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Show Japan Is Feeling Financial Drain Expenditures Caused by the War Havo Already Reached Fivo Thousand Million Yen. VICTORIA, E. C, March 21. Advices received by tho steamer Hyadcs today state that Japan Is feeling keenly the financial drain because of tho war, and much poverty is reported. Baron Sone, Minister of Finance. In a speech at Toklo, said the war expenditure had already reached llvo thousand million yen, yet, he snld, tho nation stands well the strain. In the session of the Diet Ju6t closed, blll Involving 7-I.OOO.O0 yen Increased taxation, tax-ation, added to 62.0O0.COO jen of the previous previ-ous Diet, were passed; also public loan bills amounting to l,3OO,0O),O0O yen. Scandal in tho Diot. Tho Japanese press Is worked up with regard to the scandal ln tho Diet arising out of the boodllng of Okura & Co., with regnrd to the building of barracks in Hokklado. Tho Government Is attacked because the contract, which Is shown to havo given the contractors a largo "graft," was awarded without tenders. Further orders for locomotives aro being be-ing sent to America to augment the number num-ber built In Japan for the roads built since tho war ln Korea and Manchuria. A new line Is projected to connect V'ltsu with Nowchwang. Expedition to Sa'ghalien Isle. An expedition may be sent from Hokklado Hok-klado to capture the Island of Saghallen, regarding which the Japaneso feel that they were cheated, when Russia forced an exchange for the Kurilcs. The Japanese shared tho fishing privileges, which amounted to a million and a half dollars a year, with the Russians, until recently, and now strong petitions nro being mado to the Japaneso Government to recapture Saghallen. May 7 Is the thirtieth anniversary anni-versary of Its occupation by the Russians, Rus-sians, nnd demonstrations aro being made seeking to have It retaken by that date. It Is probable that an expedition will bo sent, coincident with the movement against Vladivostok. |