Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-04-20
.VICEROY'S RELIEF.
lAiexeieR, Finding His Star on
the Wane, Asks Release.
NOW LACKS CONFIDENCE OF CAR
Wis Control of Military and Naval
Affairs In Far East Has Brought
Only n to the Rus
sian Arms.

or to be relieved of his position of vice
roy in the far east.
1t is expected that the request will
be Immediately granted.
The immediate cause of the viceroy's
application is reported to be the APP
polntment of Vice Admiral Skrydloff,
n of Admiral AleXeieff's strongest
enemies and sharpest critics, as sue
cessor to the late Vice Admiral Maka-
in the far east.
Vice Admiral Skrydloff has had an
interview with the emperor and dis
cussed with his majesty the position
of Viceroy AleXeieff's relations with
that officer.
The relief of Viceroy Alexeieff would
not surprise intelligent observers of
the far eastern situation who are ia
miliar with the gradual change in the
emperor's attitude toward the viceroy
and Nj. Bezobrazoff, who represented
the militant or advanced element
which was anxious that Russia should
remain in Manchuria. 1t was these
two men for whom the Anglo4Japa-
nese entente first lost terrors. They
believed that Great Britain would not
go to war and that Japan could not do
80.
To the indignation of Japan they
succeeded in turning the policy of the
empire from carrying out the treaty
for the entire evacuation of Manchu-
ria pending further demands on Chi
ma. On Aug. IL last, after Japan had
submitted an inquiry as to whether
Russia was disposed to reopen tie ne
gotiatiOns respecting Manchuria and
Korea, a viceroyalty in the far east, a
special secretary of state and an adj
vlsory committee were created, Alex
eieff being appointed viceroy and Be
zobrazoff secretary of state. Seven
teen days after these appointments
were made NJ. White, who had been op.
posed to the policy of Alexeieff and
BezobraZoff, was relieved of his port
folio as minister of finance.
1t was through his new official adj
visers that the emperor conducted ne
gotiations with Japan, and it is claim
ed that they misjudged the temper
and purpose of the Japanese and left
the emperor in Ignorance of the prep
arations for wal which Japan was
making and the rising war spirit of
that eiupire.
The enemies of Alexeieff have per-
sistently asserted that MS the man on
the spot he should have kept the I'M
peror informed concerning these vital
points.
On the eve of the war Alexeieff ap-
parently still had the confidence of
the car, but the lack of preparedness
Of the Port Arthur fleet, as shown in
tile cases Of the battleships Retvizan
and Cesarevitch, called the attention
of the emperor to the slackness of
the naval administration in the far
cast.
This was the first blow publicly CIV
en- to Alexeieff. The second wns the
appointment Of General Kuropatkin
as commander In chief Of the army in
Manchuria. Kuropatkin sided with
Count Lamsdorff, the foreign minister.
anu NJ. NitlC uSulhSI lhC pOlANy VI
Manchurian annexation and stated to
the Chinese minister to Russia, Mr..
Hoo Wei Teh, that the whole trouble
with Alexeieff. That there
might be no doubt of Kuropatkin's OK
act jurisdiction the emperor issued an
other ukase defining it and gave the
former minister of war complete con-
troll of military operations in the far
east.
Officials In st. Petersburg say it
then have been evident to Alex
eieff that his star had waned. He had
the army nor the navy under
his control, being charged merely with
the civil administration, but In time of
war there is no civil administration or
ut least little. AT first the viceroy re-
the official dispatches from Ma
karoff and Kuropatkin, but over this
last shred Of his dignity was removed
when the two commanders communi-
Gated directly with the emperor.
1t is said that Vice Admiral Skryd-
loft in his interview let his majesty
understand that he does not care to
assume command of the fleet until
Alexeieff has withdrawn. Therefore
the two men will not meet at Port Ar
thur.
A dispatch received from Port Ar
thur says that many mutilated corpses
have been east ashore there. and it is
affirmed that fragments of a uniform
have enabled the authorities to iden-
tify one OF the bodies as that Of Vice
Admiral Makaroff.
1t is not expected that a successor to
Viceroy Alexeieff will be appointed, as
the Importance of the post of viceroy
has disappeared owing to the result Of
the war.
A dispatch from Yinkow says that a
fresh battle is raging at Port Arthur.
Some unimportant skirmishes are re-
ported along the Yalu river. Six Jap
anese soldiers have been killed by Rus
sian scouts. Firing was heard lear
Liaoyang, but the result of the engage.
ment is unknown.