The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-10
Feeling Reflected is Decidedly
 Pessimisfic
MOVEMENTS ARE WARLIKE
Both Japan and Russia Desire to ob- tain Further Delay to Complete Preparations for the Ex-
 pected Conflict.

London. January 9.--The shadow of the far eastern situation during the past week has fallen darker on London than on other European capitals. The feeling here reflected from London newspapers has been decidedly pessimistic, due prob ably to the mass of reports ftom all quar- ters of the globe. mostly conflicting, re- garding the nature of Russia's reply. and the war-like movements and preparations of Japan and Russia.
 Diplomatic and official circles have been extremely cautious in their utterances, but from fragmentary expressions escap- ing from Downing street and the em- bassies, it is apparent that this pessimism is shared In best-informed circles.
 It has been a week of suspense.
 Monday It was officially known from St. Petersburg that the ong-expected Russian reply had been dispatched to Tokio, but as the week passed without the nature of the answer becoming public, London began to believe the worst.
 The stock exchange relapsed into a dis tressing state of apathy. Consols made a fresh low record, but closed the week a shade above the worst Meanwhile. continental sources have continued calm, if not optimistic. Paris throughout the week remained buyer of glt-edged securities Friday night the war scare reached the climax when the papers declared that war was inevitable. When it became known today that the Russian reply was at least sure of fur ther rejoinder from Japan, London began to share the more confident view of Euro pean capitals that war was not immedi- atey to be declared and that 1t was not inevitable
 A significant remnrk indicating that no very Rbeeds progress would be made in the fifsnre nsrotiatione was that D, Bar on Htyashi. 1ae ia, ,Aiese minister to Great BIieaIh, leilef T,an intefglew, said:
 "The suspense is now over, as far as Japan Is concerned. It is now Russia's turn to walt"
 War Preparation Continue.
 London, January 9.--A Pekin dispatch to Reuters Telegram company says;
 According to trustworthy diplomatic information received here, the Russian reply though eonciliatory in tone Is un- satisfactory In substance" Japan it Is further stated from the same source. desires to obtain further delay in order to complete her prepara- tions. and will therefore continue the negotiations The preparations for war before spring will continue in haste.
 No Decisive Action Vet.
 Vienna, January 9.-The reports that the Russian answer Is of such a nature that some time must elapse before any decisive action Is taken are apparently borne out by the information received in diplomatic circles here. The reply Is sad to raise new questions which will re- f1~ .ci1 1ara The Japanese military attache here has been directed to return to Japan inn mediately.
 Suggestion Is Premature. St. Petersburg January 9.--The sug- gestion of the intervention of other pow CTS in the far eastern situation Is re- garded as premature in diplomatic cir | cles here. It Is not considered seriously and 1t is pointed out the Russo-Japanese | negotiations are broken off. | The opinion here is that any proposition | of intervention will be useless and prob- | ably harmful. The foreign office thinks that the only possibility in this connec- ton would be the attempt of the western powers to impress on Japan the serious | consequences of war, 1t Is added, for it's part the Russian government does not ! need advice.
 | No Excitement in Toklo. l Tokio, January 9.--Despite the general 1 impatience. there is no excitement here. 1 Sazeho. twenty-seven miles from Naga- saki, is full of officers and their families and friends who are bidding them fare- l well.
 The suggestion contained in dispatch 1 from Berlin of the possible position of
 Korea between Japan and Russia meets l with no acceptance here 1 The Japanese officials regard 1t as fur
 ther evidence of German support of l Russia.
 | nAMr pCNEMEp ADpNINrEn