The San Francisco call., 1904-03-14

| PARIS, March 14-The Figaro TINS
morning prints an interview with
person of much Importance in the dip
| lomatie world who declares that al
/ though the recent rumors of probable
] mediation between Russia and Japan
are premature, the positive denials OF
these rumors are equally baseless.
| Il can assure yOu," this person says,
| that, favored by the comparative calm
| which prevails at this moment, most
| acute change of views is going on be-
tween European cabinets.
1.-The chancellories have begun to
play the part of international firemen';
in other words, they are trying to re-
strict the spread of the confiagration
and to protect adjoining states"
| After referring to the wild rumors
that have been circulated of late, the
! informant of the Figaro said in con-
clusion:
One thing remains certain. namely.
| the new and striking affirmation of
| the close friendship uniting Nicholas
III and King Edward VII. Everywhere
peace is desired and governments are
working for it with all their strength.
China Is not source Of danger.
The Empress and court hate Japan.
The treaty of Shimonoseki has not
been forgotten and, moreover, the race
question in Asia has not the import
ance which Europe attributes to it."
AWAIT OPPORTUNE MOMENT.
PARIS, March 13-The informal suG-
gestion that France and the United
States act Jointly as peacemakers in
the Far Eastern war has been made
within the last week and, although the
officials consider that any peace over
lures would be futile at the present
stage of the conflict, yet the suggestion
leads to the belief in very high quar-
ters that France and the United States
will become the peacemakers-
The suggestion comes from one OF
the most prominent railroad men, who
probably has the largest railroad deal
ings with Russia of any American.
During a recent visit here he called at
the American Embassy and other Of
ficial quarters. In the course of his
visit he strongly urged that France
and the United States, by reason of the
international friendships toward the
two belligerents, were especially quail
fed to initiate a peace movement
The suggestion was entirely unOffi-
cial and formal; but, nevertheless, it
was expected that it would prove a
germ for official action. However, no
such official action is likely at the pres
ent time, as it is the accepted view OF
that neither of the belligerents would
listen to any peace overtures.
SQUADRON TO BE SENT
The Petit Parisienne published a dis
patch from st. Petersburg this morning
| saying that a Russian squadron, COM
posed of the battleships Oslabya,
Almaz and Alexander III, the cruisers
Dmitri Donskoi and Aurora and
| number of torpedo-boats and sub
mill TO bo ENor 60 CT
in May. Two submarine vessels are
being constructed at Port Arthur, the
| correspondent continues, and six are
being built on the Neva.
| According to the st. Petersburg cor
respondent of the Echo de Paris. Gen
eral Poulivanoff. manager of the
| Russky Invalid of st. Petersburg, said
| in an interview that Russia was pre-
/ pared to make every sacrifice to pun
| ish the Japanese and had not underes-
| timated the enemy, whose fighting
qualities undoubtedly were consider
able. The general expected serious
! fighting on the Yalu River within
| week.
| The Russian naval attache here.
! commenting on the Port Arthur bonn
bardment of March 10. points out the
similarity of the four Japanese attacks
-destroyers by night and lombard
ments by day.
NO CHANGE IN TACTICS.
Their attacks are audacious. but al
ways Ineffective" he said. The bonn
| bardments are always of the same
fashion at about the same hour. of
about the same duration and in full
| riety. This probably is due to the
comparative youthfuIness of the Japan
ese navy organization.
1T is noticeable that Admiral Maka-
roff's report says that he hoisted his
| flag on the Novik, which had been rep
resented as out Of commission from
! damages, and 1T is also notable that he
says our ships are ready to resume the
| struggle. With Admiral MakarOff COM
manding we expect sharp, aggressive
action"
Pierre Clifford. writing to the Matin
from Port Dalny, graphically describes
the country and the conditions. While
| travelling from the north he saw oceans
Of snow stretching off in every direction.
suggesting terrible hardships endured
| during the military concentration now
! going on. Below Mukden the snow had
almost disappeared and the plains were
| being cultivated by the Chinese.
| Martin, the n-commissioned off,
Ger accused of having disposed of
French naval secrets to a Japanese ma
val attache, was lengthily interFogated
| yGSICIudys 4Hc were Sc
cret. The magistrate in charge of the
case has summoned the general staff to
testify on Monday. The staff is serious
| ly concerned over the document Martin
obtained. In the investigation he indi-
Gated that general instructions for war
times were among those documents.
WHY JAPAN BEGAN WAR.
| The Temps has published an inter
| view with Kurino, the late Japanese
Minister to Russia, who is quoted as
saying that there is no doubt the Jap
anese Government decided to sever dip
/ lomatic relations with Russia on Janu-
airy 81, when, in answer to repeated in
| quiries, Count Lamsdorf. the Russian
Foreign Minister, informed Kurino that
the Czar had not yet reached decision
with regard to the reply of Russia to
| the latest Japanese note.
In response to a question Kurino said
he did not believe the report that Baron
Hayashi. the Japanese Minister to