Ie will be remembered that a short time ago Chinese in the North were excited by Tumours of an impending war between Russia and Japan, and to' such an extent were there believed that many Southerners doing business in Newchwang, Port. Arthur, and Chefoo sent their families to Shanghai and elsewhere for safety. A mandarin now in. this port gives the following explanation of the origin of the rumours, which must he taken for what it is worth, Two Jupanese cruisers were about six weeks ayo in the Gulf of Pechili and at one time appeared before Port Arthur, Aw the cruisers had the appenrance of intending to steam inside the port, the Russian officer at the outer nal station hoisted a signal imply-that the port wxs closed to fore; ships of war. The Japanese senior officer in command of the two cruisers, however, pretended not to understand the Russian signal and steamed straight for the harbour. At a point nearly half-way inside and surrounded on sll sides by forts, the Japanese lending cruiser waa met by a steam-launch with a Russian official, who boarded the vessel and verbally communicated the intelligence which had been indicated by the signal outside the harbour, and at the same time warned the Japanese captain that further penetration into the harbour would be resisted. To emphasise the declaration a commotion was observed by those on board in the land forts and soon it was seen that menacing preparation were being made. Russian warships inside the basin were also observed to be hastily getting up steam and altogether matters looked decidedly unpleasant. The Japanese capt.in then simply bowed out his Russian visitor and the cruisers retired.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.