The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-13
RUMORS ARE AFLOAT.
Very Little Authentic News Has
Reached Russian Cities.

st. Petersburg, Feb. l2.-The rigid cen
sorship still prevents the newspapers.
this afternoon, from receiving war news
from either Russian or foreign sources.
No news has been received since Viceroy
Alexieffs dispatch and the public con-
seuently is still completely in the dark.
All manner CT rumors are ahoat. The
government. however, has taken meas.
ures to counterfeit their publication. for
bidding the retail sale of the principal
offender, the St. Petersburg gazette. The
government expressed great displeasure
at the publication of the report of the
Russian victory and the raising of false
hopes among the population.
Nevertheless, rumors circulated verbal
ly are greedily swallowed According
to one report here the Russian armored
cruiser Gromoboi recently sailed out of
Vladivostock. destroying twenty Japanese
transports off Southern Korea and was
herself sunk by the Japanese cruisers.
Another story Stained that four of the
Vladivostock warships under Admiral
stackeberb. had sunk four japanese
transports.
The most circumstantial story current
in St Petersburg is report Of the sink
ing Of the Russian cruiser Variag of
Chemulpo Still another Is to the effect
that the recent japanese attack on Port
Arthur was feint TO protect the pas
sage of transports bound to Shan-Hai-
Kwan to land Japanese troops there and
effect d junction with the forces of Yuan
Shi Kai, the Chinese Commander in chief.
and attack the Russians in the rear.
These are but samples OF the report GUS
rent i'm the Russian capital.
All the Russian naviga ton companies
had vessels in far eastern water and are
anxious about their fate. The volunteer
ing the Ekaterinoslav which left Vladi-
vostock February {. and the Veronej,
which left Shang Hal. tea-laden for Sin
gapore February / No news OF either
vessel has reacher here.
Al the naval officers in st Petersburg
this morning attended service at the
church of St. Nicholas.
The tone Of the press comment today
Is less bitter against Japan. which is
perhaps significant
The report received mere that the
United States has offered her good ser
vices is commented upon only by the
Novosti. which emphasizes the previous
statements that Intervention is impossi-
BILE and says it doubts whether the o1er
of good services in the strictest sense
would have any result. The paper adds
that Il considers Il strange that the
United States has made n distinction be-
tween China and Korea. which. IL points
out. is also an independent country.
Repeating the charge that the japanese
attack on Port Arthur was made from
Wei-Hai-Wei. on the norm coast Of the
Shan Tung peninsula, the Novoe Nremya
today bitterly assaiis Great Britain In
allowing Japan to use the harbor as a
basis Of operations says the Novoe
yre1nya. Great y tain violated the
fundamental principles OF neutrality Wei
Hai-wei must Der ezarded henceforth
as part of japanese territory and Great
Britain has forfeited the right % par
ticipate in any deliberations over the
eventual fate Of the harbo--'
The Noyoe VTemya further holds that
the case 3 analogous 10 that II the Ala
bama. and says Russia is entitled 20 de-
mand compensation from Great Britain
for the losses she has suffered