The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-26

and Europeans in Japan, commenting in amazement upon the success of Jap anese officials in preserving secrecy re- garding all the operations of war. de- clare that this conspiracy of silence is not only confined to government and service circles, but that it extends to every section of the community. All classes of people are submitting with marvellous patience to being deprived of news. which they recognize as im- perative to the success of the national cause. It Is undoubtedly in pursuance of this policy that no Japanese account of the Port Arthur attacks has yet been published, and none is expected until Admiral Togo has completed his de- signs there.
 In the meantime if the report from Yin Row of a Japanese landing near Vladivostok, which at present is based on missionary and native statements, should prove correct, most important and new development in the Japanese operations will hay ebeen revealed, as it points to an attack on Vladivostok, from which Possiet Bay is only little over seventy miles distant.
 The report that the railroad has been cut between Harbin and Vladivostok may possibly be connected with these operations, but until more reliable fn- formation is forthcoming this report must be received with reserve. It has already been reported from Tokio that certain Russian forces were eoncentrat- ing at Possiet Bay.
 No further news of an attack at Port Arthur after the engagement in which the Japanese attempted to sink vessels in such a manner as to block the har- bor entrance has reached London. Al- most all the English newspapers in dis cussing Viceroy Alexieff's reports in cline to the belief that Admiral Togo succeeded in sc far as to make the channel impossible for large battle ships, even if it is still free to smaller craft, and presume that the reported second attack, if it did occur, was de- voted to an attempt to sink further ob- stacles to navigation.
 The Morning Post to-day devotes long editorial article to an historical record of the rapid growth of American activity in far eastern affairs, compar- ing the present attitude of the United States with her passive. interest in the Chino-Japanese war. The paper re- marks on the notable pro-Japanese feel ing in the United States after such long traditional friendship with Russia and contends that American friendship for athes empire was always artificial. Admiral Dewey's guns, the paper con tinues, literally shattered the supersti- tion that Russia was the appointed friend and Great Britain the appointed enemy. oi the United States.
 We believe,' the Morning Post con- cludes, that the appearance of Amer ica as a working element in interra-. tional affairs and her unmistakable hos- tility to Russia, is destined to become epoch marking If not epoch making
 London. Feb. 2s-In cablegram from Shanghai a correspondent Of the Daily Mail reports the arrival there of the Japanese cruiser Idsumo. Suma and Akitsushima
 The Tien Tsin correspondent of the Standard sends a report from native source that the Russians have burned large village near the Sungari river and massacred the inha abitants, including the women, in revenge for an attempt to wreck the Sungari bridge.