26th August. The Askold and Grosovoi to be Disarmed.
Late on Wednesday night the Shanghai Taotai received a telegram from the Wai-wuhu to the effect that the Russian Minister, Mr. Lessar, had received tole-graphic instructions from St. Petersburg relating to the case of the Askold and Grosovoi. Mr. Lessar, continued tie telegram, had been ordered to instruct the Russian Consul-General in Shanghai to haul down the Russian flag from the cruiser Askold and destroyer Grosovoi promptly at 7 o'clock on the morning of the 25th instant (yesterday), after which the Chinese authorities were to be permitted to proceed with the work of disarming the two vessels in question. also state, on Monday on the Waiwupu for a further extension of time. of four days, to complete the repairs on the Askold was com. municated, to Mr. Uchida, the Japanese Minister in Peking, that gentleman promptly refused to consider it for. a single moment, at the same time taking the mandarins severely to task for the vacillation and inability to stand firmly on their neutral rights.
The Sudden Change of front by the Russians in unexpectedly consenting to haul down the. colours of the Askold and Grosovoi (the general opinion being that the affair would, drag on longer, though it would end, in this way eventually) and allow them to be disarmed by the Chinese officials here, is ssid in mandarin circles to have been mainly due to the action of the British authorities in ordering the Dock people to stop work on the vessels in compliance with the request of the Chinese Government. There does not, however appear to be much foundation for this surmise, The Grand Secretary and Councillor Wang Wen-shao, whose greatest physical failing is deafness on account of age—he is nearly eighty years' old—according to a, Peking correspondent, handed in a memorial on the 20th inst, praying for permission to resign on the ground of old age, and it is expected that the Empress Dowager will grant the prayer, His Excellency is a native of Chekiang (Hangchow) and he is also Comptroller. General of the affairs of the Waiwupu, E. Tieh Liang, Vice-President of the Board of War, Deputy Imperial High Commissioner of the Army Reorganisation Department and Special High Commissioner to investigate the military and naval forces of the central provinces, is expected to arrive here from Tientsin the day after to-morrow, by the China Merchants' steamer Anping. According to local mandarin reports, his Excellency has also received the Imperial instructions, to inspect the accounts and menic deposited in the vaults of the treasurers of the various. provinces he may visit, to find out how much there is in reserve and available for the use of Army Reorganisation. Furthermore, his Excellency will also enquire into general trade conditions, and mines and railways in this part of the country, In consol quence of this there is quite a consider able stir amongst the mandarins, and monies lent out at interest without proper authority are being hurriedly recalled by the officials concerned, in order to have everything ready for the searching inspection of the Ch'ing-chai, or Imperial high Commissioner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.