Russia chartering British merchant ships for transporting war stores according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant dated 18 March 1904

An item dated Brussels dated 17 March reported that according to tidings received from Antwerp the Russian government chartered 20 British ships to transport war stores and coals towards Port Arthur. They were to load their cargoes at Antwerp, Hamburg and Cardiff and the first ship was to leave Hamburg end March. The ships were assured for a sum of 600,000 Dutch guilders. The morning edition of the newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 18 March conformed this item.