River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-03-03


The blockade of Port Arthur con-
tlnues. The Russians seem resigned
for The present not to expect to accom-
pllsh much by sea, realizing that Port
Arthur is Cvermatched in both ships
and guns, but they hint that things
may be different in the spring if the
Baltic fleet goes out and effects june
ture with that at Port Arthur. Serious
consideration also is being given to
the feasibility of spending about So
100000 on torpedo boat destroyers to
be sent in sections to Vladivostock and
Port Arthur.
Excitement Dying Out.
The war excitement here and
throughout Russia generally seems to
be dying down. The patriotic demon
strations which everywhere followed
the outbreak of hostilities have been
succeeded by calmness on the part of
the people, but the crowds still eagerly
gather about the bulletins from Vice
roy AleXieff, which are posted in va
rious parts of the city and which are
issued soon after they are received.
The frankness with which the govern
ment publicly announced the initial re-
verses as well as the stringent mea-
ures taken to prevent the dissemina-
ton of all false reports of successes
is perhaps the best evidence of COM
plete confidence which the authorities
have in the loyalty of the people.
Maintain Secrecy.
Chefoo, Feb. 29.-While the Japanese
report that their feet is still concen-
trated in the neighborhood of Port Ar
thur, yet endeayors are being made to
prevent definite, information from be-
coming public. The survivors of the
sunken transports who were landed
Saturday were not allowed to see any
body, and they will be sent home. The
Japanese fleet originally consisted of IL
warships, but two battleships and dis
patch boat are now missing from that
number, and from two sources it has
been learned that two Japanese war
ships returned to Sasebo in a disabled
condition. 1t is being circulated among
Chinese that Port Arthur has fallen.
Japanese Gunboat Destroyed.
Chefoo, Feb. 29.-Several Japanese
officers and sailors who landed here
from an open boat early Saturday re-
fused to give any information as to
where they came from. At the Jap
anese consulate it was given out that
they belong to a gunboat which
was damaged during the fight off Port
Arthur, and which sank trying to
reach this port. The statement that
they were members of the crews of the
merchant steamers sunk near the en-
trance of Port Arthur for the purpose
of blockading it and that they were
not picked up by the torpedo boats in
company, was positively denied They
crossed the gulf in the open boat in
which they arrived. The consul claimed
that he had been expecting the arrival
of survivors of the action off Port Ar
thur.
Orders of Consul Suspended.
Washington, Feb 29.-The orders of
Edwin V. Morgan, appointed and con-
firmed as American consul to Dalny,
to proceed to that post have been sus-
pended Mr.. Morgan will not pro-
coed until he has received further Or
ders from the department. There is
no present intention of trying to force
Mr.. Morgan upon the Russian govern
ment.
The state department recognizes the
right of any government to withhold
an exequatur by warrant of which the
consul is authorized to exercise his
functions, and if another government
does not feel that consulate located in
one of its ports facilitates commerce,
there is no disposition to make an
issued on that point.
Object of Japs.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 29-The des-
perate manner in which the Japanese
are returning to the attack of Port Ar
thur, in spite of their repeated re-
pulses, has convinced the military au-
thorities here that their main object
i've for the present is hopelessly to
cripple the Russian fleet, in order to
secure absolute freedom in the dis
embarkation of troops. For this rea-
son the Russian commander is care
fully guarding against exposing his
ships, Keeping them in the narbor, UNI
der Ln6 guns Vi the
A doubt exists as to whether the Jap
anese really design to land near Port
Arthur and invest the city. The au-
thorities admit they are considerably
mystified, but the prevailing opinion
continues to be that the Japanese will
not hazard landing at this stage Of
| the campaign. It is pointed out that
owing to the conformation of the
shore the only suitable landing places
near Port Arthur are we'll within the
range Of the batteries, and that if a
landing is attempted on the northern
| part of the peninsula the Japanese
! transports will be unable to come close
to land, and that on account Of the
shelving of the shore the troops would
have to march miles through mud and
low water, exposed to calling off
shore fire
Exciting ManHunt.
Binghamton, N. Y, Feb. 29.-After
one OF the most exciting man-hunts in
he history Of this city, lasting for
nearly 80 hours, Morris Odell, charged