality.
The vessels refused to obey and ad-
vanced among the Russian battleshlps.
Suddenly a cannon shot was heard
from an unknown vessel. Then the
admiral formed in battle line and re-
piled to the fire. afterwards continu-
ing his voyage"
Prince Keretelli added that the Rus
slams feared the strange torpedo boats
were japanese, as the admiral was
aware that the Japanese had purchas-
ed such boats In England.