19th August.
Ir is to be hoped that the protests of Great Britain and the United States against Russia's. treatment of neutral vessels will be promptly followed up by action, unless Russia quickly drops the attitude of " bluff" which is so dear to her, and by which she gained so many successes until Japan called her down, As the United States points out, Russia is endeavouring to blockade Japan without any power to enforce a blockade, Whis is absolutely contrary to international law and custom. A blockade to be recognised must be effective, and Russia has not and has no chance of having out here any force to keep up a blockade, and is endeavouring to attain the same end by posting converted merchant ships at the Straits of Gibraltar, We shall next hear of these obtrusive vessels being stationed off the mouths of the Thames and the Scheldt, and overhauling every vessel that leaves London or Antwerp for the East. The situation is becoming intolerable, and the British people are not likely to endure very long seeing their trade transferred from British to German bottoms in time of peace. Russia can hardly wish to see our alliance with Japan converted from passivity to activity, but her naval department seems to be bent on this.
At the outbreak of the war, all the Great Powers, Russia included, expressed their firm desire to limit its area to Japan, Corea, and Manchuria. Russia is now carrying the war into European waters, and she will have to account for her breach of the understanding to which she was a party.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.