The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-18
Car Nicholas Makes Touching
Farewell 10 Troops About
To Depart
EMPIRE DOES NOT SEEK
ANY HASTY REVENGE
Red Cross Societies Are Active and
II Is Felt That the War Will
Be a Long and Bloody
One.

St Petersburg, February 17-u p. m -
The rigid censorship imposed here upon
all news from the far east completely
masks the movements of Russian troops
and the plans of those in command, but
what is being done is evidently satisfac-
tory to the authorities here, as they man
ifest the utmost confidence that when
the proper time arrives the enemy will be
crushed.
They say that the preliminary sea VIC
tories Of the Japanese will then be speed
lily forgotten. Russia was taken una
wares at the outset. and some little time
will be required to complete the mobiliza-
tion of Russian troops. There will be
no disposition to meet the evident wish
of the Japanese to rush matters to de-
cision.
Can Afford to Wait.
Russia can afford to wait" is a COM
mon expression heard here, and time and
patience always have osen strong allies
of the empire of the north. Moreover,
the excessively severe winter weather is
at the scene of war, 1t is averred, also
fights on the side of the cars legions,
as 1t did in the days of Napoleon, When
the Russian proverb. January. February
and March, as among the emperors
ablest generals, was coined.
At Port Arthur today the thermometer
registered two degrees below zero fahren-
heit. The concentration of Russian
troops will proceed as rapidly as possi-
BILE, but 1t is fair to assume that Viceroy
Alexieff will not take the aggressive until
he feels certain of his ability to admin
lister decisive defeat Therefore, in spite
Of the extensive land operations of the
Japanese in Korea. an important land
fight is now considered here to be mi
nent. although it is believed that the pass
| age of the Yalu river by the Japanese will
be disputed.
4 Headquarters x Change.
It is rsported in ST Petersburg that
| Viceroy Alexeff's headquarters may be
| changed to Mulkden, which would be near
er the center of military activity but
this is not certain. In the meantime
troops are constantly going to the front
from all parts of Russia and some distin-
guished officers in the service of the
czar are leaving for the far east.
These include General Sehilnsky, who Is
to succeed Major General Pflug as chief
of staff to Viceroy Alexieff; General Lap
anoff, governor of Sakhalin Island in the
North Pacific, and General Tserpiysgy.
General Won Sosonkampa has been ap-
pointed to command the Trans-Balkan
cavalry which was reported as going out
under Prince Louis Napoleon.
The various societies throughout Rus
sia interested in the Red Cross move
ment are showing remarkable activity,
and judging from the preparations which
! are being made for the sick and wound
ed, the war is destined to be a long and
bloody one.
Voluntary Contributions Made.
Voluntary contributions to replace the
ships already destroyed by the enemy are
already assuming large proportions, one
man having given the sum of $4,000 It
1t was through a similar movement that
the present volunteer fleet was started
after the Russo-TurlSish war.
The report of a massacre of Jews near
ISieff is denied by the minister of the in
terror, and the Associated Press is au-
thorized to say that the affair was con-
fined to the infiction of slight injury up
on three Jews. Last Monday while a
crowd was indulging in a patriotic de-
monstration at kieff some hebrews be-
gan shouting "down with the czar, and
the crowd promptly punished the culprits,
who were rescued from worse fate by
The timely arrival of the police.
Must Wait Patiently.
| A government communication published
| in the Official Messenger warns the pub
| lie that it must wait patiently for news
| of Russian victories, and says 1t is USE
less to waste men in seeking over-hasty
| revenge.
viceroy Alexieff has cabled to the czar
the report of Captain Reitzenstein. who is
| in command Of the Russian cruiser divis-
| ion, dealing with the destruction of the
Japanese merchant steamer Nagonoura
Maru off the northwestern coast of Japan
and the capture of forty-one of her crew.
| Captain Reitzenstein, who IS also act
ing commodore of the Vladivostock
squadron says that a small Japanese
I,11 1,t4f -t.
lent souall made 1t impossible to capture