The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-19
TO GIVE UP PORT ARTHUR.
That Is Believed to Be the Intention
of Alexieff -.

London, Feb. f19.-It is now believed
both in London and on the continent
that Viceroy AIexieff has decided to fall
back upon Hardin, abandoning Port Ar
thur, Vladivostock and the whole of
southern Manchuria to the japanese
and that he is perhaps hoping that the
reduction of Port Arthur and Vladivos-
took will occupy the enemy while he IS
concentrating his forces at Hardin.
The papers this morning comment
upon the activity which is seen at
Woolwich and elsewhere in ref1tting the
navy in preparation for any emergency.
1t is admitted that the manufacturers
of fixed ammunition have been working
nights shifts since Christmas, and that
all the surplus obsolete war material
on vessels at home and abroad is being
replaced as rapidly as possible. Espe-
cia1 interest attaches to the equipment
of sixty battleships with the new 12-inch
wire steel guns, 450 of which were or
dered by the admiralty four years ago
at an expense Of $22, 100000. These are
said to be the most modern and most
powerful guns in existence in any navy,
and they are capable Of throwing an
aimed shot accurately a distance of
10000 yards.
Similar reports of military activity
are received from other countries. For
instance. even Spain is preparing for
possibilities. The Spanish minister of
war Informed newspaper man that
he was mobilizing all the military
forces at MS Q1SpOS1C1O0, and said.
Although the RuSSO-JapaneSe dis
pute does not concern us, we must be
prepared for all eventualities Pa
triotism, however. demands we keep
silent the points Spain must fortify.'
According to the Toxic correspond
ent of the Daily Mail the emperor of
Japan has declared his intention of
giving the treasures of the palace to
the Bank of Japan for the purpose of
the war fund. Other dispatches from
1 AlyIn f1~l91 f17xl
internal war loan.
In a dispatch from Nagasaki a CORE
SpOndent of the Daily TELEGRAPH says
all the Russian passengers who were
on the captured steamer Japan have
been released on parole.
The correspondence of the Times and
Daily Telegraph at Toxic unite in an
nouncing the resumption of the Japa-
nese coasting trade, and confirm pre-
viouS reports that the Russian cruiser
on Port Arthur of February a. Some
correspondents say the warship in
question was the cruiser Bayan and
not the Boyarin.
Full accounts of the firing by Rus
sian ships on the British steamer Psi
Ping, show that the Russians ordered
the British steamer Ching Ping and
the German StameF Pronto, to extir1-
guish their lights and fires. Russian
war ships then arrived and finding
| three vessels in the roadstead without
lights they began firing at them.
The Pronto received most of the shots.
The forts then began firing. and the
utmost confusion prevailed. A mill
tary correspondent of the Times asked
whether the Russian proclamation por-
tends a repetition of Russia's policy of
1872, and the waging of a war of ex-
haustion He thinks this proclama-
ton can have no other meaning un-
LESS it was concocted deliberately for
Reception or written with the knowl-
edge that the Manchurian railroad is
wrecked already.
yet this seems madness" the cor
respondent continues, because if the
Russian army stood still while Japan
was reducing the two great fortresses
at Port Arthur and Vladivostock, Rus
STA would become the laughing stock
of Europe and the mock of ASIA