The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-16
LITTLE REAL LIGHT ON VAR
VOLUMINOUs REPORTS AND
 RUMoRS FROM FAR EAST.

| StAaA Anothcr DAsPatS1 oA SecoAU En-
 gazement at Port Arthur fin Which
 she Russians Lost Eight Vessels sunk
 and Fen captured-viceroy AlexIefr's
 Chief of Stan Reports ths Situation
 Unchanged-MobtI:z ration of Japanese
 Army.
 London, Feb. 1S.-The voluminous dispatches from the Far East published here this morning are again character ized by absence of real light on the sit uation. Numerous unconfirmed and conflicting rumors are given, and among them is a report of another en- gagement at Port Arthur, in which the Russians lost eight vessels sunk and ten captured.
 A correspondent of the Daily Mail, who witnessed the engagement off Port Arthur confirms this morning his pre- vious accounts of the fight and asserts again that one Japanese torpedo boat was sunk and another deserted by its crew in a sinking condition and subse- quently captured by the Russians. He says also that the Japanese lost one battleship and had one cruiser put out of action, and that the colonel of the Fifteenth Russian regiment was killed by shell during the bombardment Cablegtams to the Daily Mail from Hei-Hai-Wei and New Chwang report a Japanese fleet, with transports, cruis- ing in the Gulf of Pechili, apparently with the idea of effecting landing near Port Dalny.
 Paris, Feb. 16.-The correspondent at Tokio of the Petit Pariesen cables that | the subscriptions to the war loan will close March 10.
 The Empress of Japan, he continues, presented splendid gifts to Baroness de Rosen, wife of the late Russian minis ter, before her departure from Tokio. London, Feb. 16-In dispatch from Tokio dated February 12 a correspond ent of the Times urges the British gov ernment to avail itself of the present unique opportunity of studying the de- velopment of an immense military en- 1 terprise.
 The correspondent says also that the Russian vladivostok squadron is still to the westward of Tsugaru strait, the eastern exit being guarded by torpe- does.
 St Petersburg, Feb 15.-Major- Gen eral Pflug, Viceroy Alexieff's chief of staff, telegraphs that the situation at Port Arthur yesterday was unchanged.
 Reports from Yin Kau, near New | (st,,xvo,,rr ,,,, +i,,roe daolora thof tha Japanese are preparing to land at Tsin ] Jenda. A message received from the frontier guard says that mounted pa tro1s. believed to be Japanese, were seen yesterday in the vicinity of Hsin Ming Ting, northwest of Mukden.
 No Japanese battleships have been seen in the roadstead of Tatung Kau, at the mouth of the Yalu river.
 Nagasaki, Feb. 13, via Shanghai. Feb. 15.-The mobilization of the Japanese army has been carried out methodical- ly. It is estimated that 3G0.000 troops are now ready to be placed in the field without impairing the national defens- es. The movements of troops are kept secret. They are being moved at night ! toward their bases at Sasebo, Kure Miji, and Yokusuka and the lights of ordinary trains are extinguished when in the neighborhood of troop trains.
 Members of the reserve force i1nme- diately step into the places of the out going regulars. Their organization is perfect and full equipment is ready 1 for each one of the reserves.
 Hundreds Of hotels. tea houses and temples have been requisitioned in To- kio and other divisional centers. All I the steamers of Japanese merchant lines I are beng rapidly converted into auxilia- ry cruisers, armed with Quick-fring guns and fitted with torpedo tubes.
 The government officials refuse td give out any information regarding their military intentions. They expect to profit by dissentions in the Russian council of state. 1t is believed that the extraordinary powers conferred on vice. royAlexieff will lead to a clash be- tween Foreign Minister Lamsdorff and Gen. Kuropatkin. especially as the lat ter is unfriendly to Alexieff. The result Of a disagreement between these two Russian leaders here would end in a military muddle.
 | The Japanese are convinced that the Russians will be unable to concentrate and maintain 5000 troops at any irn- portant point of military operations.
 There is much talk current in regard to the possible dynamiting of the Rus sian railroad in Manchuria. Thousands of Japanese, who cannot be distinguish 1 ed from Chinese. are working in Man churia. and would be willing to risk their lives to aid their ccuntry's cause. A large body of troops is due in Naga- saki on Saturday to embark on trans ports for Corea.
 l A protective boom of mines has been placed about the entrance of Nagasaki. Yokohama is also guarded by mines.
 Several Russian merchant vessels which have been captured and held as prizes have been taken to Sasebo. where they are we'll guarded. All pass { age steamers are closely inspected by a flotilla of torpedo boats.
 1 Nine transports fitted with stables were lying at Moji on Saturday, Febru- ary 13.
 i CONFIRMED BY ALEXIEFF. Sinking of Japa"cse Merchantman In