The Case of the str. Astrakhan The problem of the legal ownership, and agency for the Russian Volunteer Fleet' came no nearer solution with the arrival in port on Saturday morning of the R. V. 8. Astrakhan, from Vladivostok, via Chefoo, but as a matter of fact became temporarily more complicated.
The day before the. Astrakhan was due in port, M. Goddard, as representative of the original agents in Shanghai, notified the Commissioner of Customs and M. Grosse, Consul-General for Russia, of the impending arrival of the steamer, stating his anticipation of the difficulty in obtaining the ship's papers that would be necessary for registration with the Maritime Customs with regard to her entry into port. The Astrakhan arrived about noon on Saturday, and was at once visited by M. Goddard, representing the original agents, and Mr. L. F. Patstone, agent in Shanghai of the China Commercial Development Ca., representing the Vladivostok" Ad. ministration.
The master of the vessel, Capt. Sowik, who was her chief officer on here last visit to Shanghai, her former master having been dis. charged at Vladivostok, refused to hand over the ship's papers, except to the officers of the China Commercial Development Ca., to whom he had to report by order of the Vladivostok Government. rant, signed by M. Grosse, Consul M. Goddard had obtained a war-General for Russia, and' countersigned by Sir Everard Fraser, K.c.a.¢ Senior Consul, and wag Accompanied on board the Astrakhan by Inspector Mellows, of the River Police, representing the Chinese Maritime Customs, and by members of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Municipal Police, who - demanded delivery of the ship's papers. Capt. Sowik refused to deliver the papers or to hand over control of the ship, stating that after the supervening week-end holiday, he would hand over his naners to the Bureau of Foreign Affairs and leave the mat-for in the hands of that office, As yet no official intimation has een issued by the Bureau of For. eign Affairs as to what course would be taken with regard to the stean-ex's entry and stay in port. and the matter is apparently still in abeyance. presumably with the shin's entry registered in the name of Capt. Sowit.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.