| Show russian and japanese warships were in touch this afternoon forty seven vessels in the russian fleet 1 I AT SINGAPORE si petersburg april 8 1 in tho admiralty has just received official advises advices from singapore confirming ho arrival of rodest squadron off that port london april S the sudden shifting of interest in the war from the land to the sea and the apparently imminent prospects of a fateful battle the russian and japanese squadrons in he china sea havo roi all hie interest shown here in hi earlier developments of the alp contest it is taken for granted hat admiral bogos ships reported to be in the neighborhood of singapore in the middle ot march arc still in that vicinity and the report from on the cat coast of tho malay wila ahat twelve japan hilpi seen steaming ahead of the Russi ait warships is interpreted 0 o mean that tho former are scouts sent out by togo to sot in touch with the russians and when their object is accomplished to on alio iraln body 0 tho japanese squadron the alie number ot iho russian vary but at any rate over thirty five battleships cruisers colliers andLor boats have passed the port singapore the arg hero presume from iho aliey were steering that after passing singapore the russians attempting to reach ho french port of saigon cochin china however it is pointed out that a japanese squadron 0 twenty two ships Is still oft lightship where it was reported march 14 the two forces were this afternoon only about fifty miles apart and may be in touch at any moment WARSHIPS SEEN west coast of malay peninsula abill S two steamers have at report the of a largo russian fleet in the straits of malacca it included awen ty five transports ana was steering toward singapore the steamer reports having sighted twelve cruisers presumably japanese steaming somo distance ahead evidently a japanese scouting squadron there Is much excitement here and in singapore over the anticipation of an engagement in malayan waters COLLISION BETWEEN TRAINS harbin april 7 in a collision between military trains west of harbin eight soldiers were killed and ag men wounded the accident was duo to the fact that the locomotive crew aho vho were worn out with hours of continuous tell asleep and ran past signals CHINA SQUADRON SAILS hong kong april S r in consequence of the appearance of a fleet in the straits of malacca the china squadron is preparing to put to sea the armored cruiser sutley leaves today for singapore and the first class JAPANESE REPULSED st petersburg april 8 A despatch from gen linevitch to ahe emperor under date says the battle at tun april 7 lasted twelve hours the ene mys bosses josses were heavy from our artillery and rifle firc our casual lies were killed captain prince massalsky Mas and four cossacks wounded two officers and 34 cossacks on april 5 our outposts after a fusillade pushed back tho japanese outposts to lin our infantry the same day occupied alio village ot after dislodging the enemy the japanese retreated precipitately battleship ocean and a cruiser will follow ORDERS GUN STOCKS cedar rapids iowa april 8 the government has ordered gun stocks from a manufacturer in cedar rapids PASSING NORTHEAST straits settlement april 8 p m the russian fleet Is passing steering northeastward IT IS THE SQUADRON singapore straits settlement april 8 p nia the fleet reported by the steamer tara FORTY SEVEN VESSELS S tho amer lean consul cables the state department that the russian baltic squadron was seen passing that port going eastward tills morning were about 47 vessels in lanc has been sighted heading apparently for durlan straits 37 miles south southwest of singapore SECOND PACIFIC SQUADRON guk ot aden april 7 alco admiral division 0 the russian second pacific squadron sailed this morning NEWS ADVANCES INSURANCE london april 81 insurance rates at lloyds for shipping bound east of singapore advanced smartly on tho news that the russian second pacific squadron had passed that port CLEANING MUKDEN general okus headquarters in tho field april ai via fusan tho japanese aie making cry effort to prevent the appearances appear anceo disease during the coming warm weather thousands of chenee and soldiers are engaged in cleaning milkman milkmen and the vicinity of the the rus bans left the city in a acry unsanitary condition and this will result probably in much the summer unless the sanitary measures of the japanese are successful strict orders have been issued regarding iho purity of water JAPANESE SQUADRON london april 7 A dispatch from singapore to tho daily express says the captain oj a coasting steamer reports 27 warships 70 miles southwest of Pena fig A batata java dispatch to the same paper says that chinese junks report that japanese warships arc policing all the straits available to ia an attempt to reach the china bea afe A ara dispatch from durban said that the british dart from rangoon reported that she passed on march thirty warships and fourteen colliers probably the russian fleet steaming eastward miles northeast ot the uland of madagascar the elret reported by the taia is probably the same as the ono sighted by the dart INTENSE INTEREST AROUSED st petersburg april S p m intense interest was aroused hero today by the announcement that admiral squadron was passing singapore but the admiralty docs not admit that it has received official confirmation of the report in fact tho officials awe observed unusual reticence for some time about anc movements and intentions of the squadron but as stated several times in these dispatches des patches tho associated press haid positive that admiral was leaving admiral commander of a division of the second pacific behind and was bound for tho far east to try conclusions with admiral togo all dussias Rus sias hopes ot changing tho fortunes of war are staked upon he issue and for some time the admiralty has declared that only peace could intervene to prevent a final trial for tho mastery of the sea unofficial information also indicated that rodest intended to pass through tho straits of malacca some doubt however is expressed here as to whether the russian squadron has yet reached a point so far on its journey according to letter to his wife referred to IP these dispatches april 4 ane squadron intended to sail from madagascar march 19 it it lias been able to cover the intervening miles in IS days at an average speed of eight knots not counting the necessary stops to coal tho smaller ships and the squadron has now arrived at the entrance ot the china sea without encountering obstacles in tho shape of japanese torpedo boats thero Is all the more reason for congratulation reports from madagascar as to the efficiency of he ships personnel aal gunnery tiava been satisfactory and they have greatly encouraged the admiralty |
