Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-05
TRIP OF CHIEF WILKIE
WAS IN JAPAN SEA AT THE TIME
OF THE BATTLE.
Precautions Taken by the Korea to
Escape the Russians-Vigilance
Of the Japanese Described.

Chief wilkie Of the secret service has
just returned TO Washington from a three
months visit to China and Japan on a pri-
vate errand for the administration. the
nature of which is withheld Mr.. Wilkie
spent the greater part of his time while
In the east In southern China in the vicin-
ity of Canton. He also made two short
trips into the interior of Japan. He was In
the sea of Japan while the fleets of Togo
and Rojestvensky were battling. and was
In the immediate vicinity of the combat
ants. The day after the main fight he
plainly heard the guns of two of the Japa-
nese ships that pursued and sunk one of
the fleeing Russians. Mr. Wilkie sailed
from this country on May 8 on the steam
ship Korea
1--WE had on board" he said, contra
band of war intended for the Japanese
government, five Japanese naval officers
who had been in Europe and were return
Ing home, and two American submarine
boat experts who had been in ST. Peters
burg instructing the Russian officers how
to handle the craft. They were very anx-
1ouS to get to the east before the sea fight,
which we all knew was impending so as to
AFFORD equal facilities to the japanese. who
had the same make OF boats. | heard af-
forwards that they did not get there in
time, and that none of the American sub
marines was used in the battle of the sea
of Japan.
Course Taken to Evade Russians.
''The Korea had an uneventful passage
to Midway Island, where we arrived on
May II. The ship could not get into the
harbor. and all communications with the
shore was had by row boats. which We're
sent off from the cable station 1t is des-
.olate. dreary sand patch, and If l remem-
Der Alright there were only fourteen men
ana one lone woman stationed there at the
time we called in. The captain of the
Korea got cable orders there from the
steamship company to hold his regular
course until he was two days from the
japanese coast. then to proceed north for
LOU miles and hug the shore line until he
reached Yokohama. The Manchuria. which
mad preceded the Korea and which also
carried contraband, had only been saved
from capture by the Russians by the on
portune falling OF a heavy fog. We were
Snse NOT 10 carry any lights. and so the
!dst Two nights of our trip were made with
the ship in total darkness. Not a single
ngnt was allowed on deck nor in the cabins
II Ihey could be seen from the outside.
, Two or our Japanese naval officers and
the submarine boat experts left the sbi, NJ
iohonama., The contraband ammunition
anu sun-mak1ng machinery was DISCHARGED
a. hooe and Nagasaki. 1t was destined for
the naval base at Sasebo and for Osaki
we reached Moji at the western extremity
0 OF the inland sea on Sunday afternoon. Nav
20. "A smart little Japanese torpedo boat
ts.nie out 10 US at once. and young lieu
tenant mounted on the superstructure with
Dig megaphone hailed up He warned
US tnat we would go through the inland sea
o. ou5 own peril that the Russians were
ospao' and that we might have trouble.
Inc RUSSIAN and the Japanese fleets had
peen nghtlng all that day and the dav
previous, and of course, the meeanhone
man knew 1t, for the torpedo boat and the
r,dtai station at Moji were all equipped
win wireless apparatus But of these great
events we did not get hint. Five Iana-
, lese hospital ships were anchored in the
f faz Our captain was anxious to get
ana drive ahead Had we waited twentH
lour hours we would have seen the dis
! %nleu sihps OF the Russian fleet that were
uaousnt 10 MOL, and those who were
the waiting hospital ships. -
we steamed ahead however. and In the
h tos OF the afternoon two Japanese torped6
ward p eyidenf vs. tearing away to the west
sne piaek smoke was streaning from their
vigilance of the japanese.
AT midnight that night we had an Cd
| venture that brought. all the MESSENGER.
| scrambling on deck exclaiming, and eager
| 70 know what was happening The shin
| was proceeding cautiously, for the ia ntain
| feared noatlng mines. when those of us who
were sun on deck saw a blue light sud
| oenly hare ahead of US. The ships engines
were quickly reversed, and she came almost
| 10 standstill. We could not see " o had
| made the signal, but the ships officers were
| not taking any chances. They awaited de-
Veiopments. Presently out of the darkness
uhoer our BOWS came hail inquiring who
We were and where we We're bound ana go
business in those waters N-
reply was made upon the bridge but II
was either unsatisfactory or not under
III. liz
We were. and conference followed Our
captain decided that he would find out who
1t was that was holding us up, for the
Ss , mad not made their identity
known. The searchlight on the Korea s
bridge was connected and without warning
a mood OF light was thrown on the snot
from which the voices had proceeded We
saw a powerful Japanese torpedo boat
After short parley we were allowed to
continue our course. The Korea at this
time was Off the naval base at Sasebo The
Japanese knew that some of the Russian
SHIPS had escaped and were fleeing in that
direction. They had torpedo boats out
scouting all over the sea to intercept them
We were evidently mistaken for one of the
sian battleshps.
After leaving Nagasaki we started to
Shanghai, twenty-six hours journey, but
late on the afternoon of May 30 just as
we had come into the yellow waters of the
fang-tse-kiang a heavy fog fell and we
lay where we were for two days. not daring
to move. When we got down to Shanghai
there was great jubilation. By that time
they had heard of the sea fight in the
straights, and every one thought that pos
sibly the Korea had been sunk. They knew
that the sea Of Japan had been filled with
floating mines. There was lot of kissing
and crying on the docks when we berthed
Persons in Shanghai who had friends on
the Korea had almost given them up for
lost"
Mr.. Wilkie went on to Hongkong. and
afterward to Canton. He did not care
to comment on any incidental observa-
lions" he may have mace of the boycott
and the feeling on the part of the natives
against the Americans.
Declared Of Sound Mind.
Mrs. Myra A. Clancy and William H.
Smith were declared to be Of sound mind
al Lung I'll held Lat sla