Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 March 1904 — ESCAPE OF SQUADRON [ARTICLE]

ESCAPE OF SQUADRON

Tokio Expects Big Naval Battle with Russian Fleet, if Report le True.

FORT ARTHUR SHELLED AGAIN

Muscovite Casualties Exceeded 800— Russ Paper Makes' 1 Comparisons —Building Armored Trains

Tokio, March 17. —Assuming that the reported escape of the Russian fleet from .Port Arthur is true and that the squadron has started in a dash for Vladivostok, news of a great naval battle la expected hourly. A serious situation would be created If the Russians should succeed in evading the Japanese fleet. The probability, however, Is that the Japanese are in touch with the Russians sufficiently to bring about an action, which must be decisive and put an end to the Russian naval power In the far east

Japs Bombarded March 12.

Yin-Kow, March 17. —The Japanese fleet again attacked Port Arthur March 12 as a challenge to Admiral Makraoff to come out and light, but the Russian vessels did not appear. The bombardment was terrific and the total Russian casualties in killed and wounded exceed 300. Thirty men were killed in one large fort. This is authentic. Feeble Reply by Forts.

During all this time the Japanese were in a position of safety from the guns of the fortress and very nttle, If any, damage was done to their ships. The forts made but feeble reply to the fire of the fleet. Mast of the shells fired into the city during the bombardment were obtained from the captured east Asiatic steamer Manchuria, which was bound for Port Arthur with 7,000 tons of war material.

ON THE WAT TO THE FRONT.

Sad Scenes Witnessed Traveling to the Seat of War In the Far East.

St. Petersburg. March 15.—A Bussian correspondent proceeding to the front writes to the St. Petersburg telegraph bureau from Irkutsk, Siberia, as follows: “Our express train travels slower than the slowest tram in European Bussia. The seat of war Is still remote, but its presence it felt. The long rows of cars filled with soldiers, the caravans and the primitive sleighs, drawn by sbaggy horses, which we pass along the way at the crowded stations, break the monotony of the snowbound wastes and endlesß forests, and the stillness is broken by the songs of the jolly reservists and the bells of the village churches sounding clear through the frosty air. “This bustle and activity amidst the Siberian desolation strikingly illustrates the Bussian giant stretching his limbs preparatory to punishing his foe. At Irkutsk we met the first victims of the war —women and children trying to get back to European Bussia. On onr entrance into the semi-darkness of the station we were greeted by the wailing of children issuing from the dirt heaps and baggage encumbering the floor. Their waxen faces and bloodshot, sleepless eyes would melt a heart of stone. The wild, panicstricken flight of their mothers from Manchuria after the startling outbreak of the war led to great sufferings. “They reached this place after untold hardships, only to find that they will have to wait weeks more till there is sufficient train accommodation to enable them to proceed further. So the children have been pining, sleepless and motionless in this fetid atmosphere. because outside reigns deathly frost.”

COMPARES THE FORCES.

ftnuln Superior In Land Armament, bat Inferior in Warships—Baltic Fleet, St. Petersburg, March IT. —The Journal Wednesday prints a most interesting article, comparing the opposing forces of Russia and Japan in the far east “Russia," says the'paper, “has the superiority in land armament byseven-ty-six cannon, but she is Inferior in warships. Without counting the squadron of Admiral Wirenius the superiority of the Japanese is represented by seventeen Ships and eighty-one guns." Continuing the paper says. “This is largely compensated for by the artillery in the Russian forts; the valor of the Russian sailors and the necessity of the Japanese to set opart a large number of warships to escort transports, to guard communications and to guarantee a food supply for the troops in Korea. “There is no doubt as to the Issue of a naval war being the destruction of the Japanese fleet. It is only a question of time. The Baltic squadron will make its appearance in eastern waters in a few months under the most brilliant of Russian admirals. The Japanese will not run the risks of a combat on the high seas when the Russian fleet is re-enforced by suchbattleships as the Nicholas I, Alexander 11. and Alexander 111, the Slsaol, the Veliki, and the Orel. In any case the issue of a fight on equal terms will be fatal to our adversary who has not sufficiently understood the valor of the nation it has defied.” The article was, to all appearances, written to calm public opinion, which Is beginning to be one of fear that

a serious Injury has been Inflicted on Russia’s fleet

TO AWE CHINESE BANDITS. Rut.U Building Armored Train* to Protect Manchurian Railroad. St. Petersburg, March 17.—The government is building some armored trains, for use on the Manchurian railroad, after the model of those used by the British in South Africa. They will not be employed so much on account of fear that the Japanese may cut the road as for their moral effect on the Chinese robber bands, who may become emboldened by the war. It is believed that when the bandits see the iron monsters they will not come dear the railroad.

The Russ prints a long leading article controverting a series of articles in The Novoe Vremya claiming that the war was brought on by the machinations of the Jews in revenge for the Ktebineff occurrences, declaring that The Novoe Vremya’s contention is absurd, and scoring the latter for sowing race hatred at such a critical time.

To I.und 150,000 Men.

Seoul, March 14.—Japan will have an army of 150,000 men in Korea within three weeks, including 35,000 which have already landed at Chemulpo. The scene here daily is one of well-ordered choas. The harbor’s edge Is piled high with 200,000 tons of 6tores, packs of equipment, light guns, carriages, and bullet proof shields for 5,000 cavalry and pack horses. Perfect system obtain*. The troops daily entrain from Seoul, whence they advance to the north In bodies of a few hundred, to march direct overland or to yroceed in open boats fifty miles to Malju.

Russia Still Holds Port Arthur.

London, March 15.—From two points the rumor that Russia had abandoned or Japanese captured Port Arthur Is denied. A dispatch from St. Petersburg, dated March 14, noon, says: “There is no truth in the rumors that the Russians have abandoned Port Arthur. Admiral Abaza, secretary of the commission on Far Eastern affairs, authorizes the Associated Press to deny the story. He says the situation at Port Arthur is unchanged and nothing of importance has occurred there in the last twenty-four hours.” A dispatch from Tlen-TsLn corroborates the foregoing.

Sconta in CnllUlon.

St. Petersburg. March 15.—General Ziiinski telegraphs as follows under Sunday’s date: “On March 7 our patrol discovered four of the enemy’s posts on the Chong Cheng Ang river, and a troop of cavalry acting as scouts near Patetcben. northwest of Anju. A Japanese cavalry patrol fell into an ambuscade prepared by our patrol, and was dispersed, losing one killed. Tbe Japanese left behind them a quantity of guncotton and some swords and blankets.”

Shell* Ton Large.

Moscow, March 15.—1 tls learned that the reason that Vladivostok forts did not reply to the shelling by the Japanese vessels on March 6 was that the officials at St. Petersburg supplied them with shells whose diameter was too large for the guns of the forts. As a result, the fortresses were reduced to a state bordering on impotence and had the Japanese lighters sailed into the harbor they could in all probability have taken tbe town without serious trouble.

Manchuria in a Bad Way.

Peking, March 14. —Private Chinese reports that are being received here state that the whole of Manchuria is in a state of utter confusion, owing to the Bussians having seized all food supplies and other commissariat necessities. |