“All the coal supply at Newchwang has been purchased by the Russians, including 22,000 tons belonging to the chief British firm. A contract was signed on the very eve of the war, when war was assured. Delivery is not yet complete, and has been taking place daily ever since the war began. The Russians speak favourably of the assistance thus rendered at a critical time, when coal was urgently needed for the Manchurian railway, by a British firm, who, unless the port is blockaded, can presumably render equally valuable service in the future by importing food stuffs for the Russian troops.” This is with reference to a matter which Dr. Morrison might have stated differently. In the first place _all_ the coal stocks at Newchwang were not then purchased: in April the late United States Marshal sold some large parcels, and there were others. The 22,000 tons of Kaiping dust formed a portion of a consignment from the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company. It was in Newchwang, which was ice-bound. That coal, and all other supplies in store, could have been commandeered by the Russians after the war began under the martial law they proclaimed. The Russian authorities would not buy the dust from the British firm of Bush Bros., who sold it before the war to the Danish East-Asiatic Company, a Copenhagen firm of shipowners and traders, from whom the Russians acquired that portion which was being delivered when Dr. Morrison was at Newchwang. The Russians may have spoken favourably of the assistance thus rendered by a British firm--which was avowedly, openly and consistently pro-Japanese throughout--but I never heard them, though I did hear many abuse the firm very often. The Russian authorities showed their appreciation by _not buying_ food stuffs from Messrs. Bush, who had them at a time the Russians wanted them badly, and Mr. McGlew, a member of the firm and brother-in-law of its principal, was the only foreign resident the Russian authorities requested to leave Newchwang. The firm had to dispense with his services until the Japanese occupation of the treaty port had been effected. The war provoked correspondents into making mistakes, the most careful and capable were at times at fault, and those who trusted to official information probably more often than any. Only the agencies can reveal how many times their distraught correspondents have telegraphed in such manner as--“Kill dispatch, given officially but untrue.” “Suppress after ---- last message, official now untalk.”