The Far East.

Manawatu Herald, 26 January 1904, Page 2

The Far East.

JAPAN LANDING AMMUNITION.

Korean and Port Arthur advices, received in Paris, state that the Japanese have landed hundreds of cases of artillery and ammunition at Chemulpo, and intend to send the guns and ammunition to Seoul The Russians accuse the Japanese of wanting the Tongue!? 3 r i 3e i Q rebellion, hoping thereby to gSI. n a pretext to interfere in Korean affairs. No actual offer of mediation was made to the Mikado, but it is officially stated that the Mikado informed Britain, America and Germany suggesting that the offer did not meet with Japan’s approval. The Daily Mail’s Chefoo correspondent says that in the event of war General Kouropatkin will command on land and Admiral Alexieff at sea.

The Korean Government has declared that it will observe neutrality in the event of war. The British Minister at Seoul has approved the decision. RUSSIA OCCUPYING POSTTIONS.

The Daily Mail’s Chefoo correspondent states that Russia is quietly occupying strategic positions on the Manchurian side of the Yalu river.

One hundred and twenty Japanese interpreters of Korea are ready at the chief Korean ports, Japan is buying enormous quantities of dollars in China. The London bankers assert that Russia for months past has been recalling gold reserves from abroad. The Russian bank now holds ninetytwo million sterling. The French newspaper Le Temps, expresses the fear that relations between Britain and Russia are greatly strained, and declares Count Lamsdorff told the French Ambassador that Russia did not intend to allow Britain full freedom in Thibet. He hinted that Russia would make friends with Japan in order to retaliate upon Britain.

NO REPLY FROM RUSSIA.

There has been no exchange of views between Japan and Russia since Japan presented the Note on December 30th, embodying the irreducible minimum, A RUSSI AN LOW-DOWN PROPOSAL.

The newspaper Republique Francaise states that after the Japanese victory over China, the Russian Admiral proposed to Admiral De Beaumont,. commanding the French squadron, that they attack and destroy the Japanese fleet, which, after the hard work it had already done, was unlikely to offer any serious resistance. Admiral De Beaumont, however, declined to make the attack. WHAT THE TIMES THINKS. The Times says if the newspaper Re Temps’ remarkable statement that Count Lamsdorff has resumed the direction of affairs in the East and has made a tabula rasa of everything since Admiral Alexieffs appointment be confirmed, it will afford a decided proof that the Czar means that his peaceful policy will be obeyed.