Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-08
Believed That Russians Are
Strengthening Left Flank.
BRINGING UP CANNON
OVER 800 GUNS HAVE ARRIVED
AT THE FRONT.
Pushing the Construction Of the Sibe-
rian Railawy-Reported Naval Fight
Probably Imaginary.

ST. PETERSBURG, October S.-The mea-
gcrness of the news from the front Is IN
creasing the uncertainty regarding the de-
velopments There Is good warrant Tor the
belief that General Kuropatkin Is strength
ening his left flank to meet the Japanese
turning movement. his troops occupying
triangle, from Fushun to Mukden and Tie
Pass. Over 300 guns have arrived at the
front, and the activity of the Russian skir-
mishers below the Hun river creates the
impression that Kuropatkin may contem-
plate assuming the offensive. The war Of
flee, however, gives no encouragement OF
this idea, though naturally. if such a move
is contemplated, the war office could not be
expected to admit It.
AS predicted in these dispatches General
Ridzovsky under secretary of the interior,
mas been appointed chief of the gendar-
merle, which is virtually divorced from the
ministry of the interior, although nomi-
nally under its control.
The municipality of ST. Petersburg has
decided to care for the relatives of soldiers
at the front who are in distress. Lieut. Cen
Fulton the prefect of police, has issued an
order that such relatives are to be provided
with lodging and fuel and thirty-six pounds
of -four and four of grits for each person
per month.
Work on the Siberian Line.
Prince Hilkoffm. minister of railroads,
las arrived here. after spending three
months in personally experimenting the
construction of the Circum-Baikal railroad.
He SAYS the whole Siberian line is working
perfectly. The Circum-Baikal branch is
open for freight traffic, but passengers are
still crossing the lake in the ferryboa IS,
that being the shortest route, the ferry
boats taking two hours to steam across,
about thirty miles whereas the trains take
four hours to cover the railroad route
around the lake. about seventy-three miles.
Work is still proceeding day and night On
the Circum- -Baikal road electric lights
being used at night, as to have the line
10 complete order before the lake freezes
over.
The Reported Naval Fight
1t is now accepted here that the reported
naval fight off Port Arthur was purely
imaginative. The naval experts of the
newspapers dwell on the difficulties which
the Port Arthur squadron must experience
in breaking out after the disastrous sortie
of August 10. The general opinion is that
the squadron could not venture out unless
something had happened to the Japanese
warships, of which there is no knowledge
here.
In any case the Russian ships could not
go 10 the neutral port OF Chefoo, put must
head for Vladivostok. If the Baltic fleet
was approaching however, the whole situa-
ton would be different.
No Prospect of Compromise.
Replying to the statement of Count Oku-
ma, leader of the Japanese progressive
party. that the war with Russia would be
lCng. but that Japan would win in the end
the Novoe Vremya this morning declares
that the idea of a possible compromise with
Japan has been abandoned and that the
war must be prosecuted by Russia in such
way that there can be no possibility of
Japans renewing the struggle Europe
for thirty years was under the menace of
revenge for AlSace. IF We conclude peace
with Japan all our efforts in the far east
will be valueless and we shall have to spend
enormous sums to keep up our armament
there. The japanese. once for all, must be
driven out of the Asiatic continent"