Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

Singapore, April 10. The latest
, Information in regard to the Russian
squadron, commanded by Rear Admiral
NEnquist, which passed here Saturday
hafternoon. was brought here today by
British steamer which sighted the
, Russian ships twenty miles northeast
Of Manki, in the Anambas group Of is
lands, and about $50 miles northeast
of Singapore The Russians were at
anchor when the steamer passed them.
4, Japs Near Saigon.
Information has also been received
here to the effect that four warships
apparently Japanese, were off Cape St.
James, near Saigon, April Z.
Another Squadron Sighted.
Amsterdam, April 10. - A dispatch
from Batavia, Island of Java, says a
Russian squadron Is near Muntok and
that it is expected to arrive at Ba-
,tavia today.
May Be Dutch Ships.
M Weltevreden, Island Of Java, April
10-It is now reported that the sup
posed Russian warships sighted off
Muntok are really ships Of the Dutch
squadron which has left its anchorage
under secret orders AMI is now steam
ing northward.
Singapore, Straits Settlement, April
10. - Vice Admiral Rojestvensky' s
heaviest fighting ships it is now de
clared, were not with the fleet that
passed Singapore Saturday and their
whereabouts is totally unknown.
\ The missing ships are the battleships
I Kniaz Souvaroff, Alexander H., Boro-
din and Orel, with their complement of
cruisers and torpedo boat destroyers.
Tog Between Two Fires.
i st. Petersburg, April 10. - There is
reason to believe that Vice Admiral
Rojestvensky's entrance into the China
sea has been followed by orders for
the cruisers Gromoboi, Rossia and
Bogatyr, which have been ready for
some time at Vladivostok, to put to
sea- Whether it is the intention to
send them south Immediately or to
hold them in the vicinity of Vladivos.
tok is not known. Their appearance
outside the roadstead of Vladivostok
would constitute a potential threat
against Admiral Togo's rear, which
will compel the retention in or dis
patch Of a number of heavy fighting
ships to Japanese waters. Thus Ad
lmiral Togo seems to be virtually
placed between two fires.
/, Time for Peace Overtures.
The peace influences in the govern
Sment urge that this favorable strate
gic position presents the psychological
moment for offering officially the olive
branch to Japan, reasoning that nc
Y matter how confident the Japanese
I government may be Of Togos victory il
R cannot overlook the possibility of de
feat nor fail to appreciate the complete
diaster which would follow the trans
fer of the mastery of the sea to Russia
With SO much depending upon the
issue, they argue, both countries have
mutual interests in avoiding an ac
! therefore, that new move in the di
rection of peace may come just as the
! world expects to hear the call to quar-
| ters for the greatest naval battle Of
! modern times.
Certainly the spirits of the wal
/ party have been greatly raised by Ro
jestvensky's success in penetrating te
the China sea; and the prospect of 6
udNdi DdlIle, GfSu WlIn the ODDS
[ against Russian victory which would
change the entire complexion of the
situation has aroused something like
flash OF enthusiasm in many Russian
breasts.
May Wait for Nebosatoff.
Some naval officers express the opin
ion that Rojestvensky. having now
safely navigated the straits. instead al
sailing north to meet the Japanese, car
afford to calmly await Vice Admiral Ne
!. bogatoff, with his division of the squad
4 ron. who could arrive there in about
= three weeks.
The Russian admiralty on Sunda,
received a long dispatch from Singa
pore, but no intimation as to it's con
tents aas been given to the newspa
pers.
The papers Sunday morning printed
Singapore dispatches without com
ment, the Syiet being the only excep
. 5se