Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-21
Report From Toxic is Dis.
credited at St. Pc
tersburg.
DECLARED TO BE A RUSE
Several Ships of Port Arthur
Fleet Said to Still be
SeaW0rthy.

London. Dec. 2I.-The Hongkong
correspondent OF the Daily Mail says
the powerful Japanese squadron. CON
sisting of battIeships and armored
cruisers. is now steaming southwark.
accompanied by Is colliers and trans
ports. To- attack the Baltic fleet The
Japanese intend to- claim from neutrals
the same facilities for their squadron
that neutral powers granted the Baltic
fleet.
Deny Destruction of Fleet.
st. Petersburg. Dec. 2I-WhiIe de-
clining to give details. the admiralty
admits that Russian advices from
Port Arthur sent by StoesseI substan-
italy confirmed the Japanese advices
OF the partial wrecking of the Russian
ships in the harbor and the censor
has been instructed to- permit the
publication OF dispatches. IL is claim
eel several OF the larger and a respec-
table number of the torpedo boat de-
strOyers are still seaworthy.
Report I- Mi-I~ndinx.
Reports that Japanese squadron
% 10 vessels had already sailed to
regarded at the admiralty as being
incorrect and circulated for a purpose.
ToE" Makes Ob.~rvntioa..
Toxic. Dec. 21.-Admiral Togo who
personally made a series OF observa-
lions OF the Russian battleship Sevas-
tOpoi telegraphs to the navy depart
ment expressing the opinion that the
SevastopOl is disabled. Great weight
j. attached to Togo's personal obser-
yations and opinion. as instanced by
the fact that when the battleship Pc
tropavIoysk was sunk Togo was one
Of the few officers OF the entire Japa-
nese fleet whose eye caught vision Of
the speedy disaster.
Commander Yezoe who was killed
while torpedoing the Sevastopol has
been promoted and given other posth-
umous honors.
Chis~-~ Neutrality in Balnnce.
Examination of the cargo. passen-
gers and crew of the British steamer
Nigretia which was seized by the
Japanese cruiser Tsushima the 18th il
progressing at Sasebo. IL seems IL Is
undetermined whether the parole
breaking Russian officers are on board
the Nigretia- The Japanese are care
fully investigating this feature of the
case because of the question of the
ability OF the Chinese officials to prop
erIy conduct the internment of the
Russians who seek refuge at ports in
China. II is considered virtually i'm
possible.
The Japanese transport Manshu
leaves Japan for Port Arthur about
Dec. 26 carrying foreign naval attach
es and parliamentary delegations. The
trip is intended To give the attaches
the opportunity to make technical OBJ
seryations.
Action In the North.
Toxic. Dec. 21.-The following re-
port from Manchurian headquarters
was made public today:
AT O'Clock Monday afternoon the
enemy's artillery east of Da mountain
bombarded the neighborhood OF Sin
intung. Early Tuesday the enemy's
infantry attacked us south of Pieniu
hungpao. The fight continued abou:
an hour when the enemy was com
pleteIy repulsed. We had no casual
ties"
Ask S2o0.OOo to Army
81. Petersburg. Dec. 2l.-M 0biliza-
tion Of the reserves has been announc
ed in seven military districts. This il
the third and most extensive mobiliza-
tion OF the war. and will add about
100000 men to the army in the far
east
IL is thought the whole force can
be placed in the field by spring. when
the problem OF food and fuel will be
easier met and the transportation OF
the troops will create less strain upon
the Transsiberian railway. IL will
bring Gen Kuropaktin's effective