Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-11-02
Court OF INQUIRY
TO SETTLE DISPUTE
RUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN
AGREE TO ARBITRATE
TROUBLE.
SATISFACTORY SOLUTION
OF PROBLEM REACHED
Matter to Be Taken to The Hague
Tribunal-Czar Agrees to Proposal
Portion of Fleet Ordered to Re-
main at Vigo.

Element of the Anglo-Russian dispute
has been reached. Several details and
| formalities remain to be arranged, but
the proposal to refer the matter to
court of inquiry has been accepted.
The entire dispute was ended when
Am bassador BenkendorH saw Lord
LansdoWne after the cabinet meeting
Friday. A final inquiry will be held at
The Hague under the rules OF The Hague
: convention. The appointment of the
arbitrator will be discussed Saturday
between Ambassador Benkendorff and
Lord Lansdowne. The only detail which
remains to be arranged is the permission
of Spain for the portion Of the Russian
squadron concerned in the North sea
incident to remain at Vigo until the in
quiry is completed. This no doubt will
be obtained. The remainder Of the Rus
sian squadron is expected to proceed to
its destination.
! Basis of Procedure.
1t is suggested that the articles OF
the convention concluded at The Hague
furnish good and satisfactory basis for
| <uC COutCLu p1dICO PROCEDURE. al L1C10 .,
etc., of the convention dealing with in
ternational commissions of inquiry re-
garding differences involving neither
honor nor vital interests arising from
differences of opinion on points OF fact
and how the court OF inquiry shall be
constituted as considered to meet the
situation. Mr.. Balfour is thus enabled
/ to tell the people of the practical SETTLE
ment of the dispute which but for this
solution would have led to clash be-
| tween the British channel squadron and
the Russian second Pacific squadron,
which must have plunged the two coun-
tries into war.
| How near was the rupture is evidenced
by the fact that Great Britain went TO
the length of conveying strong hint
| to Russia that unless satisfaction was
given, insuring an adequate inquiry and
the punishment of anyone found guilty,
the Russian squadron would not be al
lowed to proceed beyo nd Tangier. Even
Friday morning, in dispatching cruisers
! from Gibraltar, Vice Admiral Lord
| Beresford, the commander of the chan
mel squadron, is reported to have sig
| nailed them situation critical. Good
luck"
Throughout the affair the influence OF
the recent Anglo-French understanding
has been a potent element and Ambas-
sador Cambon, whether acting PERSONAL
ly or in behalf of the French govern
ment, has been interchangeable in using
his close relationship with both the
British government and in the Russian
embassy to bring about an honorable
settlement.
| Fleet to Remain at Figo.
Orders were issued during the day and
acknowledged by Vice Admiral Rojest-
! vensky that the Russian squadron re-
; main at Vigo until the conclusion of the
! present Russo-British negotiations.
! This eliminated what was regarded here
! as one of the most dangerous features OF
the situation, namely, the possibility
of premature clash between the
British and Russian squadrons. The
cabinet considered the Russian PROPOSE
! ton to submit the question of individ-
ual responsibility to commission. Rus
! STA expressed her willingness to detach
the commander of the second Pacific
squadron, and such other individual Off
GERS as may be found to have been d.
rectly concerned in the firing, for ex-
animation by the commission. By agree
ing to abide by the verdict of this COM
mission Russia would undertake TO
carry out sentences which it may impose.
and thereby it is believed that separate
guarantee of punishment, which is so
dlstasteful to Russia, was obviated.
Admiralty orders reached Portsmouth
to stop the leave of all officers and men,
and directing that the torpedo boat de-
stroyer fotilla be kept in readiness to
proceed whenever ordered
Queen Deeply Interested.
Queen Alexandras deep concern re-
garding the Anglo-Russian crisis was
evidenced Friday. Hardly had the cab
met risen when message was handed to
Mr. Balfour from her, and the premier
Immediately drove to Buckingham pal
ace, where he had prolonged interview
with the queen. The latter in the
course of the afternoon proceeded to
, Sandringham, and Mr. Balfour went to
Southampton.
| Some New Disclosures.
The Daily Chronicle publishes an in
terview had with Admiral Rojestvensky,
at Vigo, which gives few interesting
statements not yet published. The ad-
miral is quoted as saying that when the
vessels Of the Russian squadron found
themselves surrounded by the fishing
fleet, the warships had to stop their en-
gines continually, so as not to get their
screws entangled in the nets. The war
ships frequently gave way to the trawl-
ers. Suddenly the cruiser Aurora saw
ahead two torpedo boats coming toward
the squadron at full speed. She turned
her searchlight on them, and then no.
ticed two floating mines close to her.
An order to fire on the torpedo boats was
Immediately given, with the result that
one of them was sunk and the other es-
! capped and was lost sight of among the
trawlers. The admiral added that there
were two men injured ON his flagship.
One, priest, had hand shot off. six
shots fired during the incident hit the
Russian vessels The Aurora was hit
and has not yet been repaired.
No Torpedo Boats Present.
In reply to an inquiry regarding the
alleged presence of torpedo boats among
the Hull fishing feet, Dr. Jackson, So
licitor of the owners Of the feet, wired