The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-21
JAPS NEED COAL
Russia Sweeps Seas for Fuel
Laden Ships.

| LONDON, March 20.-Russia's ships
are watching the sea routes in the near
East and are succeeding admirably in
their work Of preventing Japan from
obtaining her much needed supply of
Welsh coal.
|: Contracts by the score have been
made by Japan's agents here with
Welsh coal merchants and ship owners
for thousands of tons of COAL but few
of the ships which have been loading
at Cardiff during the past two weeks
. have dared start on their perilous jour-
ney.
Two japanese ships which could
have been ready to sail from Cardiff
days ago are still here, and show no
signs of leaving.
Russia has her agents in all the prin-
cipal Welsh ports and is kept well in
formed by them of all movements of
British and Japanese vessels carrying
coal.
For some time Russia has made the
Red sea route impossible for coal-car-
rying vessels, and now her warshlps
are reported to be patrolling the At
1antic route to the far East. Mysterious
gunboats are spoken as lowering about
the mouth of the English channel and,
generally speaking a Wholesome fear
has been engendered in the heart of
the most daring captain of the coaling
brigade.
Even if Japan gets the coal she
needs she will have to pay heavily for
it. A well known London and Cardiff
coal merchant said today that the
war risk insurance on coal. for Japan
csc ports was now 8 per- cent, in adj
dition to the ordinary marine insur-
ance. 5.ss1Ess
1.-THE freight for coalhto Japan" he
continued, sis Sc so to $3.50 per ton
by way Of the cape, instead of $3.50
to $5.25 per ton by Way3 of the canal
in times of peace. Es
Ship owners run the greatest risk,
as their vessels may be confiscated,
and, owing to the high premium asked
by insurance companies owners are
covering the ships themselves against
war risks.
THE steamers bound for Japan laden
with coal at per cent premium all
go by the cape, as no insurance could
be obtained by way of the Suez canal.
That would be like looking for
| trouble"
AIexieff Still Safe.
PARIS, March 21-The st. Peters
burg correspondent of the Echo de
Paris has had an interview with Vice
Admiral Avallane, the Russian minis
ter of marine, who said 1T has been
necessary to replace Vice Admiral
Stark, the condition of whose health
was deplorable by an energetic man
like Vice Admiral Makaroff, but the
minister denied that the presence of
either Vice Admiral Makaroff or Gen.
Kuropatkin affected the position of
Viceroy Alexieff, adding that Vice Ad-
miral Makaroff'S kilograms to the en-
peror would pass through the viceroys
| hands. The minister said he did not
expect that there would be any fur
ther changes relating to the emperor's
principal representative at the seat of
war during the entire period of dura-
ton of hostilities.
Minister Ayallane said he hoped that
the battleships Retvizap and Czarevftch
and the cruiser Pallada would be ready
| to resume service In a fortnight. He
|. declared that the separation of the
Russian squadrons had proved to be
| the most useful and finally confirmed
| the statement that the Mediterranean
| squadron would return to Libau when
| that port Is free from Ice.
| The correspondent says he learns that
the Russians are fortifying the mouth
of the Yalu at Wi-ju. as well as the
Tatung river.
Russia Denies Report
s. WASHINGTON d. c., March TO-
| Count Cassini. the Russian ambassador,
has been invited by the Russian minis
ter of finance categoricallys to deny the
report which has been current in sew
eral European capilalss.to, the effect
that Russia was foHbidding the ex-
portatien of any guiinsfrom the empire.
| The Russian minister Of finance. IN
cablegram to Count Gassini today, says
there is absolutely no ground for the
! report.