The San Francisco call., 1904-04-17

Russians EmphaticaIly Deny That Togo
Placed Mines at Entrance to
Port Arthur.

ST. PETERSBURG. April 16.-One of
the highest authorities at the Ad-
miralty makes the following state
ment:
You can deny with absolute assur-
ance the reports that the enemy was in
any way responsible for the disaster
to the Petropavlovsk Admiral Maka-
rolf never left the harbor Without drag
ging for mines We believe the
Petropavlovsk's boilers blew up. They
were of the old Scotch type. We also
consider it quite likely that an un-
exploded Whitehead torpedo caused
the Pobieda's injury, as the explosion
occurred just at the water line.
Vice Admiral Skrydloff's appointment
to command the naval forces at Port
Arthur has been received with great
satisfaction by both the navy and the
public. lie is great favorite with
the jackies.
Skrydloff is considered to be one of
the ablest seamen and strategists in
the Russian navy. He is the natural
successor Of Makaroff, whose comrade
he was during the Turko- Russian war,
both distinguishing themselves. The
papers unanimously commend the Sc
lection in the highest terms.
The Novosti. reviewing the naval sit
uation, argues that there is no cause
for despair, the ships left at Port Ar
thur and Vladivostok still constituting
what Captain Mahan calls "a fleet in
being which leaves the Japanese not
free to act
The first two prigades of the nine
Siberian Rifle Brigades have been
ordered to be converted into nine di-
visions, increasing their numerical
strength to about 100, 900 men.
The Russ prints sensational tele-
gram from Moscow saying Its CORES
pondent has noticed during the last
three days that the Chinese are hur-
riedly leaving that city, owing. it is
said, to orders received from China.
The report is ridiculed at the Chinese
Legation here, where it is said that the
relations between China and Russia
are good, the last case of friction re-
garding the Japanese instructors with
the Chinese army having been salts
factorily removed, as set forth In these
dispatches April II.
No further details have been re-
ceived of yesterdays bombardment of
Port Arthur except that it was practi-
cally without result as far as injury
to ships or Notifications is concerned.
The loss Of life was insignificant.
All the papers scout the theory of the
destruction of the Petropavlovsk hav-
ing been caused by a submarine boat,
except the Novoe Vremya, which indig-
nantly rejects the idea that Vice Ad-
miral Makaroff committed uninten-
tional suicide by being blown up by
one of his own mines. contendfng that
both the Petropavlovsk and Pobieda
were struck by torpedoes fired from
submarine boats. affirming it's convic-
ton that the two new Japanese cruis-
ers which appeared with the fleet for
the first time on this occasion brought
with them a couple of English or
American submarine boats, and hint
ing that they might have been manned
by British sailors.
There is considerable criticism at the
meagreness of the official dispatches,
some of the papers strongly appealing
to the Emperor for full, complete in
formation, saying the Empire and peo-
pie are ready to make sacrifices and
are strong enough to accept any news
CFSh eilc WOlSts LlldI lne Elm
peror's subjects desire something more
than a repetition Of General Souvo-
rouf's famous telegram sent during
the Turko- Russian war, reading:
'lsmalia lies at the feet OF your Maj
esty''
The Noyosti complains especially at
the absence of newspaper kilograms
from the numerous correspondents at
the front, arguing that it will weaken
popular interest in the war, resulting
in cutting down the stream of contri-
buttons to the war fund