New-York tribune., 1905-04-17

MINOR ACTTON POSSIBLE.
Iapan's Defence Zones ShO7C JT-heTe
Engagement Is Expected.

Hong Kong. April 16-The steamer Teis-n-
achus reports that she heard h-ine 1sO mics
north OF the Natuna Islands az 3:2O oeIock on
the afternoon Of April II.
Toxic. April 16-The Navy Department has
proclaimed defence zones surrounding the Pesca-
dores. the island Of Ol5inawa. in the Loo-Choo
(Iiu-Kiu group. and the islands of Oshiua ard
Emf. of the province % OsumL The usual navt-
cation restrictions apply.
On account OF the presence Of The Russian
Baltic feet in Pacific waters, the japanese
steamship lines operating between Japan and
America are planning temporarily to suspend
transDacihc operations II is expected also
that the FormOsan steamship lines will discon-
tinue running steamers until all danger Of seiz-
ure by Russian warships is past.
Singapore. April 16.-The North German
Lloyd steamship Prinz Heinrich reports that she
sighted at noon on April Il eighteen vessels OF
the Russian Baltic feet in Kamranh Bay. IN
Cochin China. about two hundred miles north
east Of Saigon. The steamer did not sight any
japanese warships-
The seven Dutch cruisers now ar RhIo WIN r.
turn TO Batavia on Monday.
London April 17.-Thers is as yet no nsxs of 8
naval battle in the Far East OF oS the posst1ors
Of the rival heets. The Hong Kong corrsspon-
dent OF The Daily NaIF' sends a rurnor or a
small engagement. but there Is no confirmation
OF this report
Details regarding ths Russian ships IN Kan
ranh Bay. Cochin China. are too r1saxrs TO -
instructive. According to "EThs Daily Mauxs
Singapore correspondent. the Prinz HeIn-ioh
i've battleships and six cruisers IN the bay bus
the dispatches to other OF the London morning
newspapers are not so precise. ~Ths Daily
TelegraDh's'' Singapore correspondent merely
ports eighteen vessels" and adds that ths cac-
tain Of the Pripz Heinrich says that possibly
more warships were inside the harhor. baze tha-
they were invisible from the ofang.
The presence Of the Russian squadron or tbs
AMMAN coast Is raising kesn interest hsra IN
view OF the possibility OF fnfringsnsnt o.
Chinese neutrality and Of the Hkzlihood OF Ro-
jestvensky having had to split his squadron
The Morning Posts " correspondent az shaug-
hal telegraphs that China has instructed this
Governors Of the southern provinces 20 main
tain strict neutrality in view OF the possibility
Of Russian ships taking shelter there.
St. Petersburg. April 17.-There Is no lnforua-
ton from VIce-Admiral Rojestvenskys squad
ron. but the Admiralty would not be surprised
to hear OF skirmishing between scoutships to-
day or tomorrow, and the opening OF torpedo
boat warfare soon is not unexpected The naval
taken completely by surprise when Roiestvensky
suddenly appeared at the entrance Of the Chinrs
Sea, and is now concentrating his widely scat
tered feet near the Pescadores. where IL Is bs-
lieved sea fight viii probably take place.
The firing north Of the Natuna Islands may
have been due to a torpedo attack by the Japan
ese. though It seems more probable that such an
action would be fought at night
The LOo-Choo. or Liu-FZiu. Islands. which
Japan has included in her zones Of defence.
form archipelago. running from F'ormosa n
Van Dtemen Strait. at the southern extremity
of japan. The stoppage OF traffic in this regior
and the preparations to cease the transpaciGc
service seem to show that the japanese Navy
Department expects the Russian admiral to pass
eastward Of FoTmosa and TO lay his course
northward of the eastern coast OF Japan
Recent reports Of the position OF the Russian
feet make it probable that the vessels sighted
on the coast OF Cochin China were Golfers