The San Francisco call., 1904-04-22
WAR AN EXPENSIVE GAME.

WAX AN EXPENSIVE GAME.
Russia has made a new issue of $751;
100000 in paper currency against free
gold in the state bank. At the Minis
try of Finance it was explained that
it was an ordinary issue and In no
sense was forced. Under the law pa
per is issuable to double the amount
of gold up to $3.50, 900 gold, in ex-
cess of which paper issued must be
covered, ruble for ruble. In the state
bank there are, in round figures.
$4OO. 600. 900 in gold, which would
permit of an issue of S550,e00,000 in
paper, but the paper issue at present
amounts to only $3.50, 100000.
All sorts of figures of the cost Of
the war are printed abroad. The press
is authoritatively informed that the
daily expenses are averaging $3.50, 900,
and it is estimated that a years ex-
penditures for the war will total $780,
600 900.
To meet this there existed a free
balance of S50,0OO,000, which was in
creased to S115.0OO,OO0 by reductions in
the ordinary budgets, leaving ostensi-
bly, S135,0o0.000 to be found. But por-
ton of the latter is made up by the
increased earnings of the railroads
owned by the Government. 1t being
in reality question OF bookkeeping.
how the balance is to pe raised has
not yet been determined. No foreign
loan has been arranged and none is
desired if it can be avoided, as prac-
tically the total of the war expendi-
lures will be raised at home The Min
istry of Finance believes it may be
easy. to float an internal loan late in
the summer or fall.
KUROPATKIN is HOPEFUL.
Marine Minister Avellan has received
the following telegram from General
Kuropatkin:
Il mentally embrace you, dear Feo-
dore- Carlovich, knowing the grief and
anxiety you are suffering. The army
finds consolation in the firm conviction
that our illustrious seamen will re-
trieve their loss at the expense of the
Japanese fleet"
While this is the general view, there
are those who stoutly resent Togo's
claim. insisting on the theory of the ex-
plosion of either a magazine or the
boilers.
Mail advices received here from Alex
androff, island of Saghalien, say it is
believed that 1000 to 5000 Japanese en-
ployed on the eastern and, southern
coasts are disguised soldiers and sail
ors. Many of them have been arrested
in the Korsakoff district with arms in
their possession. The families of of
ficials and residents of Korsakoff and
Alexandroff, ii is added, are secreting
their valuables and fleeing into the in
terror.
The Japanese having captured the
vladivostok mail steamship, the island
will be cut off from communication
with the mainland as soon as the ice
disappears at the end of April.
WED DURING THE BATTLE.
A letter from Port Arthur describes a
wedding which occurred during the
bombardment of March %. The we'd
ding guests were nearly stampeded,
the carriage horses tried to bolt and
shells were bursting as the procession
drove to the church, but after the cere-
mony 100 guests danced while shells
were flying and bursting overhead
The newly married couple, it is further
asserted, were quite happy.
TIL ships of the Baltic fleet here and
at Libau will be in commission next
week. The naval reserves Of the neigh
boring provinces are arriving for dis
tribution to the ships.
At the Vladimir Palace to-day
requiem mass was celebrated for the
repose of the soul of Lieutenant Won
Kuebe,, the Grand Duke Cyril's aid-de-
camp, who lost his life at the time of
A. -