The San Francisco call., 1904-04-18
Twenty Transports
Are Reported
at Sea.
Gar Informed OF
Situation on
the YaIu.

PORT ARTHUR, April 17.-Ru-
rnols are current here that twenty
japanese transports have been sighted
steaming in the direction of Yinkow.
The Russians impatiently await jap
anese landing.
Since the bombardment Of Friday
all has been quiet here. Viceroy AL
exieff has hoisted his flag on the
battleship Sevastopol. The Easter
gifts received from the Grand Ouch
esses have been distributed to the
soldiers and sailors.
PARIS, April IS.-The Echo de
Paris this morning publishes dis
patch from its St. Petersburg cores
pondent saying that General Kuropat-
kin had wired the Emperor of Russia
indicating the precise positions of the
Russian and japanese troops on the
Xalu. The dispatch adds that heavy
rains have made the Manchurian
roads almost impossible and opera
tiOns have been suspended pending an
Improvement in the weather.
The st. Petersburg correspondent Of
the Echo de Paris cables the follow
ing: According 70 an investigation
made at Paris the PetrOpaVlOVsk ca
tastrOphe was due TO the explosion Of
her cylindrical boilers. Two success
sive explosions occurred under the
boiler deck. The authorities viii not
admit that Vice Admiral Togo could
place a mine so near the entrance to
the port without being perceived.
CRUISER REPORTED LOST.
ST. PETERSBURG. April IA
dispatch from Port Arthur says sew
eral eye witnesses assert that a Jap
anese cruiser was lost outside Port
Arthur April II by striking one of its
own foq ting mines.
According to the reports of spies.
the Japanese troops in Korea have
been ravaged by various diseases.
pysentery is very prevalent among
the Russians at Harbin-
luuoTs were in circulation here to-
day Of fresh engagement on the Yalu
River, which had resulted favorably TO
the Russians, but dispatch received
by the general staff tonight says that
the situation is unchanged and that all
is quiet on the Yalu.
II is said that on the evening Of the
disaster TO the PetropavlOvsk Vice Ad-
miral MakarOff telegraphed TO the En-
perOr that he was about to fight de-
cisive action with the enemy's feet A
T, story is circulated among the encourage
OF the court that on hearing Of the
catastrophe the Emperor wept and, re-
ferring TO NicerOy Alexieff exclaimed:
That man brings Us nothing but i'll
luck" II is alleged that the Emperor
was with difficulty dissuaded from re-
moving the Niceroy from his post.
TROOPS FAIL TO LAND.
1t is said that the japanese torpedo
fotilla attack on Port Arthur April Is
was intended 10 cover a landing from
nine transports at Shwangtaitse, twen-
~ miles southwest Of Takushan, with a
view TO cutting of the retreat of the
Port Arthur troops TO Siuyen and Kai-
ping, destroying the railway and pre-
venting the troops stationed in South
ern Liaotung from effecting a junction
with the main Russian forces concen-
trated at Liaovang and Mukden. The
execution Of this operation only failed
owing to the fact that all places on the
peninsula suitable for the landing of
troops are protected by mines and are
well fortified and strongly guarded.
NJ. SuVerine manager of the NOVOe
Nremya- says he has seen a letter dated
March 19 from DR.. Nolkovitch. who was
drowned on the Petropavlovsk, in
which il is alleged that Vice Admiral
Makaroff and his staff declared that
the japanese were using submarine
boats and that Port Arthur was not
defended by Russian mines
A letter from VladivostOk dated
March p has been received here,
which says that nobody there believes
that the land operations will be begun
soon. The winter has been especially
cold and there is still much snow
Since the first bombardmeDt the city
has been tranquil. The coal mines
are supplying fuel to the railroad and
the city. but this is the only industry
that is being pursued.
CORRESPONDENT is SAFE.
News has been received direct from
Nicholas T. Kravtchenl1o. the Asso-
ciated Press special war correspondent
at Port Arthur. thus showing he did
not go down with the battleship Pc
tTOpavlovsk, as has been reported
LONDON. April 18.-The correspond
ent Of the Times, on board the steamer
Haimun. sent by wireless telegraph a
description confirming Vice Admiral
Togo's report Of the Port Arthur opera
tiOns He says that when the Russian
feet had been enticed fifteen miles out
sioe the harbor Vice Admiral Togo was
notified. BY a piece Of bad. luck the
wind at this moment freshened ana
dispelled the mist and enabled Admiral
MakarOff to guess the ruse and retire
at fun speed for Port Arthur. II was
a magnificent spectacle. but the Rus
slams had not been enticed sufficiently
far from the harbor At the close of a
three days engagement on April Is.
the whole japanese force returned to
the main rendez vous.
War News Confined on Page 2.