Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-12-01
WAR NOTES.

along the Same rivera lew uilies soutu
of Mukden, in Manchuria. with nothing
to report excepting few small skirm-
ishes aud minor casualties The winter
is on; the climate there is somewhat
similar to that of Minnesota or Wiscon-
sin; the country has been impoverished
and deserted, and this deadlock between
two great armies is. perhaps, the most
remarkable in history.
The only skirmish worth noting dur
ing the past week was that of last Sun
day, an attack on Russian outpost,
during ''blinding snow-storm, in
which the Japs were repulsed.
The first division of the Baltic sggIe-
CATION of war vessels was reported CT
the Ivory or Guinea coast of Africa,
last week, heading for the Cape of Good
Hope which point has probably been
reached and doubled by this time.
By Sunday morning of this week the
second division had passed through the
Suez Canal, and was at anchor in the
harbor of Suez. 1t has probably passed
through the Red Sea and into the In
dian ocean by this time.
The two divisions will probably meet
at some point on the eastern coast OF
Africa, controlled by Germany, or at
Madagascar. controlled by France, be-
fore proceeding eastward, and it will
be at least full month before the fleet
arrives in Chinese waters. Its move
ments upon its arrival IN japanese OF
Chinese waters are subject OF much
speculation 1t will not be in condl.
ton after SO long voyage to try coz
clusions at once with the Jap feet Its
coal bunkers will be empty, its marhin-
cry strained and its bottoms fouled. 1t
will need to go into port, and its natural
objective point is Vladivostok. Unfor-
tunately, the harbor there is ice-locked
during the winter months and the open
ing of channel might not be feasible
That is why some think that it may
put into the German port Of Kiao-Chou
and get into fighting trim under Ger
man protection. That would be flag.
rant breach of neutrality, but it is as
serted that the Czar and the Kaiser
have arranged for this to be done. The
Japs complain bitterly of English and
German coal merchants selling coal tc
| the fleet.
i c. e. ha
mcagre. disjointed and often contradic
tory dispatches which constitute the
only available source of information,
the situation of the garrison at Port
Arthur is growing daily more desper
ate and the besiegers are making a
progress which, though slow, is sure
they have dug and burrowed and rush.
ed their way to positions from which ii
is believed that they can deliver an eff
fective assault against three of the most
important of the outer works by which
1.-THE citadel is defended, and in a dis
patch from Washington the statement
is made, upon what is described as ex
cellent authority, by which is no doubt
meant the authority of some member q
the Japanese legation, that General
Nogi has received orders from Toxic tc
deliver another general attack at the
earliest practicable moment, and to
force it home at no matter how terrible
cost. 1t may not be possible for him
to execute his instructions but he is
certain to make strong attempt, and
now when the Russian garrison is great
| ly reduced. enfeebled and disheartened,
he may be able to do what he could not
accomplish three months ago.
An assault was made on one Of The
outer posts, last Sunday, which, the
Russians say was repulsed with great
loss to the Jars, bat which the Japs say
was successful, and enables their long
range guns to reach every part of the
town and inner harbor.
In the meantime the movement in
Russia to secure representative govern
ment is progressing, and it begins to
look as though the liberal element there
would accomplish something. The
memorial of the Zemstvo conference
was received by the Car, and he had a
long conference with four of the dele
gates, which may lead to>the organiza-
tion of Russian Parliment.
The mobilization of reserves which is
going on to supply the extraordinary
demand for troops caused by the war,
is attended by resistance and riots in
many parts of the country. These dis
tur Dances are so violent and widespread
that they create new military problems,
since regular troops have to be kept up
on home service to suppress outbreaks.
A remarkable feature of the situation
is the women's riot which took place in
the Ismeil district in Southern Russia.
It is stated that thousand wives and
other relatives Of reservists, who had
been sent away, stormed the govern
ment buildings and could not be dis
persed until the governor distributed a
sum of money among them to relieve
their necessities. A circumstance that
powerfully contributes to the disorders
is that the mobilization system appears
to be breaking down under the strain
put upon it. The reservists when they
are collected find themselves without
adequate supplies of food aud clothing
and help themselves by slckiug saops
and factories. The disturbance appears
to be greatest III Southern Russia, but
it is said to extend more or less through
out the country. ln spite Of AL pre-
cautions there is continual exoins of
fugitives across the border, and il is es-
tihated that at least 10000 rtservi is
have escaped in this way.
Another feature of the situation is
the lack of military equipment. SO that
il is estimated that there is great diff
Guilty in fitting out even $50. coo soldiers
for active service. In the artiIlsry arm
this lack Of equipment has caused the
various military centers on the Euro
pean frontier to be drawn upon heavily
So great is the necessity for scrapipg up
needed equipment wherever it may be
found. that it is stated that the Eighth
army corps. recently sent from Crimea
to Manchuria, had to draw upon such
distant points as Poland and the Baltic
provinces for its field batteries