Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-03-12
WAR IN FAR EAST
JAPAN PREPARES WARSHIPS TO
LEAVE SASEBO MARCH "a.
NAVAL BASE is VERY BUSY
Several Jap Cruisers Leave Port
While Q hers Are Being Coaied
Situation Is Critical.

'se@k'Sb 30 ft0S&ts
London, March "a special dis
patch received here states that China
has apologized to Japan for hauling
down the Japanese flag when the
Tatsu Maru was seized. The dispatch
further states that China later will
reply to the Japanese government re-
garding the seizure of the steamer
and its cargo.
Toxic, March 9.-The fates seem al
most resolved to embroil Japan and
China by fair means or foul. No
sooner does one diplomatic issue APP
pear on the eve of satisfactory settle
ment than another one crops up to
prolong the agony and keep the Toxic
foreign officers and the Chinese for
eign board more or less busy.
japan Is undoubtedly preparing for
eventualties. The entire decision in
the matter rests with Premier Saion1I
and Foreign Minister Mayashi. There
has been no indication of the period
of time that Japan would await
China's reply.
1t is presumed that Yuan Shi Kai
will require four days consultation
with the viceroy of Canton, conse-
quently no decision may be reached
before March 10 or IL.
The naval base at Sasebo is ex-
tremely active. 1t is announced that
part of the first squadron will leave
port March IA. The armored cruiser
Chi Yoda suddenly left port on Satur-
day night. Coaling is proceeding
rapidly, number of torpedo boat
destroyers have already coaled. Enor-
nous supplies in storage at Sasebo
are being hurried aboard the vessels.
The Kanto, boundary, the Tsin-
Mtn-Tun-Rakumen railway, the North
Manchurian customs and the telegraph
questions-all these have now ceased
to excite much concern in the minds
of those who can see below the sur.
face of the political current. But, on
the other hand, as though the Chinese
themselves were determined to fur
nish the Japanese opposition with its
strongest arguments in favor of
more spirited policy vis-avis, the mid
die kingdom, whose Chinese warships
seized a japanese merchant steamer
the Tatsu Maru-in Chinese terri.
torial waters, just outside Macao har-
Dor and escorted her to Canton ON the
charge that she was engaged in an at
tempt to smuggle arms and ammuni-
ton into China.
The facts of the case as nearly as
can be ascertained from both sides
appear to be these:
The Japanese contention Is that the
vessel left Kobe on January rs with
ninety-four cases of rifles and forty
cases of ammunition, consigned by
the Ataka Shokai of Osaka to Messrs.
Kwong 70 & Co. of Macao, who are
licensed by the Macao government to
deal in arms. 1t is asserted that the
Ataka Shokai had obtained the neoes-
sary permit from the Macao au-
thorities with regard to the arms and
ammunition and that the usual Gus
toms and police formalities had been
complied with at Kobe. The fact that
the Tatsu Maru anchored outside
Macao harbor is explained by the
statement that her draft was too great
to permit her to enter the harbor in
safety, ana that the intention of the
captain and the consignees was to
have the cargo discharged into
lighters. ACCORDING to the captains
story the vessel was surrounded by
four Chinese gunboats and was
shortly afterwards boarded by the Chi
nese commander, who declared that
although the steamer was In posses
sion of a certificate issued by the
Portuguese authorities at Macao, the
government was inforced that she
was bound for Macao with cargo OF
1874 cases of arms and ammunition
consigned to a Chinese, and that he
had been ordered by the Taotal OF
Canton to stop the discharge of this
cargo. Later two customs officers and
twenty blue jackets boarded the
steamer.
The incident created no small ex-
element among the steamers pas
sengers, some apprehension being en-
tertained that the, Japanese cruisers
in Hong Kong harbor might attempt
a rescue, in which event 1t Is deemed
probable that the Chinese gunboats
would have sent the Tatsu Maru to
the bottom without further ceremony.
The fat then would have been in a
fire with vengeance.
Further inquiry has ELECTED the in
formation that the seizure of the
Tatsu Maru was brought about
through a report sent from Kobe or
Osaka to the Chinese to the effect
that although the rifles and ammuni-
ton we're consigned to firm In
Macao, they were really to be
smuggled into the hands of insurg-
ents in the interior of China. Acting
on this assurance the Chinese authori-
ties took immediate steps to seize the
steamer. 1t is surmised that the in
formant of the Chinese may have
been Chinese residing in Japan.
NO AGREEMENT REACHED.