The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-05

| st. Petersburg, January 3-The re-
markable allegation that the British
feet was held in readiness to destroy
the Russian feet if the battle of the
Sea of Japan had gone in the Russian 5
favor is made by Admiral Rojestven-
sky in a letter published in the Noyoe
Vremya today with the permission Of
the minister Of marine. Referring to
the absolute secrecy of Admiral Togo
In regard to the disposition of his
forces Rojestvensky declares that. this
was unknown even to the admiral of
the British fleet allied with the Japan
ese who concentrated his forces at Wei
Hal Wei, in expectation of receiving
an order to annihilate the Russian
| fleet if this, the final object of Great
Britain was beyond the power OF the
japanese.
He declares he knew Admiral Toeo's
exact whereabouts two days before the
| battle, made his dispositions accord
| ingly and entered the fight with his
eyes open. The admiral only casually
states in the course of his letter that
the minister of marine is investigating
the causes of the catastrophe in order
! to determine whether the commander
shall be court martialed for the loss
of the fleet.
! The charge that the British admiral
concentrated his ships at Wei Hal Wei
expecting to receive an order to de-
strOy the Russians in the event of Ad-
miral Togo porving unequal to the task
has aroused a considerable sensation
| in diplomatic circles.
| Mr.. Spring-Rice, the British charge
d'affaires, without waiting for instruc-
tiOns from his government, demanded
an explanation from Foreign Minister
Lamsdorff this afternoon of the state
ments contained in the admiral's let
ter to the Novoe Vremya.
Moscow, January 3.-According to
| the stories in circulation here the
| number of summary executions of rev.
| olutionists> is large. Mr.. Smith, an
Englishman and proprietor of machine
| works here, which were accidentally
| burned yesterday, says he personally
witnessed a number of executions
When the "Drujina' revolutionary
garrison of the sugar factory surren-
dered, the officers in command of the
regular troops, after a few brief ques~
tions picked out the victims who were
| marched twenty PAGES in front Of
firing squad received volley and drop
ped without a struggle. Mr.. Smith even
says he thinks he recognized Governor
General Doubasoff among those pres
ent. It is generally stated that the
victims were handed over to a firing
squad with the command, 'Take them
to the river which was tatamOunt to
a sentence and warrant for their eX-
ecution.
ST. Petersburg, January 4.-2:40 a.
m.-The general meeting of the Work
mems Council and of representatives
of the proletariat organizations was
held across the Finnish border, lasted
So hours, adjourning only an hour ago.
The practical result of the meeting was
confession that the government had
proved to be too strong in its light
against the strikers and the prOleta-
riat organizations and that 1t would
be necessary to organize on new ba-
sis the armed revolution to which the
delegates at the meeting were commit
ted 1t was admitted that the attempt
to give battle to the government with
out having made due preparation was
a mistake, and a complete change IN
tactics was decided upon. A new cOun-
Gil of workingmen consisting of one
hundred and fifty members was elect
ed. Similar councils will be orgajnz-
ed everywhere, following which gen
eral congress will be called and an
elaborate plan of battle against the
government formulated. In the mean
time the propaganda of the agitators
will be kept UP especially in the army
in order to show that the proletariat
organizations are rmly resolved not 10
compromise with the government. It
was also decided not to take part in
the election for the douma.
Just prior to the adjournment of the
meeting a resolution was passed TO
turn the anniversary of January %
Cred Sunday') into a day of mourn
ing
St. Petersburg, January 3.-The gov
ernment is putting on the screws tight
er and tighter War Minister Rudiger
has issued an order absolutely prohib
iting officers, privateS and employees
of the ministry of war from participat-
ing in any fashion in political socie
ties Or attending their meetings and
prescribing heavy punishments which
will be inflictable without trial.
The number of arrests are increasing
daily and the prisons are so crowded
that the Nasha Shisn says rooms with
air space for Is are holding GO per-
sons. So far as ascertainable not one
of those arrested during the last three
weeks has been released. The same
papr says that tn newsboys who since
the imperial reform manifesto was is
sued has been crying the most sensa-
tiona1 revolutionary news in the streets
have been prohibited under pain OF
three months imprisonment and $3.50
fine from even mentioning the names
of the papers they are selling.