Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-03-10

I
to replenish its coal supplies. The
fleets OF Admirals Uriu and Togo and
may be destroyed or captured.
| LONDON. March s.--A report from
| Paris says the Japanese made another
| attempt to block the entrance to Port
Arthur by sinking coasting ships. No
details.
1 LONDON. March Information
comes from various sources that the
| czar Is anxious to have the powers
| mediate In the far East. and reference
of the whole matter to This Hague tri.
bunal is suggested. The bennington
Post today says Russia. in order to
gain the good will of certain powers.
Is prepared to make concessions in
Manchnria not dreamed OF before hos
tilities commenced"
WASHINGTON. March s.-The Rus
sian ambassador has received n copy
of the report made by Payloif, the Rus,
sian minister the japanese drove from
Seoul. regarding the destruction OF the
Variag and Koreitz. Pavloff AYERS
that the forward turrct OF the Japan
ese cruiser Asama was smashed aud
that he positively nscertained that the
cruiser Tsukashi foundered after the
battle.
ST. PETERSBURG. March s--The
report that the japanese undertook
second bombardment of Vlndiyostok is
not true. The fleet merely maneuver.
ed The object of Japan's northern
campaign is believed to be the seizure
of the Saghalien islands. whose fish
cries are very important to Japan.
BERLIN. March s.--Appalling suf
fering is reported among some 5000
refugees from Port Arthur, Vlndvos-
tok and along the Siberian railway
The refugees are mostly women and
children and have been slde-tracked
for days at time In a bleak country
without food or warmth while the
troop trains pass.
TOXIC, March s.-A high Japanese
official was asked point blank how
long the war would last, and he re.
piled:
we expect peace within six months
but our plans are made for TWO
years struggle. Japan will never con
cede defeat. The actual conquest OF
every one of our 1000 islands will be
necessary for Russian victory
While we believe peace may come
when we drive the czar's soldiers off
the Lao Tung peninsula and from
Manchnrla and have destroyed and
| captured his fleets, the czar may still
| continue his forlorn hope This war
is not being waged In passion on our
| part, but is struggle for existence"
WASHINGTON, March s.-mem-
bers of the Washington government
| are much amused at the comments Of
the st. Petersburg newspapers cabled
| over TO the Bourse Gazette and the
Noyoe Vremya congratulating the
+, United States and Russia upon the
| return of the American government to
a policy Of neutrality. The st. Peters
burg editors wholly mlsunderstand
the situation in Washington. There
has been no change In the policy OF
this government one way or the other
1t has had no other policy than that
of strict neutrality from the begin
ming. 1t has said not one word nor
committed any act In violation OF the
most scrupulous observance of neu
trallty. AS a government, officially
the United States is no more In favor
OF Japan than of Russia, and this at
titude It will not depart from,
The only thing our government has
done is to take the lead, upon the sug
gestion of Germany, in securing an
agreement which saves China. Man
churia excepted. from being made the
theater of war and which looks to tn,
preservation of Chinese territory in
tact after the war Is over. That this
cannot be regarded as hostile to Rus
sia or in favor of Japan Is shown By
the fact that Russia herself hns agreed
to the principle, somewhat reluctantly
1t is true, but still she has agreed. Ii
1t Is inlmical to Russian interests Il
take step toward the preservation oi
China from spoIlatlon, then Germany
and the other powers are equally gull
ty with the United States. Besides
If that is true, then the leading na
tions of the world probably will unite
in the opinion that 1t Is high time they
were taking that very action. If Rus
sa had no designs upon China. theI
the movement should be as welcome
at st. Petersburg as at Toxic.
In point of fact. so far as the att
tude or action of the American govern
ment is concerned, the Russians hay'
not at any time had Just cause Of com
plant. They foolishly permitte'
themselves to become very much ex
cited when they discovered that pub
lie sentiment In the United States wa
very largely on the side OF Japan
They were unable to dlffercntlate be
tween popular sympathy and govern
ment attitude, whereas they are no
In such case the same thing at all
1t is true that as individuals nearl
all the leading men OF the American
government. both In the ioglslatiy
and executive branches, are wishin
for japanese success. But there is n
sentiment In congress or In the at
ministration here favoring any deparl
ure whatever from the most punctil
GUS course OF neutrality. Indeed, a