Milford chronicle., 1904-11-04
VAR PANIC
IN LONDON
,l.,mist Reports Concerning Russia
Cansed Great Excitement
WAS NOTHING TO JUSTIFY IT

,,aon Nov. Negotiations be-
on Great Britain and Russia look
w. 10 a settlement of the North Sea
E.,r w. are progressing favorably, and
'.-a .n.,, is NOT the slightest danger of any
.,..ion IN. arising between the two gov
aonts TIL constitution Of the in
.a.notional. commission under The
uagne convention is on the verge of
settlement ,...-
.Aot can only be compared to the panic
that can only be compared to tn epanic
arootad on Sunday. October %, when
tbe news of the sinking Of the trawlers
IN tbe North Sea was received. Not for
ysors have so many alarmist reports
and flaming extras flooded London.
The most extraordinary feature OF this
scare. which was serious enough while
If lasted. is that there was not one sin
cle circumstance to justify it. The eX-
I element started when the newspapers
announced the departure of the Rus
sian Baltic squadron from Vigo. The
public were not in possession of the in
formation cabled by the Associated
Press to the United States that only the
officers concerned in the firing on the
British trawlers would be detached
and Jumped at the conclusion that Rus
sia had broken faith by not OBTAINING
the vessels involved in the affair On
top of this came wild reports of tre-
mendous activity at Gibraltar. Hour by
hour the news from Gibraltar became
more serious, until at last the climax
was reached with the announcement
that the British fleet had cleared for
action. Some even said the feet had
sailed to meet Rojestvensky's squad
ron. In huge type the papers made the
parallel statements: "The Russian
feet has sailed"-"The British fleet
has cleared for action" No newspaper
and no person seemed able to explain !
these events. The reassuring informa-
ton available in the United States /
that the sailing of the Baltic squadron
from Vigo was with the knowledge of /
and agreeable to the British govern
ment was not even hinted at by the .
papers here.
The news from Gibraltar became
more and more alarmist, and finally
the foreign office was overrun by re-
pOrters, some of whom brought the
umOr that Admiral Beresford had al
ready sunk the remnant of Admiral
ROjestvensky's feet. Ambassador
Benkendorff at that moment was
quietly discussing with Foreign Minis
Ter Lansdowne the personnel of the
commission, but it was
popularity rumored that he was TeceiV-
ing an ultimatum. Premier Balfour,
Admiral Sir John Fisher, commander
n-chief at Portsmouth; Lord Selborne,
irst lord of the admiralty, and Prince
Louis, of Battenburg, director Of naval
were all in conference. and
t was openly hinted that they were
planning the first stroke of war. AS a
natter Of fact, they, like Lord Lans-
lowne, were engaged in considering
lanes that had been suggested for the
commission. When all
-Ondon was in this state of mind, and
While everybody who might be sup
'osed to know anything was constant
y being asked HAS war been de-
lared?" the foreign office decided to
dopt a course most unusual for it, and
order to allay the public excitement,
ave out to the press the following
tatement:
Before the Russian feet left Vigo
Instructions were given to the Russian
dmiral, with the view to preventing
injury or inconvenience to neutral
hipping during the passage of the
1ussian eet to the Far East.
In compliance with Russia's en-
agement. four Russian officers have
cen left behind at Vigo.
The two governments are now dis
ussing the terms with reference to
ne International commission which ,
'lll be entrusted with the proposed in
uiry."