From the far North news reaches us of Russian military activity in Siberia which seems to have significance. The movements of troops in. fern Siberia, we learn, indicate mobilisation rather than the customary garrison changes for the winter. If there is to be concentration the locale is a well-kept secret. Many troops have been sent South, but whether to redrafts sent into the interior of Mun+ from southern posts or to supplerrivons is not known. The belief is that they are massed upon the Corean frontier.
In conjunction with movements of the Russian fleet it would appear that a strong military demonstration ix contemplated. The object may be to bluff Japan, or to put her to the expense of a counter demonstra tion with, as a consequence, excitement, disturbance of trade and commercial depression. Or, it may be that Russia will attempt to carry further her policy of aggrandisement.
Though it cannot be that the Russian squadrons in the Pacific are unfit for active service, it is a fact that several which are being sent to sea from Viadivostock need badly to go into dry dock for extensive refitting.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.