The Tokio journals continue to hope for a speedy arrival of the Baltic squadron, as it may give opportunity to Admiral "Togo for another series of victories. The danger incurred by the Russians in their eastward voyage will be greater than that of the Japanese. After the assembling of the two divisions of the squadron, they would not be able to proceed farther until the conditions of Port Arthur and the general situation at the front are ascertained. Diplomatic circles in Tokio regard the present advent of the Russian squadron as one of the maddest enterprises in the fighting annals of the world. The arrival of the aguadron will be Ister than the date originally fixed. In any case Admiral Togo will be able completely to refit his ships for service and acconi the visitors from the far-distant " polite reception. There are three routes for the eastward voyage from Cronstads to the principal ports in the Extreme Orient, namely vid Suez, around the Cape of Good Hope, and vid South America. The distanoi Cronstadt to Hongkong vid Ssu 11,215 miles, to Sassho 12,205, and to Yokosuka 12,730. From Cronstadt to Bingaporo around the Cape is 13,055. From Cronstadt to Viadivostock vid South America is 18,820 miles.
The Ratstoropny Affair.
The incontinent explosion of the Russian destroyer Ratstoropny at Chefoo and a speedy conclusion of arrangements betwoon the Chines Taotai and the Russian Consul is considered to be partly duo to the recent extreme mes. sures taken by the Japanese with regard tothe Resohitcholnij. Tri said that prior to the explosion of Prince Fushimi.
1H, L. H. General Prince Fushimi had a very cordial and satisfactory interview with President Roosevelt at Washington on winter Fashions. the 15th inst. at 10am. President Roosevelt seems to have accorded to the Royal guest the warmest reception, in presence of the diplomats of the Powers. Prince Fushimi is said to have atated to one of his suite that the pleasure felt by His High ness in mesting the President is only comparable to \the victory of Naa-shan, in which he participated. Commenting on the conversation between Prince Fushimi and President Roosevelt embodies all that Japan desired to intimate to the United States and that the President's reply also embodies all that Japan desired to hear from America. His Highness arrived at St. Louis on the 19th mat, Another Russian Outrage. of the Japanese schooner Kiyoichi one, News has been received of the si
eighty tons, on the 16th August by a Russian war-vessel in the soa of Okhotek. The crew wore taken to Nicholsievsk and thence to Khabarovak where they were hunters, and an American cock. names of the three American hunters are J, Thompson, George McCamish, and J. Knapp. The Canadian's name is MeNeill. The news arrived vid Canada from the mother of MeNeill who had received a letter from her son from Khethe Russians and the crew had lost everything they had. The vessel was on a seal-hunting voyage and was owned by Mr. Yukichi Tomii of Yokohama. The last news received by the owner's family was tod the 4th August at which date th vessel had a catch of two hundred skins.
Treatment of Prisoners.
It is complained that in some respects the Russians do not observe the Inwa of war with regard to prisoners. A Tokio paper says that they have a Japanceo military surgeon in their hands who, as a non-combatant, ought to be released at once, but in spite of representations they still hold him They have also failed to release thirteen men, the crew of the little vessel Hakutsun Maru, which with her load of fish manure, the Viadivostock cruisers sank lest June. They the Ratstoropny, there was s false rumour to the effect that a Japanese man-of-war appeared outside the harbour, but three destroyers actually arrived off Chefoo on the morning of th 17th inst. A Yokohama paper remarks that the straits to which the Russians are reduced are amply illustrated by the means they wore forced to use in order to transmit a message to St. Petersburg. Thia doubtless establishes a record for expensive telegrams which will scarcely be surpassed hereafter. The straits to which the Russians are reduced at Port Arthur are also shown by the recent steadfast mine-clearing operations for another sortie, if possible, but of late also fail to set free © stonemason who {nover had the smallest connection with the war.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.