The San Francisco call., 1904-02-22
KING EDWARD STANDS
READY TO OFFER HIS
MEDIATION FOR PEACE

PARIS. Feb. 22.-The Petit Paris
ienne's London correspondent says
that during an interview preceding the
departure from London for St. Peters
burg yesterday of Count Bencken-
dOrff. the Russian ambassador, Lord
Lansdowne, the British Foreign Min
ister, intimates to him that King Ed
ward was willing to offer. his media
ton in the war in the Far East if the
Gar thought he could accept it.
In a dispatch from Harbin the cor
/ respondent of the Matin says General
Velkoff. who is on guard on the Mon
golia line, has arrived there with Gen
eral Dasielevsky of the engineer corps.
Half of the Japanese fleet, the cores
pondent also says is covering the
landing Of troops in Korea and the
other half is seeking the Vladivostok
squadron.
The Echo de Paris St. Petersburg
correspondent says, with regard to
rumors in circulation that the ap-
pointment of General Kuropatkin to
the command Of the Russian army in
Manchuria meant that Viceroy Alex
Acll WAS lOSllS ldNOI, lndl the
is as follows:
When the war broke out the Car
asked Viceroy Alexieff whether he
/ deemed it necessary to send a general
to command the troops, and if so whom
he preferred. The Viceroy replied that
: he considered it necessary to have a
chief commander of the land troops, but
that ne had no preference as to who
/ should be selected. The Car thereupon
asked him whether General Kuropatkin
would be agreeable and the. admiral
! replied, Absolutely; but 1 beg your
Majesty TO discharge me from all re-
! sponsibility for the land operations,
4 leaving these to General Kuropatkin' -
Alexieff retains the viceroyship, hut
! General Kuropatkin is empowered to
communicate directly with the Gar
I While France has acceded to the
] British proposal for the extension of
neutrality by China to all points in
China leased by powers save those oc-
cupied by Russia, the Foreign Office
says that such action in no wise i'm
pairs the rights of the powers under
! their leases. The question has been
brought up that the British proposal
tending to reafirm Chinese sovereignty
! over the points occupied, as well as to
/ foreign municipalities, but the view OF
/ the French authorities is that there is
no change in the status of these terrific
ries in consequence of the extension Of
Chinese neutrality to them.
| Gil Bias affirms that at the last min
isterial council it was decided definite
4 ly to put off President Loubet's visit to
/ Italy. but the reason for the postpone
j ment has not been announced. Foreign
Minister Delcasse informed President
Loubet and his colleagues that the
Russian army operations would not
begin seriously before April and it is
considered impossible that the Presi-
dent shall take part in the fetes which
viii attend his visit, while the ally OF
France is engaged in desperate strug-
! gle.
MARSEILLES, Feb. 21.@The French
! steamship Selasie sailed from here to-
day, carrying troops and supplies. Her
destination is Tonquin, Indo-China
The Government has also chartered the
French steamship Adour for the same
purpose.
L'ORIENT, France, Feb. 21.-Fifty
sailors now on leave here, destined foI
the Far East, have been recruited
They win sail on February 25 instead
of on March 6 as at first contemplated
BREST. France, Feb. 21.-The prep
aration of the cruiser d'Assas and the
torpedo-boat destroyers Javelin and
Pistolet is being urgently proceeded
with The instructions of the Minister
OF the Navv TO the commanders of the
vessels have been received here