The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-16
delay in the natter Of explanation and

delay in the natter OF anu
reparation.
The official statement in full follows;
"The Foreign Office has been in com
munication with representatives OF the
fishing industry at Hull and Grimsby.
and has obtained a full statement OF
the facts connected with the attack
during the night by the Russian second
Pacific squadron upon the part of the
Hull TRAVELLING fleet.
urgent representations based on
this information have been addressed
to the Russian Government, and 1t has
been explained that the situation is one
which, in the opinion of His Majesty,s
Government, does not admit OF delay.
Lord LanSdowne is expected, III al
dition to making the usual claim for
indemnity &c" the vessels SUNK, com
pensation for the wounded and PEN
sions for the widows Of those killed, to
demand a most ample apology and as
surances that other British shipping
which may fall in with the Russian
squadron shall not be submitted to SIM
liar treatment.
Further than this Lord Lansdowne
apparently is unable to so. Had any
British official, however. minor, been
concerned, Lord Lansdowne might
have demanded a public salute OF the
British flag as we'll as an apology. but
such a course in the present case would
be unprecedented.
1t is quite possible, however. that in
order to accelerate matters fice-Ad-
miral Lord Charles Beresford. who is
with the Channel Fleet near Gibraltar.
almost in the path Of the Russian
squadron, may be ordered to detach q
cruiser and communicate with Admiral
Rojestvensky, as was done in the case
Of the Russian Volunteer Fleet steam
erS Smolensk and Petersburg.
where there is evidence OF the
very positive opinion that this is no
time for the usual diplomatic dil!ydal-
lying; that there must be no delay and
no limit set by Russia to her apology
or the extent OF compensation for suf-
fererS by what King Edward himself,
I in a message Of sympathy to the Mayor
| of Hull. terms "the understandable ac-
ton of the >'ltic squadron command
erS.
It is but justice to the English peo-
pie to say that nc other great country
would have manifested the self-re-
| straint which has been shown here in
| the. face of Russia'S wanton outrage.
In the case of almost any other great
Power fleets would have been moving
ard armies would have been mobiliz-
ing within twcnty-four hours OF the
news of the sinking of tie North Sea
trawlers. :
England stays her hand-perhaps
wisely. A bold and far-seeing Govern
ment might adopt a different policy
for the ultimate good, not only of the
British Empire, but Of the world at
large.
Let there be no question about the
feeling of the British people. Their
anger is deep, grim and lasting. NO
apology will wipe it out; no reparatlon
will assuage it. No sudden National
emotion in this generation has
| equaled 1t in intensity.
But John Bull is least demonstrative
when he is most deeply moved. No
body detests war with a Latred more
genuine than his has been during the
last few years. Yet lie would have ap-
plauded his Government IL he had
been told that q British fleet had been
| sent out with orders to capture or de-
stroy the Russian Baltic squadron.
The Admiralty showed that it appre-
GATES the necessity Of proving that it
is prepared actively to support the po-
sition Of the people Of Great Britain
and fulfill the expectations Of the world
on account Of the North Sea affair. 1t
issued the following statement:
'Ou receipt Of the news Of the North
Sea tragedy preliminary orders for mu-
tual support and cooperation We're is
sued as a measure of ~precaution from
the Admiralty to the Channel, Medi-
! terranean and Home fleets"
The Home Fleet, consisting Of nine
battleships and three cruisers. which
| had been stationed at Cromarty, Scot
land, left for the south to be in readi-
ness for any necessary concentration.
All leaves have been stopped in the
navy. and, in the unlikely event Of the
situation becoming so serious as to
need it, a very strong naval force could
quickly be concentrated.
That q possibility OF dangerous de-
vslopmentS turks iu the %protraction Of
the crisis is seen in the fact that Rus
sian correspondents Of British papers
are, beginning tS send rather infiamma-
| BILE dispatches. For example. the
Daily Telegraph's st. Petersburg cor
respondent says:
"In military circles among the less
responsible officers, and in marine cir
| cleS of almost all grades, the conviction
prevails that sooner or later war with
England is inevitable, and that the
present moment is as auSpicious as any
other"
The Standards Moscow correspond
ent asserts that 1.-THE majority Of the
Russian people find more or less salts
faction in the insult offered to Eng
land"
King Edward, however. has received
from Emperor Nicholas a telegram ex-
pressing the deepest regret and a
practical acknowledgment that Great
Britain's peremptory note will meet
with a reply conceding every demand
apology for the act Of aggression
against the British flag, compensation
for the sufferers, and punishment for
the officers responsible for what is
everywhere conceded to have been q
gigantic blunder. Moreover, the Rus
| sian Ambassador to the Court of st.
James has expressed to Lord Lans.
downe his sorrow and sympathy.