The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-25
ASKS YANKEES TO
HELP STOP FLEET
Great Britain Makes Informal
Suggestion Of Joint Action
Against Gear.
WOULD HALT BALTIC
SQUADRON IN COURSE
Support by Another Neutral Pow
or All That England
~. Wants.
New York Sun Special Service.

Kew York Sun Special Service.
Washington, Oct 25.-The firing on q
British TRAVELLING fleet by the second Rus
sian BALTIC squadron may develop into
regarded as probable. The affair was
officially brought before the state de-
partment by report from w. G. Hamm,
consul at Hull, in which he confirmed
the press dispatches and told Of the in
tense excitement in England.
Later there was an unofficial inquiry
from the British government as to the
American view Of the case and an in
formal suggestion for joint action under
certain conditions.
The British government considers that
1t is a question for the nations to de-
eide whether in the interests of neutral
commerce and to prevent a possibility
of further slaughter Of neutrals, it is
not advisable for the powers to stop the
progress. of the Baltic fleet on account
or It's Encouragement and the incompe-
tence and panicstricken condition of its
off1cers. 1t is not certain, according
to the information in Washington, that
even prompt apology from Russia
with full reparation and promise that
the incident will not be repeated will
change this view of the case, for the
British government is thoroly aroused to
the danger Of a continuance of such stu
p1d1ty as was displayed by the Russians
in the North Sea.
There is every indication that if Eng
land was assured Of the support Of other
neutral powers, she would hold the Rus
sian fleet up either at Gibraltar or at
the entrance of the Suez canal, and COM
pei 1T to return to Russian waters, where
It would be out Of the way Of doing
further harm.
Doubt AS to Answer.
This is the feature of the affair which
10 hpInO si6ara1 Nv oh rI,,, NJ
officials: They believe that the ques-
up. by England is likely soon to be
raised officially, and they are in doubt
as to Just what answer to give. They
could possibly drag this country into the
dispute or which could be interpreted by
Russia as an unfriendly act, but they
would like to find way Of expressing
their disapproval of the Russian way Of
doing things.
That the Russian sailors acted like
drunken rowdies is the belief of the
state department officials. They con-
slider that no neutral vessel is safe so
long as the Baltic fleet is roaming the
seas and that an American ship may
be the next one to be fred on At the
same time this danger is 50 remote that
they are opposed to any drastic action
by this government; yet they do not
feel that If they are called on for a
plain statement Of the American posi-
ton they can remain silent while neu-
trail commerce is endangered by a fleet
that appears to be running amuck.
Secretary Hay Worried.
Secretary Hay is worried by the fear
that the incident will take a very Sc
rious turn, and depressed by the danger
that all of his efforts to localize the
war will go for naught. If there is
good ground for the Russian fear that
the fleet will be intercepted by Japan
csc SUI bmarines or torpedoboats long be-
fore it reaches it's destination, with
fighting far outside Of the zone to which
it was agreed to confne hostilities,
there is no telling where the spread Of
the war will end, in the opinion of Mr..
Hay.
Under the conditions which have re-
suited from the North Sea episode Mr..
Hay does not regard general Euro
pean war as nearly 50 much an impos-
sibility as he did before. If England
assumes an attitude of open hostility
to Russia the car would Immediately
call on France to join forces with Rus
STA under the terms of their offensive
and defensive treaty. This probably
would drag Germany into the conflict,
for there seems to be secret under
standing between the czar and the
kaiser that ia very cOmDleta