Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-09
fe9-tu,6t
TO WATCH FIGHTING
AMERICAN CRUISERS MAY GO TO
SCENE OF POSSIBILITIES.
Tentative Orders Prepared at the Navy
Department-Report as to
Intervention.

Tentative orders have been prepared at
the Navy Department sending the cruiser
squadron of the Asiatic fleet northward
from Subig bay to the vicinity of Port
Arthur to observe the Japanese-Russian
naval opera tons and to be at hand to pro-
tect American interests wherever they may
be menaced in the warstricken district:
The orders will be submitted to the Presi-
dent for final revision. but will not be sent
unless they are agreeable to Russia and
japan, which will be sounded in advance on
this subject.
When the orders were prepared it was
expected they would be sent forthwith, in
view of the restraining instructions they
contained for Rear Admiral Evans. COM
manding the Asiatic fleet, to observe strict
neutrality in all his movements. Secretary
Moody. however. is not willing that this
country shall give ground even for sus-
picion either by Russia or Japan, and
therefore 1t has been decided that these
governments shall be asked If the dispatcn
of the cruiser squadron to northern waters
will embarrasS either combatant
The cruiser squadron consists of the AL
bany. flagship; the New Orleans Raleigh
and Cincinnati In case the squadron goes
Eorthward 1t is fully expected here that
Rear Admiral Evans will transfer his nag
to the Albany and assume command of the
squadron, remaining in the far east after
his regular tour of duty has expired to
observe the war.
Japan Bent on War
Orders were issued for Lieut.. Newton A.
McCully. now on the Dolphin. to relieve
Lieut.. Commander Charles S. Marsh as
naval attache at Tokyo. Lieut.. Commander
Marsh and Lieut.. Irvine v. Gillis. who has
been detached from the Kentucky and Is
now his way to Tokyo, are under orders
to follow the Japanese naval operations as
best they can. 1t is not expected they will
be takens aboard the Japanese ships per-
manently. That Japan has fully deter
mined war is evident from a cablegram
re ceived at the Navy Department from
Lieut.. Commander Marsh. saying that a
Japanese naval division had left for Che
nulpo, the port of the Korean capital
The seizure of Seoul. the general naval
board believes, will be Japan's first act Of
war.
Count Cassini Calls.
Count Cassini. the Russian ambassador.
called by appointment Secretary Hay
yesterday afternoon. and the two were IL;
conference for nearly an hour. The ant
bassador was again assured that this gov
eminent could be depended upon to main
tain the strictest and most complete neu-
trality in the coming war. Count Cassini
gave Mr.. Hay a brief summary of the
negotiations. He Informed the Secretary
that RUSSIA was cow nceQ tndt Japan nau
all along been anxious for war. and that
her breaking off of diplomatic relations at
the moment when Russia was putting forth
her utmost effort TO make concessions thar
would preserve peace was an evidence or
bad faith.
In Russian circles it is not expected That
Japan will formally declare war. but tltlt
she will attempt to catch Russia unawares.
Il is declared that the Russian army and
fleet will be found ready and waiting. that
Russia will not assume the offensive untis
she has been attacked. but that after that
there will be no delay.
At the Japanese legation it was said that
there was no further news on the situation
to be given out. At the Russian embassy
no cables came from any source.
Report as to Intervention.
State Department officials deny that any
agreement has been made to the effect
that the United States and Great Britain
would intervene after Russia has crushed
Japan and insist that Manchurfa remain
part of China. Ever since the Turko-
Russian war 1t has been customary for the
great neutral powers to hold some sort or
conference at the conclusion OF the war TO
assure the vanquished nation in the stris-
GLE against undue exactions and punish
merits. This was notably the case in the
Turko-Russian war. and attention is called
to the fact that although Japan was the
victor In her last war with China. the
neutral powers, especially Russia and Eng
lard, brought pressure to bear upon Japan
tn prevent sher from pursuing her adj
vantage beyond reasonable limits. Incl
dentally 1t also was pointed out that he two
nations named profited themselves by the
acquisition of most important strategicai
points which had been the object of Japans
operations. ,4
Therefore 1t is said to be within the prob
abilities that some kind of conference will
follow Russo-Japanese war. The United
States always has held aloof from combina-
tons in such cases, but. as in the case CT
the negotiations which terminated the
Boxer troubles. the policy has been to work
on parallel lines when such cause Is for
the common good.