The St. Louis Republic., 1904-05-08


his mind about there being no war. and
suddenly disappeared from view. He was
! afterward discovered covering in the cor
ner of a fourth-class railway carriage By
one Of his men employees. who was 80 az
fected by the sight that he jumped into
The same train and went OF with prac-
ticslIy nothing but his pocketbook and the
clothes he had on his back The number
OF sudden disappearances OF this kind was
large.
The most prosperous Observation-Disclosures
in Port Arthur. Russian with big mus
taches, also vanished after the first shell;
as did also his doorkeeper. a stout. pnles-
matte individual who helped you on viz
your oyercoat. accepted tips vlthout hesi-
Iarion, no matter how large the amount,
ard seemed the most unlikely man in the
world 10 be disturbed by anytnine- bul y
Is the dignified people VINO seem 10 naSe
bolted with the most undigninea nas,e
having heard from one OF those VINO clo
not bolt a description OF his sensatlons on
feeling that in all Port Arthur there vas was
the strongest roof could resist the sneAs
as little as q paper screen and that q
projectile might fall anywhere
an even greater opponent OF the Japanese
than Baron Ginsburx. and consequently II
was but poetical Justice. i suppose wheh
a y
its once and wounded its manager The
Novi Krai, which lately became daily
paper, has now ceased publication.
FLIGHT FOR SAFETY.
The overcrowding on the trains that car
ried away the first patches of fugffives
was almost incredible. Inside the car
riases people were packed on top OF one
ed the sieps ali night. After leaving Port
Arthur the conductor requested the gentle,
men TO leave the train 70 the women ana
forcibly that many OF the women carried
with them large packages which should
be thrown out or the windows and IN
weighed against the cruelty OF N thus ssPar-
ating husbands from wives ana ofothefs
Finally they gained their point and were
allowed TO continue their journey some
Of panic that even In Niu-Chvans. Snan-
Hai-Kwan and Ching-N ang-Tao they
hardly felt themselves 10 be secure
II was strange the effect this panic had
on some people Silent men became To-
quacious and guarded men freely disclosed
their vclgartty and sef-concet Most OF
them seemed to attach too much value TO
their lives. For example, one obscure In
dtyidual requested me 20 telegraph 10 Eu-
rope as an item OF news that would pro-
foundly interest the public the one fact
that he was safe
THOUGHT JAPAN WAS BLUFFTNG.
In explanation OF Russia's remarkable
unreadiness In the present emergency I
should say that II was principally caused
by the conviction that Japan was bluff
Ing" Nearly all the Russians i spoke 10
IN Port Arthur for months before the con-
fiict were convinced that Japan was 100
the risk OF fighting such q big Empire as
Russia: that her chartertng of trans
ports. stopp'nE OF % steamship lines 9 ano q, Al Il
gigantic game OF blur In which she was
encouraged TO lerseyere by the conviction,
often expressed in her newspapers, that
Russia would climb down IL only pressed
II proved an expensive kind Of bfuH, TO
be sure. but it would be cheaper TO lose
a million pounds a month by temporary
dislocation of trade than ten million
pounds month by war. IL the same OBJ
iect could be attained IN either case
About a fortnight before the outbreak OF
host.Iities I discussed the matter with NJ
Piancon. the highest diplomatic oficiel In
Port Arthur. NJ. Plancon admitted that the
japanese were making ready to land In
Korea: that they were sending over trans
por.H and making other varlike demon
strations. But he thought II was all done
Jspan . favorable reply. and he assured
me that Il would not succeed
Many Russians believed that Japan
ms bs sisT would to her
tention TO Korea They placed the utmost
confidence in the strength OF Port Arthur
and in the terrifying qualities OF the neet
that lay there under the Cuns- Of that
fortress
SHORTAGE OF GUNNERS.
To talk to 4 Russian officer OF the pos
sibiIity of Japanese feet attacking Port
Arthur would be like talking to him Of
the possibility of a japanese army attack
irg Moscow. The naval omcers are not
however. 50 confident ! heard Of one
man who said: IF there is war. We know
the fate that awaits US. for in my ship.
at least, there 81 only one gunner TO each
gun. II a gunner is killed there Is nobody
In strong contradistinction TO the Jap
anese. the Russian blretacket looked more
peasant than sailor. and in fact. a large
Russian fee, IN Port Arthur only saw the
sea sor the FIRST time n few months ago
In the beginninE Of January naval Of
new men that had Just arrived from Rus
sia TO serve on the ships. All these men
were peasants, who bad never seen the
engineers. for instance, are probably in
ferior &c the corresponding Jaeaneee ON
GERS
graceful state of the boilers In some OF the
new Russian vessels that come out from
home: and then the peculation and sQueez-
ing and mlsaFprorrtation Of fund. tha;
toward Improvement
TOO FOND OF PLEASURE
Another serious defect in the Russian
Navy Is the extreme love Of pleasure and
social gsyety which exists among the off,
Gers ] have rany dear friends in the
Russian Navy. and some of the brayest
ard ssSst capable gentlemen know are
Russian naval officers. but. on the whole.
i think that ;he Russian naval ofiicer
thinks too much of wine. wumea and
song. studies too little and d. not gum
GENTLY serious.
he Ia nNR-rr L. r.r rs--
money to spend. drinks less Champagne
and has fewer social distractions Conse-
quently. he has more time to devote to
work. As for wine. ] need say little. as
the Russian omcers excesses Ia that d.
rection are well known
The Russian IL. think. the only army
IN the civilized world where an ofscer crn
get drunk publicly without dfsgracing him
self; and Russia Is now the only civilized
country where a young max can talk gay
y In respectable middie-ciass family Of