The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-03-18
WON 7 FIGHT
UNTIL THEY THINK THEY
CAN WIN
ATTITUDE OF RUSSIA
Afraid of What China
May Do.

Yin Kow, March 14.-It is admitted
here that the Russian army will not
offer any serious resistance to the
Japanese until sufficient troops are on
hand to ensure success even though
they have to abandon all of southern
Manchuria and leave Port Arthur to
it's fate. Vice Admiral Makaroff has
reported that Port Arthur can hold
out for six months and ne is likely
to be taken at his word and permitted
to defend the fortress with his squad
ron while the line of communication
is abandoned. There is declared by
the Russian officials to be at least
six months supply of provisions
in the fort and all that Is lacking Is
big gun ammunition which is being
forwarded from Munllden.
Viceroy Alexieff expects that as
soon as General Kuropatkin arrives at
Harbin, plans will be perfected for
the holding of strong base of central
Manchuria somewhere between Har.
bin and Mukden until army of 400,.
900 men can be assembled. OF these
latter, at least one-fifth will be used
to keep the Chinese in check and be-
hind the Great Wall. The attitude
OF General Yuan-whi-Kai has greatly
displeased the Russian commander,
who Is reported to be using his in
fluence to have the Russian foreign
Office warn China that unless her
troops are kept west of the Great
Wall Russia will be compelled to re.
gard her as an ally of Japan and
treat her accordingly. Admiral Alex
Jeff would like nothing better than to
occupy Peking with an army, as
China's military strength Is such that
she would prove easy of conquest,
and success of this character would
distract Russian attention from the
disgraceful retreat before the Japan.
ese.
The attitude Of the foreign com.
manders who have warships In the
mud dock here Is exasperating the
Russians. They desire to block the
mouth of the Lao river with sunken
junks laden with explosives and to
sink mines at intervals so that the
Japanese squadron will, be prevented
from OCCUPYING the harbor if tho
town and New Chwang are abandon.
ed. The foreign commanders have
protested in no uncertain terms and
Russia does not desire to preoipitate
nasty complications If 1t can be help
ed. ht
Therefore they are urging the for,
eigners to sail so soon as the harbor
is free from ice which will be in
about fortnight. What success they
will meet within this last plan is de.
cidedly problematic. The bombastic
attitude which Admiral Makaroff has
assumed since his arrival at Port Ar.
thur Is reported to be causing serl
GUS internal dissentions there. He has
freely criticised all officers of the
navy who have been concerned in the
efforts to repel the various attacks OF
the Japanese squadron aud has inti
mated that besides incompetency Ger
tain officers have displayed extreme
caution which bordered ON cowardice
In view of his action In abandoning
the destroyer fleet to- their own re-
sources during last Thursdays battle
and retreating somewhat precipitately
into the harbor with the cruiser Novik
when the Japanese began TO make that
vessel target for their shells. II Ii
declared by officers at New Chwang
that his criticisms came with III grace