The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-27
Adventurous Americans Took
Desperate Chances for
Big Profits.
SHIP PAID FOR IN ONE VENTURE
Thrilling Narrative BY An Ameri-
ca,1 ii Side Of the War Never
Before Published.

was loadstonc enough to attract nutneI' :
Gus adventurous spirits to the Orient.
some for the excitement of actual war
fare in the hope Of attaching themselves
to either one or other bciecront's forces;
others to chase the ninblc dollar bS sup
plying the contestants with the sinewS
Of war In the shape OF commlssarat sup
blies, etc. this class going under the
name OF contrabandists or blockade run
ners. There were others, those with
money 10 spend, who went there just Tor
the sake Of breathing the sanBulharS
atmosphere of warfare
or the foregoing three classes the for
mer and the latter were badly LETT
whilst the intermediate parties reapea
glorious golden harvest. Those nspir.
ing TO military fame under the nag OF
the rising sun were politely told whcn
offering their services that no foreigners
we're required. Japan had men ana 10
spare, and intended fighting her own bat.
ties, whatever the outcome; IN lact, ah
foreigners holding commissions IN either
the naval or military forces Of the Mlkaao
were retired Mt the commencement ol
hostlltics. Those individuals who Went
out to "scc the fun were not allowed
within sound of the big guns, mitch less
within smell Of powder; there was no
room for them.
During the early stages Of the war,
when Port Arthur was already beleas
ucrcd BY land and sea, but still with
lardcr full of good things and loud!!
Boosting she could hold out for years.
there was no particular use LOT CONF,
handlers. but later on. when the RuSSlan
forces were still occupying NewchwanS,
there was quite flutter In shipping
circles In Shanghai. The brothers S.,
4 Of Cuban ante belum fame, were Inc
first TO put in an appearance, hosting
their single in one of Shanghnfs most
4 prominent thoroughfares, being the first
in the field, and having a certain repu-
tation in the trade they were able TO
catch the Russian eye. custom ana c,s.'
Their first operation, which, by the pye'
was done quite off their own bat, was
az Ia to he so successful that 1t paid the
price Of the ship and left $4,000 (MeHi-
CAM profit to boot. In the operations
they carried on later they stood 10 lose
nothing, cargo delivered orN captured,
but we're paid on a percentage basis lor
safe delivery by the Russian authorlties.
There was also good margin or prol't
between seller and shipper Tor saa 10
relate, the Russians were most unmer-
rifully squeezed on all sides, and seemed
to care little what price was paid, pro
vided they got the goods,
The reader may now begin to wonder
wEsn the title OF this article Is going lt
be testified bear with me little ent
you'll strike oil. Talking of oil 1t wa
towards the end of June, 1904. or the be
ginning of July that runlors floated dow
to the London of the far East that kere-
sene was scarce in Vadivostock, and II
was the writer's fortune to come
across one of the Russian agents
being shipping clerk to large cor
poration handling that commodity at
the time An offer was made to
ship 2000oO cases to VadivostocE
nj 'Tls 3.75 per Sc, the offer did not STAT
what brand of oil and at the time there
was plenty of Russian IN port that couit
be purcha sed for It's. 1& per case, les
five per cent. for cash. There was plcntj
OF tonnage in port to undertake. such a
trips rates were high, but even ALLOWING
for that and insurance there was a cleal
profit of Ills. 10000 to be had on the
deal, and the whole business could HAYS
been concluded in month ut the outside.
There was no one, however. to finance
The deal and 1t went elsewhere, ant
consequently my contemplated rise 10 th'
rank of the gold bugs was knocked Or
the head.
"A tail is worth one and third dol
lars Mexlctl. y
From nov on the contraband trad,
grew fast and furious In Shanghai AMI i
became necessary for the Japanese Il
keep their eyes skinned for ships Of {
doubtful character leaving port. There
were numerous individuals entering til,
lucrative business. and the bulk Of them
Americans.
There were numerous captures made
the ships clearing for any and ever,
destination, except the port they wanted
to reach. The japanese system of rs
pionagc gradually unfolded before m,
eyes, and 1t became evident that 4 S!ecl
eyed Oriental who sat opposite mo Il
table in the same boarding house. wa
nightly interested in shipping ana no
altogether from il disintcrcstci point o
view. asking pertinent questions aneut tn
movement of ships their carcoes, etc
The house alluded to was ore !arHel
patronzed by officers OF the mcrcantil
marine and crumbs Of information wcr
readily picked up at meas.
About the time the Askhod ant
Grosvol made their memorable trip from
Port Arthur and brought up in Shanghai
much the worse for wear, the former
with jagged hole just above the water
line that a coach and four could be cas-
tly driven through, there We're several
vessels in harbor ready loaded for an un.
known destination. and this trade was
carried on intcrmittently until tho fall
W W ' NV Nlitil tHS DotlOln dropped
right out of the trade, for the Jars had
plenty OF war ships available to keep II
close watch on vessels of Il suspicious
character, The trade, however, took
new lease of life with the App zach OF
the Baltic fleet and the local shippin!
companies were able TO dispose of the
worn out and Obsolete ships ut prices
which would allow them to be replaced
with new and up-to-date vessels
was now. from pf lara
paper, the writer was able 10 ne Of ma
terial use to the Japanese and given
commission TO furnish them with certain
Information, and what was done VIII holc
over 10 a future date,
Undoubtedly ono OF Japan's chic
aims from April mp to the time of tn
big sea fight which decided tho fate o
the Russian Armada on May 9th an,
2sth, was 10 keep Admiral Rojestvensk
from replenishing his stock Of coal an,
fresh water, to say nothing OF edlbl
supplies in fact The objec, TO be strive
for was to keep the fleet In as low
state of efficiency as possible ii grad