Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-04-19
RUSSIAN WARSHIP
IS BLOWN UP.
BELIEF AT TOXIC THAT FIGHT
ING ON THE YALU
HAS BEGUN.
FREQUENT SKIRMlsHEs
NEAR WIJU REPORTED

FREQUENT SKIRMlSHEs
NEAR WIJU REPORTED
Russian War Plans Of Exceeding
Nagnitude-omcials Moving with
Great Care-Baltic Fleet to Sail
In July.
st. Petersburg, April 1a.-It is off,
cially announced that Vice Admiral
Makoroff was drowned at the time of
the sinking of the battleship Petro-
paviovsk.
st. Petersburg, April 13-While 60
ing out to meet the Japanese fleet off
Port Arthur the Petropavlovsk struck
mine in the outer roadstead, heeled
over, turned turtle and sank. Practi-
cally the whole Of her crew were lost,
Only four officers were saved, among
them being the Grand Duke Cyrill.
The Petropavlovsk was flying the nag
of Vice-Admiral Makaroff.
The result of the naval battle which.
according to the most reliable authori-
ty, was in progress according to the
last reports has not been received.
ST. Petersburg, April IA semi
official telegram announces that the
Russian battleship Petropavlovsk has
been sunk off Port Arthur and that
only four of the officers were saved,
among them being the Grand Duke
Cyril, who was wounded.
Another report is to the effect that
the telegram which Grand Duke vladi-
mir received was from Grand Duke
Boris, brother of Grand Duke Cyril,
announcing that the Petropavlovsk, Of
which Cyril was first officer, had been
blown up by striking a Russian mine,
only four officers escaping. The Grand
Duke Cyrils wound was said to be
slight.
The telegram, according to his re-
port, did not mention the losses sus.
tanned by the crew.
Chefoo, April ia private dispatch
received here from Port Arthur says
the Japanese attacked that place at
daylight today, and that the full Rus
sian feet went out under Vice Admiral
Makaroff, and assisted by the fire of
the forts. drove the enemy off.
The dispatch adds that the town was
| not damaged. The-effect OF the bonn
bardment of the forts and fleet was
not mentioned.
Another dispatch confirms the report.
Toxic, April 13.-It is believed here
that fighting has commenced on the
Yalu river. 1t is known that the Rus
sians occupy the right bank of the river
in force.
No direct information from the Yalu
| district has been received here, but the
position OF the Russian Is known and,
while it is doubted that they will be able
to prevent the Japanese from crossing
the river, that they will offer some OPP
position is regarded as certain. It isnot
believed. however. that there will be any
serious engagement during the Japan
csc operations to cross the Yalu.
The foreign military observers at
tached to the first Japanese army have
been directed to hold themselves in
readiness to move and 1t is expected
that they will leave for the front in
few days. The American attaches are
Col. E. Browder. Of the general staff,
and Capt. Frederick Marsh. Of the
artillery corps. The British attaches
are Lieut.. Gen. Ian Hamilton, Col.
Hume, Capt. Jardine and Capt. Vincent
The German representative is Maj.
Won Etzel. and the French attache Is
Col. Corvisart.
Report Of Advance Denied.
st. Petersburg. April 13.-Maj. Gen.
Plug in a dispatch from Mukden denies
the report that the Japanese advance
guard has crossed the Yalu and engaged
in skirmish with the Russian troops.
Rumor Of skirmishes.
| Seoul. April 13.-The Japanese au-
thorities here say there have been fire.
Quent skirmishes between Sakju and
WIFI. The main body of the First Jap
anese army is in the neighborhood of
VIII.
Russia Moves With Great Care.
st. Petersburg, April l3.-Exception-
ally reliable Information regarding the
Russian military plans confirm the re-
| peated announcements that these plans
| "AA9 AOI A1SSoAo VAtlA late Al lu0 ouAA-
mer They are of far greater magni-
tude than is generally believed abroad
Ind take into account all possible con-
angencies. Gen. Kuropatkin, remem-
aering the experience OF Russia during
aer war with Turkey, when the Rus
Iian army Of 10000 placed in the field
1t the beginning Of the army had to be
more than doubled. has insisted that
The men and guns to be placed at his
disposal shall cover the extreme limit
required to settle the fate Of the cam
,aign.
| Army Of 100000.
The Russian plans are predicted upon
Napoleon's dictum that God fights on
the side Of the heaviest battalions."
and they are being worked out and
timed SO as to apply to superiority
Of numbers. on land and sea simulta-
neously. The army Is designed to at
tain the enormous total of half mil
lion at the time scheduled for the rein
forcement Of Vice Admiral Makaroff's
fleet with the Baltic squadron. The
Seventeenth and Tenth army corps,
now drafting are expected to reach
Manchuria by the middle of June. The
mobilization of four other corps, at
least two of which will be from the
,Volga. will be announced by the middle
OF next month and will start eastward
month later. reaching their destina.
tim af tho end of AOo,,ot