Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-02-25
RUSSIA WILL
BIDE HER TIME.
IN NO HURRY TO BRING ON
LAND ENGAGEMENTS.

| Czar Asks His People TO wait Patient
ly the Final Triumph.--Wili Assem-
Bile Immense Army and Then
Sweep Japanese into the Sea-
Latter, Too, Think Time Works for
Them.--Russia Protest Japan's
Action in Corea.
News came Yesterday OF an encounter at
/ Port Arthur early yesterday morning, the
result OF which is still a matter of doubt.
II appears that japanese. torpedo boats
conveyed two vessels to the mouth
OF the harbor intending to sink
them so as to obstruct the channel
or to destroy the Russian battle
ship Retvizan. The latter sunk the TWO
steamers as they approached and claims TO
have sunk several japanese war vessels.
/ The japanese withdrew without accom-
plishng their object. IL is hailed as a
great victory for the Russians, but the
\ japanese version may differ.
There have been no other late encounters
between the Russians and Japanese. The
Japanese made an attempt to torpedo the
remaining Russian ships at Port Arthur
Feb. IA. The torpedo boats encountered
furious snow storm, were separated
and only two of them reached the vicinity
| OF the enemy, These reported that they
/ discharged their missiles with effect, they
/ believe, and made their way safely back.
As the sinking OF the Russian cruiser
Boyarin was reported to have occurred
I at about this time, said to have been due
TO drifting against q mine within the
/ harbor, il is surmised that one OF the
Japanese torpedoes may have been re-
/ sponsible.
The Russians are repairing their
damaged ships at Port Arthur, and II Is
said that most OF them will be ready soon
to take their places in the fleet. The
| Russian Vladivostok squadron has re-
turned to that port. The passengers on
the Japanese merchantmen that this
/ squadron sunk recently were taken aboard
I one OF the Russian cruisers and kindly
treated, excepting two japanese who re-
fused TO come and went down with the
ship.
The whereabouts of the Japanese fleet
that took part in the fights at Chemulpho
and Port Arthur is mystery. II Is
supposed to be off Port Arthur, but has
not been sighted. The Russians claim
that several OF the japanese cruisers and
TORPEDO boats were severely injured IN
the battles, and that extensive repairs
now under way keep the fleet inactive
This is strenuously denied by the Japan
ese, who say their vessels were practi-
cally unharTneu.
The Russian relief squadron that had
passed into the Red Sea on its way
East has been ordered to return 10
/ Cronstadt which indicates that Russia
will not hasten to dispute with japan
for the mastery OF the sea. The Russian
gunboat Mandjur is being blockaded at
Shanghai by japanese cruiser. The
Chinese have ordered the gunboat out OF
their neutral harbor, but the Russians
refuse to go.
prove that the Russians fought gamely.
The cruiser Variag and gunboat korietz
I being inside the harbor were notified by
the Japanese admiral who had come up
outside that war existed and that unless
they came out and fought him he would
enter the harbor and engage them. They
accepted the challenge ana went out with
bands playing the national airs, being
cheered by the other naval vessels in port.
The fire OF the five japanese armored
cruisers was concentrated ON the Nariag,
with terrible effect. Crippled, and with
nearly half of its crew killed or wounded,
the Variag limped back to harbor, follow
ed by the Korietz. The Nariag sunk and
the Korietz was blown up. The Russian
official report claims that one Japanese
torpedo boat was sunk and another dis
] abled during the battle, and that the Jap
anese lost heavily.
4 On land, there have been no clashes as
4 vet between the parties. Both are evil
I IDENTIFY engaged in bringing up men and
supplies. The Russian plan Is announced
/ officially to be a wa iting game, acting on
I the defensive until a vast army can be as
sembled, when the inferior japanese fore
es are to be swept into the sea. This, II Is
predicted, will occur next fall. Until
I then, the Russians will content themselves
with holding Port Arthur on the south
and Vladivostok on the north, coneen-
I trating their soldiery in the northern part
/ OF Manchuria, with Harbin as the base.
/ Harbin is the point where the railway
/ forks, one branch going to Nladivostok
and the other to Port Arthur, on the way
/ ont from Siberia. Gen. KouropaIkin, the
| Russian minister of war, is on his way TO
/ take command of the army in the field,
/ though Alexieff will continue as viceroy,
4 with headquarters at Harbin. Russia Will
/ have to depend almost wholly on the ST.
berian railroad for transportation, when
4 is said to be poorly built much of the way,
with a break Of 40 miles across Lake Bai-
kal, where transit has to be carried on by
| ferry boats in summer and over the ice in
winter, The car has asked his people TO
await calmly the inevitable triumph, until
/ due preparations can be made. Russia Is
bending to the task with energy and pat
riotism Even the disaffected Jews ana
/ Finps il is said. are coming forwHrt with
proffers of service and funds.
The movements of japanese troops are
I kent profound secret. 1t is certain that
many thousands of them are already in
I Korea, which is now being administered
under japanese tutelage. 1t is improb-
able that any Japanese troops are vet
Z scross the Yalu, or that many Russians
are south of that river. Probably it Will