The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-08
CHECK TO RUSSIA
Sultan Refuses to Allow the
Black Sea Fleet
To Pass the DardaneIles With
out Paying Big Price.
ENGLAND BEARS DOWN
No Encouragement Found at
Any European Capital.
Squadron Would Not Come Out
Now If 1t Could.

Berlin, March S.-The porte has thus
far met the requests of the Russian
ambassador to Turkey. NJ. Zioneff, to
permit the Black sea fleet to pass the
Dardanelles by naming conditions
wholly unacceptable to Russia One of
these conditions naturally Is that Rus
sia shall break off or evade the full
fillment of her agreements with Aus
tria respecting the Balkans, giving the
sultan leave to settle the controversy
by his own methods, and assist Turkey
should Austria or other powers dispute
the sultans decisions. Russia rejected
these proposals as preposterous, but
she renewed her request, to which
there seems little likelihood of the sui
tan yielding, as British diplomacy is
active at Constantinople in urging on
the porte a strict observance of the
Berlin treaty.
France SO far as can be perceived
here, has not suconded Russia in this
matter. Such step as permitting the
Black sea fleet to pass the Dardanelles
would be regarded automatically as a
breach OF neutrality on the part of
turkey, though Great Britain's opposi-
ton to it being aimed at the mainte-
nance of the status quo is not so con-
s1dered. Russia's diplomatic weight at
Constantinople has been somewhat re-
duced by the occurrences in the far
east. The porte Will give nothing with
out heavy price. Germany expresses
no opinion on the subject
The most that Germany will do in
! the presence of a bargain between Rus
sia and Turkey for the release of the
Black sea fleet would be to maintain
silence, neither advising or assisting
either party. The government here is
. looking ahead. 1t can conceive of
time when it will be to Germany's ad-
vantage to have a portion of the Rus
siaE navy locked up. Austria and
Italy are not moving at Constantinople
where all powers, except Russia and
Great Britain are quiescent.
I Russia would not use the Dardanelles
/ now if sho could in the opinion of ex-
/ is not ready for q far eastern cam
paign and if it were ready. Russia
would wait until her Baltic fleet is
thoroughly equipped 1t is believed that
Russia could not hope for a decisive
naval success without the Baltic, Black
sea and NJ Mediterranean squadrons unit
ing and proceeding east together as
otherwise they would be destroyed
piecemeal.
DIDN'T FIRE A GUN.
St Petersburg, March 8.-There is no
truth in the reports that the Japanese
! fleet bombarded Vladivostok all day
/ long yesterday. According to the latest
information the fleet simply showed it
self and sailed away without firing a
gun. One reason for the appearance of
the Japanese in northern waters ad-
vanced here is their probable desire to
regain possession of the island of
| Sakhalien. which was ceded to Russia
! by Japan 1t is pointed out that the
whole of noT thern Japan will be threat
ened with famine If the food supply de-
rived from the island of Sakhalien fish,
cries is cut off. Nine-tenths of the ex-
ports go to Japan, in addition to which
! Japanese boats have been carrying on
piratical fishing along the coast, which
1 has exhausted the fish supply of the
Amur Estuary. The native tripes
| there are suffering from hunger and
typhus. The Russian government will
! prepare a gunbOat fiOtilla on the
Amur to provide protection to the fish
cries as soon as the river is free from
! ice.
The wife of Admiral Stark. the former
! commander of the Russia fleet at Port
| Arthur has returned here from Port
Arthur. She is very indignant and de-
MES the report that the admiral and his
officers were ashore attending a ball at
the time the japanese attacked the Rus
sian squadron. Madame Stark declared
her husband did not pass the night
ashore after he took command of the
squadron On the night of the attack
February s, all the officers and crews
were on board at o'clock in the after
noon and at s o'clock at night the ad-
niral held a council of war on board the
flagship instead of opening ball ii
honor of his wife's birthday.
This was followed by a sham Japa-
nese attack at II o'clock that night
confirming in this respect the Asso-
ciated Press account of the attack as
cabled March g. On the day of the bonn
bardment a shell exploded over the
head Of Nine. Stark's daughter, but did
not injure her.
About 10000 tribesmen inhabiting the
trans -Baikel territory have petitioned
~. o,iva fO hn q TO on
tinue their tribal relations and not be
placed under the Russian administra-
tive system, with the alternative oi
permission to migrate to Mongolia
The czar telegraphed declining to grant
the tribesmen'S request.
Count Orloff Dashoff has given an.
other 100000 toward the fund being
raised to strengthen the navy.
JAPANESE MOBILIZATION.
Shanghai, March S.-The mobilization
of Japanese troops proceeds regularly
but much slower than expected. On
; landing in Korea and Manchuria the
japanese forces will be divided int
: four armies. The. points of concentra
tion selected by the Japanese genera
! staff are not yet known
ITO WILL VISIT KOREA.
: Toxic. March 8.-The Marquis Ito i
going to Korea on special mission TO
the emperor, the purpose OF the tri
, not being understood here by those out
side of high official circles Marquis 1t
, will carry an autograph letter from tn
4 mikado to the emperor OF Korea. ii
will depart on the 18th instant and vii
be absent about three weeks.
Count Tsuzulxo, secretary of the priv.
council. General Usagawa, Admira
: Sakamoto and Viscount Higashizo vii
: accompany the marquis on his trip.
5 NO ALARM AT VLADIVOSTOK.
t Vladivostok. March S.-Despite the ap
r pearance of the japanese fleet off tn
harbor Yesterday and the boTnbardmen