The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-24
JAPS SEE BIZ UFF
IN BAL ZIG FLEET
Believe II Isl Being Sent Out
Merely to Influence Possible
Negotiations.
WINTER EXPECTED TO
BRING PEACE PROPOSAL
Admiral Togo Believes He Gould
vanquish Squadron in Long
Range Battle.
New York SUN Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
Chicago, Nov. q wv alter Wellman,
in a Washington special to the Record
Herald, says: 81
According tosoffcial and trustworthy
government has no fear Of what the
Russian second Poetic squadron may be
able to do after its arrival in eastern
waters provided it ever arrives.
The Japanese naval authorities are
skeptical as to the intention Of the
Russian government to send the fleet
all the way to the China sea. They
still incline to the opinion, SO say tele-
grams just received in Washington,
that the Russians are really putting
up bluff for the purpose Of infuen-
cling the negotiations for peace which
are looked for during the coming win
ter.
Plan Peace Negotiations.
According to the official Japanese
view the St. Petersburg authorities,
while valiantly protesting that they
will never listen to peace proposals till
after they have won "a decisive victory
and recovered at least a part Of their
ming to have negotiations started dur
ing the winter luil in field operations.
The Japanese think Russian diplomacy
| will contrive the means before spring
| to set on foot such negotiations as may
lead to peace. This might be done
thru France .or some other mutually
| friendly power.
In well-informed diplomatic quarters
here it is said Japan is willing to make
peace at any time on the basis of
| the original proposals made by the To
| kio government, plus the Japanese pos.
session Of Port. Arthur.
Fleet Simply an Z. Influence.
Many. leading Japanese officials be.
lieve the SECOND 1, Russian Fis squadron was
dispatched for the east with a view to
exerting an influence upon the expected
peace negotiations. AS long as Rus
sian sea power is not destroyed, the
Japanese could not claim to have van
| quished their adversary and to be en-
titled to, a victor s settlement. The
best evidence Of Russian s retention OF
. claim to naval power would be the pres
ence of the Pacific squadron in waters
1 adjacent to the theater Of war. Hence
the japanese belief that the Russian
government has dispatched The flee
more as diplomatic thani3as a nava
enterprise, and that The st. Petersburg
4 government intends. to send A dmira
I, Rojestvensky's ships near enough t,
4 the Japanese sofia Son exert IAN, in
! 1fuence in the peHase negotiations, blu
uoA AU0ll1 Ol1OESiA w IlVIIO Df1VUlCs s.5& :
I Peace Efforts Expected.
In diplomatic circles at Washingto,
there is general belief that :dnrin,
the coming winter efforts are. to. b
made to negotiate peace between Rus
STA and Japan, but no such efforts; will
be made by the United States gov
eminent in the absence of direct init
nation from st. Petersburg that suc]
action would be welcome to the Russian
government. Altho this expectation o
peace negotiations exists, it is admitte'
observation and that It is not Base
! upon any direct information as to til
! attitude of the car and his advisers:
Japs Itching for Fight.