The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-11-05

| London, Nov. 2.-Negotiations be-
tween Great Britain and Russia look
| ing to a settlement of the North sea
affair are progressing favorably, and
there is not the slightest danger Of
friction arising between the two gov.
ernments. The constitution Of the in
ternational commission under The
Hague convention is on the verge Of
settlement.
In spite of these pacific conditions,
Great Britain yesterday experienced a
war panic that can only be compared
to the panic created OH Saturday, o.
tober 20, when the news of the sinking
of the trawlers in the North sea was
received. Not for years have so maLy
alarmist reports and flaming extras
| flooded London.
The most extraordinary feature of
| this scare, which was serious enough
| while it lasted, is that there was not
one single circumstance to justify it.
The excitement started early in the
day, when the newspapers announced
the departure of the Russian Baltic
fleet from Vigo. The public was not
in possession of the information cabled
by the Associated Press to the United
States that only the officers concerned
in the firing of the British trawlers
would be detached, and jumped at the
conclusion that Russia had broken
faith by not OBTAINING the vessels in.
volved in the affair.
On top of this came wild reports of
tremendous activity at Gibraltar.
Hour by hour the news from Gibraltar
became more serious, until at last the
climax was reached with the an
nouncement that the British fleet had
cleared for action. Some even said
| the feet had sailed to meet Rojestven-
sky's squadron. In huge type the pa
pers made the parallel statements:
"The Russian fleet has sailed" ''The
ritish fleet has cleared for action"
No Explanation at Hand.
No news and no person seemed able
to explain these events. The reassur-
ing information from the United
States that the sailing of the Baltic
squadron from Vigo was with the
knowledge of and agreeable to the
British government was not even hint
ed at by the papers here. The news
from Gibraltar became more and more
alarmist, and finally the foreign Office
| was overrun by reporters, some of
whom brought the rumor that Admi-
raj Beresford had already sunk the
remnant of Admiral Rojestvensky'
fleet.
Ambassador Benckendorff at that
moment was quietly discussing with
Foreign Minister Lansdowne the per-
| sonnet of the international commits
sion, but it was popularity rumored
that he was receiving an ultimatum.
Premier Balfour, Admiral Sir John
Fisher commander-in-chie at Ports
mouth; Lord Selbourne, firt lord of the
admiralty, and Prince Louis of Batten-
| berg, director of naval intelligence,
were all in conference, and it YVES
openly limited that they were planning
| the first stroke of war. As matter
of fact, they, like Lord Lansdowne,
were engaged in considering names
that had been suggested for the inter
national commission.
| When all London was in this state
of mind and while any body who might
be supposed to know anything was con-
stantly being asked: "Has war been
declared?" the foreign Office decided
to adopt course most unusual for it,
and in order to allay the public excite
ment gave out to the press the follow
ing statement:
| Before the Russian feet left Vigo
instructions were given to the Russian
admiral with the view of preventing
injury or inconvenience to neutral
shipping during the passage of the
Russian fleet to the far East.
| In compliance with Russia g agree
ment, four Russian officers have been
left behind at Vigo.
| 1.-The two governments are now dis
cussing the terms with reference to the
international commission which will
be intrusted with the proposed inquiry"
/ Public Expects Battle.
Although it contained nothing that
had not been published in the United
States some hours earlier, in .Associat-
ed Press dispatches from St. Peters
| burg and London, it served to inform
the people here of the exact situation.
The general public, however. went to
bed last night firm in the conviction
that it would wake up to hear that
Admiral Rojestvensky was at the bot
| tom of the sea.
Yesterdays furore would be ludic-
rous except for the striking instance it
! has afforded of the willingness of the
British public to believe that any de-
velopment is possible after the North
sea affair, and by the enthusiasm caus-
ed by Gibraltar's warlike news. The
foreign Office has been intensely irri-
tated at the construction placed on
what they declare to have been mere
feet and garrison exercises.
| Selecting the Court.
I D@Al L.