Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-15
Those Using Wireless Telegraphy
VIII be So Considered by
Russia and Shot.
STATE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED.
Steamers Furnished With Wireless
Apparatus viii be Seized as
Prizes Of War.

Washington, April lj.-The Russian
government has given notice that news
paper respondents using wireless
telegraphy viii be treated as spies and
shot,
This notice was served on the state
department by Count Cassini, the RUS
sian ambassador, today, and It is UNI
derstood that similar communications
were made to all foreign Offices The
text Of the communication is as fol-
lows:
Il am charged by my government,
In order to avoid all possible misunder-
standing to communicate to your ex-
celency that the lieutenant OF his
imperia, majesty IN the far east has
just made the following declaration:
"'In case In which neutral steam-
crs having on board correspondents
who might communicate war news 10
the enemy BY means Of perfected APP
paratus not being yet forescen by en-
isting conventions, would be arrested
near the coast OF Kuun Tong or In the
zone Of operations Of The Russian fleet,
the correspondents viii be looked on as
spies, and the steamers furnished with
wireless telegraphy seized as prizes u
war
This notice opens mp an entirely new
line Of treatment Of correspondents.
The reference to existing conventions
Is taken to express the belief Of the
Russian government that II wireless
tclegraphy had been practised prior
to The Hague declaration concerning
implements and proctlses of war 1t
would surely have been prohibited even
in neutral hands, It happens that
some Of the leading British newspaper
correspondents are making free use Of
the wireless telegraph transmission OF
their war news and It Is possible that
they will appeal to their government
10 define their own status. and to Sc
cure an official determination OF the
question as to whether a neutral on
his own ship outside the territorial
waters OF "a beligerent power and
without contraband of war on board
can be treated as 4 SPY.
CABINET CONSIDERS MATTER.
Washington, April l5,--Among the
subjects considered today az the cabl-
net meeting was the substance Of the
communication received from the Rus
sian ambassador regarding the use by
the correspondents Of wireless tele-
graphy in reporting the incidents Of the
ussO-Japanese war; In addition TO
this communication, the president call
ed attention TO the ; "ssages Of condo
lence he had received ION resident am
bassadors regarding the accident on the
battleship Missouri. one of these was
received last evening from Count Cas-
SIM. incidentally 1t refers to the loss
OF the Russian battleship Petropav-
lovsk of Port Arthur Count Casslnis
note Is as follows
"Mr. President: Having received the
o+iA lNNN VI AliN lbNN VI TIC h0NNifolAAlt
the Petropayloysk, which has cost so
many lives to our brave navy, ! stimuli
taneOusly am informed of the disaster
which occurred on board your battle
ship, the Missouri, which took away SO
many lives Of your gallant sailors.
Permit me to express to you, Mr.
President, my deep sympathy In the
name Of my government and on my
own on this sad occurrence, which has
deeply moved us all at time when
with grief we are mourning our own
loss.
Believe me, Mr. President. Yours
very sincerely, CASSINl,'
To Count Cassini personally the re-
greet Of this government has been eX.
pressed at the death of Admiral Max.
aroff and the officers and crew of the
Petropavloysk, As the loss Of the
ship and It's crew was an acct
dent Of war, the expression OF this gov
ernment's regret was simply one Of hui
manty without reference to the dif.
ferences which are being fought out be-
tween Russia and Japan.
Aside from the matters referred TO-
the cabinet considered only a few de-
partmental subjects.