Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-01-24
BRITAIN
ACCUSES
RUSSIA
Both Sides Of the North Sea
EpisOde Presented Before
Regular Commission

The international commission
' poipted to inquire into the North :
: incident has begun its sessions IN
state dining room of the d'0rsay r
ace lrareign Ofice), which is eonstal
9 v crowded with high officials, DIP
, lmats and representatives Of the navi
5 Of the principal maritime powers
= Guiding several staff officers OF u
Japanese army Several members
, ltbe staff Of the Japanese legation we
. among the diplomats present. A lars
force of British counsel and advise
was at the right of the court Bare
Taube. the Russian judicial adviser
land other Russians are in attendanc
Hugh O'Beirne, of the British en-
Ibassv agent Of Great Britain befor
the international commission, read IN
charges, which consisted Of II speclh
leations, minutely setting forth the at
Itaek on the Hull fishing feet. 1t wa
specifically charged that no Japanes'
torpedo. boats and no warships whatev
Ter were among the fishing fleet, and
that no Japanese warships were any
where in the North Sea.
Baron Taube read the Russian reply,
which specifically declared that two
strange boats approached the Russian
squadron. which boats the search
lights disclosed to be torpedo boats,
moving off and later disappearing. The
Russian statement asserted that Ad-
miral Rojestvensky was absolutely
obliged to act as he did, in order to de-
stroy the torpedo boats, which had at
tackled his squadron.
Case for Great Britain.
The principal charges of the British
statement follow:
On the night in question there were
not any warships whatever in the
of the fishing fleet, except
those of the Russian navy.
No warships had been seen by the
fishing feet since a long time previous.
None of the boats making up the
fishing fleet carried any kind of materi.
al Of war.
No japanese warship of any kind
whatever was at that moment in the
North Sea.
There were not any japanese upon
the fishing boats.
The Russian FIRE continued after their
searehlights clearly showed the vessels
were peaceful fishing boats.
None Of the Russian ships gave or
even offered assistance.
The fire killed two men, wounded six
sank one boat, and damaged five 9th.
erS
The statement concludes that the at.
tack was without any provocation upon
pacific fishing boats pursuing their us.
nal and rightful vocation.
Russian Version Of Affair.
Following are the principal points of
.he Russian reply:
At about midnight the flagship Kniaz
saw the outlines of two small !
'oats which approached with all lights
'zt'aguished directly toward the bat
leship.
When the two suspicious boats came
within range OF the Russian search.
shts they were recognized az torno.
10 boats Thereupon the battIesbi,
pened Ere.
Thereafter number Of small fishing
oats not showing the required lights !
.'i' observed. Precautionary meas.
'e' were adopted. Nevertheless there
A' ''roag feeling Of danger uro,
be ps''ieships aud the imperi5us an.
OK protecting themselves against the
''Aek Of torpedo boats Obliged a e,,.
aua'''a Of the fire. despite the e,i. /.
a' RISKS Of hitting not only the ash. :
* eoa's but also the ,hips of N. q:
i''a'oa itself which had arrived
'ia'a the zone Of Gre.
Ia me meantime ,hstnotorpedobo,t,
e~ oa a-i shortly after diIppss,.l
''''as that some Of tie asbing bo,,, :
ere damaged ys, being se,tai, ,b,tl'
'A's'' from 'hs tr, ,ar7slo b,,,,
F'-'.t'y others was DO, ,our-s,sl,
Aa'e1 Admiral Rojs,,vs-.E[ w..
''e' " Indispensable for he e.,,,.
''r'a o. ,altiuas .,s route v',t''.
ngF.Hg "'-'u'
''a. A7isstvesky. while t.t...
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h'-srusa SUBJECT. II
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