26th August.
Yhe order for the disarmament of the Askold and the Grosovoi, which became known in the Settlement yesterday morning, was due directly to an Imperial ukase from the Czar, sent to the Russian Consul-General hero and by him communicated to the Chinese authorities and the Senior Consul. The terms proposed by the dispatch are, as was expected from -the first, that the same procedure shall apply as in the Mandjour case, the vessels disarming and lying up in Shanghai Harbour until the end of the war. It was only on Wednesday that the Waiwupu granted extension of four i ave the dock, the. ne arriving telegraphically' just as the Customs officials were on the point of taking charge of the Askold's fighting The extension of time was the ground that the of the tides precluded the possi bility of the Askold leaving dock before Sunday. The concession, however, provoked strong protest from the Japanese, more especially in view of the fact that the work of repairing was not stopped at gi, although sufficient had been done to ak the vessel seaworthy. With almost incredible contempt for Chinese powers of resistance, the Russian Minister at Peking expressed himself dissatisfied with "this fresh extension of time and almost soon as it was granted asked for another, The crisis was acute, but at that moment the Czar intervened and by swift action put an end to all the talking—on one aspect of the question at all events. ho communication was sent on at once to the Taotai, who passed it on tothe Senior Consul and the Commissioner of Customs, who both became acquainted with the. nows yesterday morning.
The Russian dispatch states that the Askold and Grosovoi will go out of commission immediately, but work on the hull of the cruiser is to be continued, under the plea that until more is done she is not in a°condition' to leave the dock. A Chinese guard is asked for to protect the vessels in dock and harbour. The Czar's. message to the officers and men of the ships expresses gratitude for their services rendered in the.past and declares that all have thoroughly earned 8 rest.
Tt will have been observed that- the arrangement was one made by Russia with China, and there remains-the question whether Japan, after her recent declaration, will be content with a repetition ofthe Mandjour procedure. In some quarters this declaration on China's neutrality gave rise to anxiety, and there were even mon in authority who had fearful presagings of the Japanese squadron from outside the river mouth steaming up the. Huangpu and bringing the-horrors of war to our very doors. The thing was possible—otherwiso there was.no need for the squadron here at all—but not very probable. In regard to what will happen now, we understand that the "Japanese will accept the solution for the time being. Their claim to the vessels as lawful prizes of war will be postponed till the end of the war, when other considerations besides thoss now prevailing may affect the dai The actual work of disarming the Russian vessels has not been commenced yet, but the Customs officials are getting Yorward with their arrangements and a start may be made, with the Grosovoi at all events, to-day. The armaments.are to be stored with those of the Mandjour in the Kiangnan Arsenal. The blue-cross flag was hauled down carly yesterday morning and the sentries are no longer armed otherwise than with sticks. At the Cosmopolitan Dock, exceptifor these slight but significant' changes, everything appeared as on the previous d visit. The two new monster funnel painted red, were on the side of the Dock, waiting to be hoisted on board. The making of these funnels in such a short time reflects great credit on the Dock Company. All the injuries near the waterline are now repaired and except for the bright heads of the rivets where new plates have been put in, it would be difficult to imagine that the vessel had ever been damaged.
MoCANN.—On the 25th of August, 1904, at 21, Markham Road, Shanghai, the.
wife of H. E..McCann, of a daughter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.