Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-05-10
dbe 1nka Reporter,
Rnbiished Every Tnursaay,
AT
,gxA. MISS.
EUROPE's WAR CLOUD.
Rnssian Preparations Going on
without Cessation.
[Trom the 81. James Gazette.l

i W ltHOut CESSATION.
[From the st. James Gazettc.]
The following communication comes
to MS from correspondent at Kieff.
However emphatic and apparently
sincere the assurances given by Russia
that she Is bent on pursuing policy Of
peace, however satisfactorily it may be
shown that she has absolutely nothing
TO gain and everything to lose by trying
conclusions with Austria, it is none the
less fact that we are on the eve Of a
war. As the expression of an opinion,
this, no doubt, is not new to those who
follow the march of political events, and
ne capable of TRANSMITTING the dialect Of
diplomacy into the everyday language
IN which the story of Russia's military
movements is set forth by the CORES
pondents and commented on by the
press. But what follows is something
more than mere subjective reading
Of events by one who has carefully stud
led them; and in any case it is based on
large number Of significant and trust
worthy facts, one or two Of which can
not but interest the general public in
England.
To begin with the least convincing:
Two well-known Generals, fresh from
the Council Chamber OF ST. Petersburg
(where they have been constantly clos
eted with the War Minister, Gen. Vann-
Offsky) and who will command 20, 600
men each in the coming war, have men
toned May as the date for hostilities to
commence; and this in such circumstan-
ces Of time, place and surroundings as
10 leave no doubt Of their sincerity, and
still less Of their acquaintance with the
topic of conversation.
OF course as long as the issue is de-
pendent. on the will of one man no fore
cast can be wholly free from the element
of doubt, and tangible facts are our SAT
est guide in the matter. The following
one is significant: Some time ago con-
siderable numbers of troops were trans
ported by two steamers Of the Russian
Black Sea Steamship Company from Ba-
t0um and Poti, and landed in surrep-
ttious manner in the neighborhood Of
Sebastapol, not far from where special
trains awaited them. They we're then
dispersed SO as to arouse as little suspi-
zion as possible. These troops are being
gradually brought up to the frontier
some into Bessarabia, others to the
Austrian frontier. Trains carrying them
run occasionally at hours when trains do
not generally run; and snow-storms,
which have been plentiful of late, are
welcomed rs naturG allies. The last
trains before line is officially declared
blocked, and the first few trains before
it is officially reopened, carry the troops.
There are, besides, large numbers of
troops Just now between lula and Brest-
Litoffsk vending their way by easy
stages and in small parties in the direc-
ton of Kieff and the southwest.
Elizabethgrad, city of 43, 600 inhabi-
tants in the government of Kherson,
within easy distance of the River Dnies-
ter. is the headquarters Of the South
Russian Cavalry. The sprinkling OF
foreigners in the population is practi-,
cally null, SO that less disguise is neces-
sary in going forward with military
preparations than elsewhere. Among
the signs and tokens in which this dis
hict abounds is the purchase Of cavalry
horses on large scale. They are not
being bought exclusively nor even main
" in the vicinity Of Elizabethgrad the
other districts Of Kherson and other
governments supply large proportion.
The horses are being in reality expro-
priated, for the sale is compulsory;
whereby the prices paid range from so
to $50 roubles (from 81 to $12), and are
always less than fixed by the tariff drawn
mp by the Government in 1884. Cavalry
accoutrements, arms, &c., are being
repaired, furnished up; blacksmiths are
working literally day and night, and
the followers Of Wieland's noble handi-
craft have never known buster or better
days than the present.
Lastly. the preliminaries of putting
the harbor Of Odessa in state of de-
fence are being carefully carried out, in
ae lar as the weather does not prove an
obstacle. The plan Of defence hereto
fore accepted by the Ministry has been
thrown aside and new one is being
worked out. It is only question of the
number Of torpedoes, the places where
they are to he sunk, 40, which was de-
tesmined long ago. but Is being changed
again now
The feeling in the country is universal
that the Government is merely temper
izing till the frost and snow disappear.
As soon as the weather clears up little
Of Russia's intentions will become more
evident.