The San Francisco call., 1904-03-19
FRANCO-ENGLISH
"ENTENTE" GIVES
CHEER To RUSSIA
Occupies Premier
Place in the
Newspapers.
Special Dispatch to The Call

ST. PETERSBURG. March IS
The Franco English Entente" to-day
occupies premier place and is hailed
with surprising satisfaction.
The Viedomostle says: We must
admit that England can never be an
enemy and that Germany is con-
stantly threatening our frontier. Ger
many makes no secret Of the fact that
she wants TO increase her colonies.
Accordingly we ought not to quarrel
with England. but to use this senti-
ment as a buffer with which to pro-
tect ourselves from Germany. An al
lance with Japan will not last; where
viii England's syrnpathies go after
warde
We are convinced that the mo-
ment has now arrived to stop Anglo
phobe tactics Of the Metcherski type
and 70 show that England's true pO-
sition is the one she has taken lately,
after which she Will know how to
grasp the hand held out by Russia"
The Gazette is surprisingly pro-Eng-
AAEM d4l4 81 - 4LlDaSlA AAAI 6oDA VI
fees Of our excellent ally better rela-
tiOns may come between US and our foe.
II so, II would be we'll not only for
ourselves but for Europe in general"
The Novoe Vremya, which is as rab-
idly Anglo-phobe as the London Times
is Russo-phobe, viii not admit that the
Franco-Anglo entente is possible
until England delivers up Egypt
Concerning the loss of the cruiser
Boyarin at Port Arthur a private letter
SAYS that the vessel struck a floating
mine dropped by the japanese. Naval
engineers are preparing to raise the
Boyarin, though it is thought doubtful
whether it viii be fit for fighting pur-
poses, as il is feared that the tremen-
deus concussiOn more than likely has
strained the frames.
Admiral Stackelberg, who, on account
OF illness. turned over the command of
the Nladivostok squadron to Captain
Reitzenstein. has arrived in st. Peters
burg. He gives an entirely different
version Of some of the reports emanat-
ing from Japanese sources regarding
the events before he left The cruise Of
his squadron February 9 TO February
order Of Admiral Stark, for its effect
upon the population of Northern
Japan. Admiral Stackelberg denies
that he fired upon japanese merchant
men in SangOre Straits. He says the
ships were captured and that while at
tempting TO convoy them to Port Ar
thur a blizzard sprang UP, and not
wishing to endanger the Russian
cruisers, after taking off the crews and
passengers from the merchantmen, one
Of the latter, loaded with contraband
rice. was sunk. The other. which was
a tramp steamer. was released to carry
10 the japanese the story of the pres
ence Of the Russian warships in those
waters for moral effect. There never
was any bombardment of Hakodate,
which is heavily fortified.
EXPECTS \ LONG WAR.
The admiral adds that he cannot
understand how such a stupid story
was credited. He expressed the opin-
ion that the war would be Of long du-
ration, judging from the extensive
japanese preparations. which were
thoroughly understood at Vladivostok,
where war was expected even earlier
than ii came.
A communication from the Foreign
Office is published here confirming the
statement that Russia does not regard
Korea as belligerent and will not do
so until there is evidence that Korea
is actively making common cause with
Japan. The communication, after re-
iterating the assertion that Russia con-
siders il implicitly a neutral state act
ing under pressure by Japan and de-
prived Of the power Of free action, and
that Russia. therefore, cannot regard
a. valid any treaty to the benefit of
Japan nor the abrogation Of Russian
concessions, proceeds:
should the Russian troops encounter
Korean forces operating against the
Russians under the influence of Japan
ese officers, who are forcing them to