Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-25

leans and the gunboats Wilmington
and Annapolis which sailed from Ma
Mia on February II. under command
of Rear Admiral Cooper. upon arriving
ut Chefoo received orders from the
secretary OF ,fhe navy to return TO
Shanghai. When the outbreak of hos
tilities between Russia and Japan oc-
CURED Admiral Evans. commanding
the Asiatic fleet. dispatched cruiser
squadron To Shanghai and Admral
Cooper's squadron 10 Chefoo Secre-
tary Moody has ordered all the ships
to Shanghai. they left Immediately
after coalng. without giving any real
son for their sudden departure.
Only vague rumors characterized
the dispatches regarding land fighting,
As an instance, the New York 'Heraids
corresponding mt ST. Petersburg talks
of Il Russian tepulse on the ialu river
with a loss OF $500 lives. These ru-
moI's are unconIiilmed. and from Il re-
liable quarter the London Morning
Posts Chez Foo correspondent says he
learns tens of,tl6usands of Japanese
are advancing by forced marches from
various, parts of Korea on the falu,
and That, SeSfre fighting is expected
shortly These are the only, references
To actual operationsrSilrat have lfached
London. ~ fHs,S
The Russian forces lp Manchuria
are so FAR acting entirely OH the de-
feDsiVe.- Extensive preparations are be
ing made mt Dalny. Port Arthur. New
Chwang and Liao Yang to prevent the
Threatened landing Of the Japanese
troops. 4 bfg force of,men are ut work
on the damaged vessels in the Port Ar
thur harbor and efforts are being made
10 raise the hattleship Rervizan.
The latest advices from Baron Hays
ASH. the japanese minister to Great
Britain, lead him to believe that the
Japaliese troops may now wait pos.
SHY two or three mpnths before un-
dertaking aggressive operations in
Mlnchuria. He said: we have found
that Russia is SO unexpectedly unprc
pared that should not be- surprised If
the Japanese land forces contentcd
themselves with establishing II thor
ough organization and advancing as
the construction of 1.-The railroad
toward the Yalu river progresses. Rus
STA appears TO he less prepared than
was China i'm 1SDJ. believe that only
three trains Il day can be run through
Manchuria. Surprising these are
equally divided between troo@S aud
supplies. as would be necessary. Rms
S.a could not perceptibly strengthen
her land forces before April"
\ dispatch from ~. Petersburg haz-
ards the forecast that some morning
the Russian Black sea feet. may he
unexpectedly found in the MediterTan-
can. Turkey being assured that with
this once an accomplished fact. not
one of the powers would have a word
TO say in objection. Diplomatic ne'oti-
atoms toward this end are alleged to
be progressing. Such egress from the
Black sea would release the big ar
mored ships KniaZpotemkin and Tav-
riceski. 12.J0O; tons each: the Ekatel'i-
ma and the Cisnia. 1900 TONS each
the Sinope. 10000 tons; the Trisviati-
telia. 13.3lS tons; the Georgi Poblied-
noseo. $1,000 tons: the DyienadZat
Apostolow and the ROstislav. about
1900 tons each: 10 torpedo catchers
and about - torpedo hoats-a force
which would turn the vital question of
the command Of the sea in the far east
in favor Of Russia.
The Russian ambassador ut Wash
ington says Russia gladly and will
ingly favored the suggestion OF Secre-
tary Hay that as far as possible the
belligerents i'm the far eastern war To-
calizc hostiIities and respect the neu-
trality OF China. i'm the interest of n
continuance of peaceful intercourse OF
the rest OF the world. Ny government
expressed the conviction that Mr.
Hays suggestion was prompted by mo
tives of the highest humanity and was
mutually advantageous to the belliger-
ents."
The Paris Figaro publishes teie-
gram from Russia that the ear has
received an autograph letyT from
Emperor William on tile war in the.
far east. and especially on the subject
of Great Britain's attitude. The infor-
mant says official circles in Russia
continue to count on Germany's unre-.
served support. and discuss openly the
possible change of the equilibrium of
Europe which might result from the
grouping together of Russia. Germany
and France taken In connection with
the anti-British feeling. The increa sing
possibility of war with Great Britain
Is discussed without reserve I'm Rus
sian military circles
A correspondent OF a French news
paper confirms the report that Hardin
will he the main base of the Russian
land operations. Thus far the base has
succeeded I'm maintaining it's communl-
cation with Port Arthur. The concen-
tration Of troops. the correspondent
says, proceeds Systematically. and pro-
vision has been made for the speedy
arrival OF 10000 nfcn from the Ill
visions 81 Moscow. Kieff and Varsovic.
The Kentucky house. by party
vote. passed the bill prohibiting co
education OF the races In any educa
tfonol inStifut ION IN tho STATE