The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-04
Russians Preparing to Retire to
the N0rthward.
VIII Make No Attempt to De-
fcnd Yinkow.
FALL BACK ON MUKDEN
KurOpatkin Will Make Head
quarters There.
Movements In Anticipation Of
Arrival of Japanese.


bank is closing. preparatory to remov-
ing to Mukden. Women and children
are preparing to leave Yinkcw IN an
ticipation of the arrival of the Japanese
fleet which is expected when the river
opens. probably fortnight hence
The United States gunboat Helena
and the British cruiser Espiegle are
making preparations to leave the dry
dock in a weeks time.
The main mast of the Russian gun
boat Sivoutch has been cut on This
would indicate she is being dismantled.
but otherwise she would appear to be
clearing for action.
On account of the impossibility of de-
Tending the coast at Yinkow until such
time as a thaw permits the construc-
ton of entertainments and forts, the
Russians have prepared to retire up the
main railroad line. There are practical
ly no defenses here, and although the
shifting and reshifting of troops and
artillery to the small forts at the mouth
of the Lao river has the appearance Of
an intention to defend Yinkow, the mill
tary authorities depend upon an inland
engagement to put a stop to the jap
anese advance
AS far as yet known the only plans
decided on are first, that Gen. KurO-
patkin's headquarters are to be at Mulx-
den; F1cerOyA AAlexien proposes to re
main at Mukden indefinitely as that
city is the center of the Chinese dd-
ministration and has a vice royal bu-
reau; second, that the plain west of
TaShihchiao which is almost inpossi-
BILE of defense will be held if possible
on account of railroad connecting with
Port Arthur, third, Haiching and Liao
Yang are the extreme limits to which
troops will be withdrawn owing to the
I nj or hi int
That the japanese will arrive before
a thaw permits the concentration of
defenses is thought to be certain. 1t
would appear also that the authorities
expect Port Arthur to be besieged
Sir Robert Hart director of Chinese
imperial maritime customs, after sound
ing Russians opinion in the matter has
ordered the Chinese custom IightShiD
and the channel buoy to be placed at
the river mouth as usual This step,
however, has no effect upon the neu-
tralization of Newchwang.
WILL DISMANTLE THE MANDJUR.
New York, March 4.-The Russian
consul has notified the taotai that the
authorities at st. Petersburg formally
agree, says a World dispatch from
Shanghai to diSmantle the gunboat
Mandjur, which has been here for some
time in defiance of the neutrality reg
ulations. 1t is stated the guns VIII be
put ashore and that the Mandjur will
remain at Shanghai until the end OF
the war.
TO KEEP RUSSIA OUT.
New York, March 4.-H the Japanese
are successful in Manchuria steps will
be taken, according to a statement
published by the London Morning Post
and ca abled to the World, to guard
against the possibility of Russia's again
assuming a dominant attitude in that
portion of Chinese territory.
There was a clause In the original
concession under which China was to
purchase the entire Russian railway
line and it's rolling stock after
term of years and this may be brought
HAILED WITH SATISFACTION.
ST. Petersburg, March 4-The Russian
press halls with great satisfaction the
American dispatches of the last few
days as indicating a change in the dis
position of the Washington government
toward Russia. The Bourse Gazette
and the Novoe Vryena this morning in
a sober fashion discuss Russo o-American
relations and the danger of a perman-
ent estrangement. The Gazette says
there is something profoundly regretta-
bic in the present relations between
these two world powers.
WILL GO BY SPECIAL TRAIN.
Paris March 4.-The st. Petersburg
correspondent of the Echo De Paris
saws when Kuropatlxin starts for the far
east on March II he will go on a special
train and be accompanied by part Of his
staff Tt is reported, the correspondent
continues, that the car said to him:
You will return field marshal"
There has not been field marsnal IN
Russia since Count Gourko.
The Newsky shipyard is about to be-
gin the construction Of ten submarine
vessels of the English type. Work on
these boats will be pushed with all
speed.
The Harbin correspondent of the Ma
tin says detachment Of japanese cav
airy, commanded by Uitchenko, has en-
tered Mao Eur Chan, south Manchuria,
close to Korean border.
In Korea the weather is cold and
there is snow. Here 1t is comparatively
fine. The sea is still rough at Port
JAPANESE LOSSES.
Vladivostock March At is report
ed here that Japanese steamer, the
name of which is not known, was sunk
while on her way to Wonsan with a
load of rice.
Eye witnesses of the naval fight at
Port Arthur have Just arrived here.
They declare that the losses of the Jap
anese up to February 25 were greater
than had been admitted In foreign
newspapers. In addition to five steam
ers sunk, they say that five torpedo
boat deStroyers, one gunboat and two
torpedo boats were put out of action
and several others so damaged that they
will require extensive repairs.
BOMBS THROWN.
Toxic, March Am intrigue on the
part of the opposition at Seoul against
the conclusion of the Japanese-Korean
protocol, eliminated in the throwing Of
minister and his secretary early Thurs
day morning They escaped unin1ured
"A RUSSIAN HOLIDAY.
St Petersburg, March 4.-For the first
time since the emancipation of the
serfs in 1861, the anniversary was Off