The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-04
FIRST PASSED AS FRENCH.
May Have Forfeited the Right
to Considerate Treatment.

May Have Been vlol.ted-ZAA Glaps
show the Marks Of F1ghtan9 an0 9AHs
Are Many Wounded ON Boazd-CsulD9
zemtchus Wam's Sunk AMI An.
WASHINGTON, Juno A-A nsw md autsr-
esting phase Of the naval bsttls n che
Corean Straits which immediately onoegns
the Government Of the United 6tates has
arisen through the presence at Mknila Of
three Russian warships that had escaped
the terrible destruction inflicted By the
guns of the Japanese fleet under Admirsl
Togo.
In connection with tho arrival At th0s
Russian ships at an American port, tho
Government at Warrington h not only oor-
fronted with the embarrassment It dsesr.
mining what shall 30 dons with them, but
with a serious and much moro far reaching
question involved In the suspicion that the
commander Of tho Russians attempted .
grave violation Of international Law.
The problem which the Administration
may have to determine isnot merely whsthsr
these Russian vessels shall Be subjected TO
tnternment until tho end of Tho varH thsy
do not choose to depart from Manila w4thcuh
delay, but whethsr they have forsslsd H.
right to such oousidMsts trsatxnsn6 ~ ths
alleged violation meutinned
| Tho Navy Department. to-dsf tsosavsd
. daspaAcA; or dsspatchss, Cd, ths Suh5scs
from Rear Admiral TrainJ TIA ooaumsni8s1
! Of tho American naval forces an ths Astsfio
station. part Of which ware zuads puhaic.
Tho information which was suppreaaad =
much tho more interesting.
According to tho odaoial sdvideA Aun
Manila, three war vessels put into tie bar.
Dor Of sual, town In the provinoeoe Ping
asinan, Luzon. situated about IL uailss
from Manila, and an officer who came
ashore represented that they were French
vessels.
The officer said that be wished to'bs
directed to q telegraph Office. Il was OBJ"
served. however, that the days which the
vessels were flying were not tho well Known
trioolor Of France, but nobody at 6ual
was able to say what nationality they IN.
dicated.
Suspicion was caused by this niTcum-
stance and the Governor Of tho provinces
was informed. he Immediately tAle-
graphed the authorities at Manila apd - q
result Admiral Train was notified and
started out with q squadron in tho dlrect3oa
Of Sual. That part of Admiral TfainA
telegram which was made public tells chs
rest Of the story.
While cruising of Ldngayen Cult ennount.
cred three Russian cruisers close In shors.
Aurora. flagship Of Rear Admiral EhQmst;
Oleg and Zemtnhug, all more or Les dam
aged and many wounded. Accompanied
them to Manila. Further particulars 10.
morrow
Soon after the receipt Of the advioes
concerning the Russian cruisers, Secretary
Of the Navy Morton had oonferenoe With
the President on the subject and tnstruc.
lions were sent to Admiral Train to send .
full report without delay. This rsport n
expected tomorrow.
The question upon which tho Govarn.
rnent ia anxious to obtain details Ii WHISTLER
an attempt was made by the Russians
TO conceal their nationality at Sual In order
to obtain privileges which cannot properly
be allowed by a neutral nation to the VS.
sells of a nation engaged in war. Should
it appear that 1t was for the purpose Of e.
curing coal and other supplies under the
assertion that the vessels were French,
the United States Government may feel
compelled to treat the matter as q serious
breach of international law and Observance.
This position may be regarded as abso-
lutely necessary. particularly on account
of the criticism to which the French Gov.
eminent was subjected for apparently
making no effort to prevent Admiral Ro-
jestvensky's Baltic fleet from coaling In the
territorial waters Of the French posses.
sons in China. What action the United
States Government would feel justified
in taking in these circumstances has not
appeared, 90. So. .
Lngayen Gull. upon which Sual is locstAd
and where the Russian squadron was %.
oountered by the squadron under COM.
mand Of Rear Admiral Train. Is between
POO and 100 miles from tha Co11sn
Straits, and for injured vessels tbs Aurpea,-
the oleg and the Zemtchug made prstty
good time In covering the distanos IN ths
seven days since they fed to escape ~
Japanese.
WIS became q ths AurueA-a6se-aAs