Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-10-28
THE RUSSO JAPANESE WAR.
TWO huge Armies Still Facing Each Other and
showing Teeth, While the Rains Make
Marching Impossible.
ENGLAND AROUSED BY UNEXPECTED ATTACK UPON FISHING yEssF
ON ENGLISH COAST

SNfNN nos ShtSACN pIOteSI against
Russian soldiers appearing and fight
ing IN Chinese clothes, thus disguis-
ing themselves.
No fighting of any consequence by
the Russians and Japanese armies in
the vicinity of Shakhe is reported
Emperor Nicholas has designated
General Kuropatkin Commander in.
chief of all the Russian land forces
in the Far East, to the great Joy Of
all Russia.
Two submarine boats, which il
was stated In these columns some
weeks since were being built at New.
port News and secretly intended fol-
Russia, were quietly sent to New
York last week, and Saturday were
shipped by the Hamburg line for St
Petersburg. From there they will
be shipped over the Siberian road to
Vlad;ycstok. Each submarine is in
four sections. 1t is stated, though
unconfirmed, that Russia has pur-
chased the Chilean navy and will
add the ships to the fleet about to
saIl for the East. This will be in
violation of the neutrality of nations,
since po belligerent is permitted to
add ships or munitions of war pur.
chased of other countries to her
lighting forces until the existing war
is terminated.
RUSSIAN FLEET SINKS ENGLISH
FISHERMAN WHILE PASSING
ENGLAND SHORES.
A surprising and so far unaccount-
able act by the Russian second Pa
cidc fleet, or Baltic squadron, COM
handed by Admiral Rojestvensky,
while passing the eastern coast of
Eng land on its way to the Far East,
has created aDIazement and intense
anger in Great Britain.
Early Saturday morning, while
the numerous steam fishing fleet of
Hull, England, was in the North
Sea, it was fired on by the Russian
vessels. The trawler Crane was
sunk. Her captain and one of the
mates had their heads cut off by a
shot and number of other persons
were wounded. The Moulnein
and Mino, also steam trawlers,
were riddled, the Mino having Is
holes In her sides.
The bombardment Of the defense
vessels lasted about 20 minutes. No
motive dan be assigned for the ex-
traordinary procedure of the Russian
warships. The Russian fleet stopped
and searched merchan tmen off the
Isle of Wight.
One of the fishing captains said
that the Russians did not stop to
render assistance, but steamed right
through the fleet aud away as if
pursued by victorious enemy. The
fishing boats were .trawling at about
two and a half knots an hour, and
the squadron was steaming about ID
knots. The strangest point of the
whole business is that after the mem
of-war had turned their seareblights
on the fishing fleet it was impossible
to mistake them for anything but
fishers. The squadron, in fact, got
so close mp that they could distin-
guish men working their nets.
The urgent British protest has
been delivered in st. Petersburg, but
as Admiral Rojestvensky's fleet is
still at sea, the Gar is without any
report of the occurrence. He has
been telegraphing wildly to Cher
bourg, Brest and Vigo, Spain, where
the warships are expected to coal.
In the absence of the Admiral's report
no official explanation of the action
of the squadron can be made. The
British Foreign Office has made Ger.
tain formal demands upon Russia,
couched in language which is said to
preclude any diplomatic quibbling
or delay. The demands are said to
be heavy, comprising apologies to
crown, full monetary COM
pensatlon to the sufferers and
searching inquiry with immediate
and suitable punishment for the
offenders. The British public is
described as much wrought up over
the occurrence, but European Cabi-
nets are inclined to the belief that
the incident will be satisfactorily ad-
lusted. Additional particulars of
he attack on the trawlera only serve
to increase the strangeness of the
incident. The Gear personally tele-
graphed King Edward. expressing
mis- regrets over the action of the
squadron In firing on the fishing
fleet. He promises to accede to all
Of England's demands.
The only explanation of the cause
of the attack so far available is that
The Russian fleet feared an attack by
Japanese. When the squadron sailed
Admiral Rojestvensky was instructed
10 avoid the mistakes made by the
volunteer fleet and the Vladivostok
squadron in interference with
lentral commerce, but at the same
lime he was warned to beware of
Japanese attacks, for it was known
hat the movements of the Baltic
ieet were being closely watched, and
hat japanese spies and emissaries
we're everywhere present. The AID.
nlral may have taken the fishing
steamers for a torpedo and su bmarine
leet OF the enemy. Roiestyensky is
'ald to be an extremely nervous and
man.
The English people are taking the
serious incident with marked calm
less, for the simple reason that it
vas manifestlY dne to Soma nnan