The Vestnik.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1724, 3 June 1886, Page 4

The Vestnik.

(united press association..} Wellington, Wednesday. Last night and this morning various stories wei f «' afloat regarding the Russian man-of-war. It wijls said she hoisfrd a black hull on going out, •which was a sign of the punishment of deatl-, and h romor had it that iwo men were to be shot for refusal of duty. This morning there was a i nrbhnr addition to the effect that one had been shot before entering the harbor. What gavo color to the story was the fnct that none of the wen were allowed ashore during: the ▼easel's stay here, and no^ steamers were allowed to go alongside. Enquiry, however*' proves that she had no black ball of any kind hoisted, and the pilot states that when be left her lie had neither heard of tin* matter nor seen any preparation or signal of any kind. The rumor has this much truth that two men guilty of desertion were to be punished, but all they are likely to get, according to one of the itussiun officers, was six weeks' imprisonment. The Vefitnik went through the Straita and will pro^a'.ly nuil round the North Cape to Auckland. One of the torpedo corps joined her as electrician. Both the Russian and Japanese warships took very larjre supplies of fi*e»h meat while here, raore than twice the amount our English ships are accustomed to take.