The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-05
GETTING READY
Both Sides Are Making Active and
Energetic Efforts TO Strengthen
Their Fighting Forces Japan's
Patience Is Becoming Exhausted
and IL the Russian Iseply is Not
Soon Delivered an Ultimatum May
be Issued-ResponseW VIII be Ready
Not Earlier Than Feb. 5th.

Toxic, February "a specian called
conference OF the cabinet elder states
| men and military and naval chiefs was
| held today at the residence Of Premier
Katsura. The meeting is believed to
| have been of much importance, though
no details Of the discussion have been
| given the public. Possibly it foreshad-
ows energetic action on account of
Russian procrastination.
Although the governments continue
| reticent it is manifested that the situa-
| ton is of the gravest. and that the
| crisis is near at hand. The time in
which the Russian reply will continue
| to be a factor in the situation is mar
rowing.
The patience of the government is
becoming exhausted and if the expect
| ed answer is deferred many days longer,
| the issuance Of an ultimatum by ia
| pan Will become inevitable
| The Japanese feel that the existing
| conditions have ent nttied them to a more
prompt reply and are bound to infer
that the ST Petersburg government is
| determined not to yield but is utilizing
the time to advance its preparations FOX
war
Port Arthur. February 3-In response
/ to the Japanese war measures. impor-
tant naval and military movements
have been effected here. The Russian
squadron heretofore inside the harbor.
Il ;cfi nf ha hot Dafv
| Peresviet. Czarevitch Orel and Sevas-
topol. and the cruisers Fremiascheck
and Smiety have joined the outside
fleet, consisting Of the battleships Pro-
bieda. Petropavlovsk. and Pottava, the
cruisers Diana, Palada, Aekold, Vary az
and Boyarin and the torpedo gunboat
Balkan. The last named vessel has just
arrived here from chemulpo. Korea.
with complete japanese charts OF the
Korean coast
In consequence o: the narrow and
dangerous entrance at low water IL toox
the warships three days to get out OF
, the harbor. The accomplishment OF
this task is regarded as specially i'm
portant, owing to the danger Of the
ships being immured by an accident in
the channel.
The cruiser Digit. the torpedo gun
boat Gaidamak. the sloop Of war Zabi-
| yaka, four gun boats and the torpedo
r hotilla remain inside.
, simultaneously the third brigade o,
Siberian rifles and two batteries OF ar
: tillery started for an unannounced des
! tination from Lao-Yang. South OF
Mukden- Altogether about 5000 troops
!. have departed. leaving 10000 men a.
Port Arthur exclusive of the troops
manning the fortifications
London. February s.-A dispatch t.
Reuters Telegram Company from ST
Petersburg. dated yesterday, and for
E warded by way OF the frontier. says tn,
I Russian general staff has given Vicero,
I Alexien authority to declare war anC
open hostilities on his own responsible
\ ity. II circumstances render it neces
4 sary.
: The dispatch adds that an imperia
: manifesto declaring war is expected 4
= the japanese government does not ac
: cept the conditions proposed in Russia'
response. which, 1t is asserted, will b
Russia's last word
ST St Petersburg. February 3.-Th
|. statement printed abroad that the Rus
| sian note Is held back, while N. kuri
y no. the japanese minister communicate
;. its substance to his government 10 un
n true.
The Associated Press is serni-oficiall
assured that the Russian response wi
]. be sent before February 9Th at the gar
!, liest-
u The tension unQuestionably is increas
ing and Bourse shows a nervous fee
ing but beyond the decided Russia
le military activity there IS little defini;
le news.
ii NJ. Kurino denies that the foreign q
fice has given him an intimation
le the nature of the reply. The Japanes
,r legation is without advices ind.cat n
I'd important developments in Japan. b,
Id 1t is admitted that the long delay
y the response, coupled with the reDor
r of Russian military activity. are doub
Of less increasing the tension and gravi
OF the situation in Japan. The stra
here is manifested by the cont nu
a semi panicky condition OF the Bours
The papers still hope for peace, b
they show a more skeptical tone
avi St Petersburg, February 3.-Seot
Fusan railroad has been occupied
japanese troops. according to a di
rs patch from vladfvostock. which ad
en- that the japanese have taken field gu
nd to Seoul for the protection OF the del
or CATION and that they are building ba
We racks for the accommodation of ca
airy.