Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-24

St Petersburg. Feb 24.--It is official sy announced from Port Arthur that four. Japanese battleships and two Japanese transports have been sunk in a fresh attack on Port Arthur. The attempt was repulsed.
 Washington, Feb 24--The Japanese legation here discredits the report of the sinking of four Japanese battle ships and two transports at Port Ar thur. Atttention is called to the fact that both of the reports to that effect emanated from Russian sources and therefore should be accepted with caution. Furthermore, the inference to the participation of the Retzivan ill the fighting and the reported sinking of the transports are both regarded as casting suspicion on the story. The Retzivan, it is understood, is in no con- dition for battle.
 St Petersburg, Feb 4.-There is an incessant influx of subscriptions of money and contributions of jewelry and other articles towards the fund being raised to strengthen the navy and aid the families of the victims of the war. People of all religions, Jews, Catholics, Lutherans and Moham- r1edans, are wing with one another and the members of the Orthodox church in the display of patriotism, while the peasants and workmen are contributing as freely in proportion to
 Several hundred Turconans have ap- piled to the govefnor-genera of Turk estan to be sent to the fighting line.
 The reports of Russophile demon strations in France, Italy and the Slav countries are eagerly welcomed, and the occurrences are regarded by the Russian press as, symptoms of an eventual new grouping of the powers, whereby, according to the Novoe vremya, the destinies of Egypt, South Africa and Afghanistan may be affect ed.
 N s9 e F
 London, Feb, 24.-Reuter's Tele- gram Go has given out an explanation Of how the abolition of the censorship in Russia was brought about, as fol- lows:
 "The abolition of the censorship Of news telegrams sent abroad from Rus sia is understood to be the direct out come of an interview which Melville E. Stone, general manager of the As sociated Press, had with the czar at St Petersburg. MT Stone urged upon his majesty the wisdom of abolishing the censorship, and as result of the manner in which the matter was rep resented to him the czar called upon NJ. von Plehwe, minister of the in- terior, for report on the subject. This report having been made the czar gave an order that the censorship should cease"
 Tokio, Feb 24.-According to the re- ports of local banks, the national loan of 1O0,OO0,OOO yen ($49, o,000), has been covered nearly four times. The intense patriotism of all classes is evi- denced by the fact that even servants and laborers are contributing from their savings.
 According to the Seoul correspon- dent of the Nichi Nichi, pro-Russian intrigues are being carried out there under the active leadership of Yi-Yon- Gik. former minister of war. The cor respondent asserts that the intriguers meet at night at the French legation. Tneir object is, he says, to get the em- .peror to remove with his court to Chy. unchvon, fifty miles to the eastward of Seoul.
 London, Feb 24.-The under foreign secretary. Earl Percy, replying to u question in the house of commons to- day, said the British consul-general at Shanghai had taken no part whatever in the demand made for the withdraw al of the Russian gunboat Manjur from shangai, as reported in some European . newspapers.
 London, Feb 24.-About 2o.000 tons Of British coal are now being loaded on Japanese steamers for Japan. The Bingo- -Maru is loading 5000 tons and the Sado-Maru 5000 tons at Cardiff, while at Barrow the Kawachi-Maru and another vessel are taking on board the remainder
 St Petersburg, Feb 24s-The railway between Samara and zlatout, in Flu ropean Russia, and the Siberian lines, with all tho territory appropriated by the government for the purposes Of fhege railways. have been placed url-