The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-06
JAPANESE RUNNING AS #
WAR DOGS WERE ALREADY
BARKING AT THEIR HEELS
Panic-Stricken Flight of Subjects
of the Mikado from Russian
Territory.
THROWING AWAY GOODS
Storekeepers at Vladivostock Ruin
ing Themselves in Their De-
sire to Leave.
ALL REPORTS WARLIKE
Much Activity and Conferring
Among Diplomats at St.
Petersburg Yesterday.
ALL REPORTS WARLIKE

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 5.-"The Japan
csc are flying panc-stricken," cables the
Vladivostock correspondent of the NOvoe
Vremya, land Japanese storekeepers are
sacrificing all their possessions in their
haste to escape to Japan. Cases of oranges
are selling for cents and furniture is being
literally given away. They are practically
running themselves in their hurry to get
away before the outbreak of war;
Another dispatch from Vladivostock con-
firms the reports that large numbers of
Japanese families have left the Nikolskoye
and Usurie regions 1t gives a gloomy pic
ture of the slump in trade, shows that
clothes and money are scarce and adds that
constant rows are occurring. War is re-
garded there as imminent. Even the Jap
anese and Russian children play at war
games in the streets.
Japan has called all its subjects from the
Yalu district of Korea into Seoul.
A semi-official dispatch received here from
frkutsk says: "Telegraphic orders have
been received here to forward Immediately
TO Baikal a consignment of rails sufficient
To lay thirty miles of track, with all neces-
sary material for the construction work,
across Lake Baikal between the stations of
Baikal and Tanchoi This order must be
executed before the arrival of Prince Khil-
koff Russian minister of railroad communi-
cation, who is expected Feb. 10.'' Lake
Baikal is frozen over from January TO the
first part of May. The proposal has been
made to move passengers across the lake
by means of temporary railroad on the
ice.
ALL BRIDGES GUARDED.
Advices from Port Arthur say: Military
reports declare that all the railway bridges
are guarded and that the bridges over the
Sungari river are defended by infantry,
artillery and patrol boats. A relay post
has been established on the military road
from Lian-Yang TO Antung in anticipation
of an advance. The railway is almost en-
tirel~ at the disposal of the commissaries
in order to allow for the free passage of
troops later, when their movement is
urgent"
In st. Petersburg there was much activ-
ity and comforting to-day. The Japanese
minister, NJ. Kurino in response to an urg-
ent message, went early to the British en-
bassy, where he was closeted with the am
bassador. Sir Claude s. Scott, for over an
hour. Even the Chinese minister, who is
seldom seen in the streets, was abroad in
a gorgeous sleigh seeking information. At
all the embassies the attaches were busy
getting off cipher dispatches to their gov
ernments.
The people, for the first time, seemed
noticeably moved at the prospect of war,
gathering in groups 10 discuss the situa-
tion. Increased anxiety also was apparent
at the various ministeries, but the high Of
ficials. while not attempting to conceal the
gravity of the outlook, remained calm, in
sisting that the steps taken by the govern
ment in the way of military and naval
preparations have been forced on Russia
by the open and hurried demonstrations of
Japan and add that neutrality-suspicious. are
being constantly placed on Russian move
ments in the far East, which represent Rus
sia as already engaged in aggressive tao
tics.
HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE.
AS an Illustration they cite a dispatch
published in London reporting the alleged
mysterious departure of the Russian fleet
from Port Arthur. The chief of the naval
staff said this movement was utterly with
out warike significance. He authorized
the Associated Press TO say that the war
ships merely left the harbor in the course
of a cruise around the end of Talien-Wan
peninsula to try their engines so as TO be
i'm readiness to meet the japanese warships
in case of an attack, and added that the
vessels which had returned to Port Arthur
would not re-enter the harDor because the
entrance was so narrow they could be bot
tied up
sis strictly defensive. she is determined to
avoid any provocation. Moreover, stra-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 COL. 81