The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-15

however, the japanese reappeared
with a formidable force of about a
score Of warshios. The Russian
squadron returned to the roadstead
and took up a position in line of bat
tie ready to receive the enemy.
The sudden explosion which de-
stroyed the Petropavlovsk occurred
almost Immediately thereafter and
the battleshiD went to the bottom.
/ The Grand Duke Cyril, Captain
Jakovleff, the commander of the
Petropavlovsk, four officers and some
| fifty men We're saved.
The battleshiD Pobieda was dam
aged amidshiDs and went into the
inner harbor. where she anchored.
The enemy's vessels which were
formed in two divisions, disappeared
in the course of the afternoon. The
fresh breeze which was blowing
throughout Wednesday developed
into a violent gale towards night
China More COnciIiatory.
st. Petersburg, April ia dispatch
to the Vestnik from Hardin, dated yes
terday, says that the Pekin govern
ment is showing a more cOnciliatory
spirit and that the local Chinese au-
thorities are posting neutral proclama-
lions daily The rich Chinese, the dis
patch continues, fear the approach of
the Japanese. The price of food in
Hardin is rising and the value of the
rouble is falling.
Railroad Traffic Interrupted.
New York, April 15.-The train from
Port Arthur did not arrive here yes
terday, says a Herald dispatch from
Yin Kow, under date OF Thursday. The
stoppage of traffic is due to the de-
struction of a bridge.
Yin Kow is the port of New Chwang
and the severance of the Port Arthur
railway would be significant. AS the
Manchurian railway enters the Lao
Tung peninsula there is an important
bridge over the Laio river. There are
numerous other bridges and culVertS
along the line running down to Dalny
and Port Arthur. In some places the
line runs close to the shore, where the
Japanese might easily land parties or
injure the line with long distance fir
ing.
Beri-Beri in Army.
Tien Tsin, April 15-It is asserted here
that the reason of the delay in the
movements of the Japanese army in
Korea is that over Y per cent OF the
troops are suffering from malignant
sickness, described as being species
of the beri-beri.
Cyril Reported Dead.
St Petersburg, April 15.-3:45 p. m
Persistent rumors are circulating that
Grand Duke Cyril is dead, but the cor
respondent of the Associated Press can
not secure any confirmation. On the
contrary, Lieutenant General Prince
Galitzine, master of the Grand Duke
/ v
Press authority for the statement that
| the telegram received this morning re-
ported the condition of the Grand
Duke Cyril as being better.
Japanese Say Torpedoes.
| Paris, April 15.-The japanese le-
cation says Rear Admiral Uriu's re-
port shows that Japanese torpedoes
sunk the PetropavIoysk and damaged
the Pobieda, and declares that the
report that a submarine boat did the
Il, IN Tar aT7a
fleet had no submarine boats. The
Japanese legation pays a high tribute
to the late Vice Admiral Makaroff.
MaIxaroif Funeral in Paris.
Paris April 15.-An impressive
funeral service in memory of Vice
Admiral Makaroff and the other vic
tins of the Petropavlovsk disaster
was celebrated at the Russian church
today. The Russian ambassador, NJ
Nelidoff and the mem berS of the staff
Of the embassy were present, as were
officials of the foreign office. NJ. Bonn
pard, the French ambassador to Rus
STA, representatives of the French
army and navy, and the ministers of
Servta and Bulgaria
Warning to Correspondents.
Washington, April 15.-The Rus
sian government has given notice
that newspaper correspondents using
wireless telegraph will be treated as
spies and shot.
Laid Thirty Mines.
Kobe Japan, April 15.-It is as
serted in naval circles here that the
Japanese arranged to lay thirty mines
at the entrance of Port Arthur and
then entice the Russians out. The
mines were placed in position and
Port Arthur was bombarded April Is.
Several Russian ships besides the
Petropavlovsk were damaged
Requiem on Ice Breaker.
st. Petersburg, April 15.-A re-
QUEEN service was held today on
board the ice breaker Ermak for the
repOse of the souls of Vice Admiral
Makaroff and Captain Vasilief, for
merly commander of the Ermak, who
also persisted in the disaster to the
PetropavIovsk. Several hundred per
sons were present.
Few known Facts.
St. Petersburg, April $500 P. NJ
/ Out of the mass of conflicting reports
/ regarding the sequence of events lead
/ ing up to the destruction of the Pc
/ tropavIovsk it is now established that
1 Vice Admiral Makaroff, early WedneS-
/ day morning, took out his squadron
4 to engage weak division of six Japa-
nese cruisers which appeared on the
! horizon after the japanese torpedo
/ boats which sank the Bezstrashni, had
! been driven off by the Bayan. Particu-
lars of the torpedo boat fight are stu
! lacking.
The Russian commando chief
1 pursued the japanese cruiser division
until it was reinforced by eleven bat
tleships, when he retired into the outer
roadstead, where he was drawing up
in line of battle when the disaster u
! the Petropavlovsk occurred. The cir
cumstances of the destruction of the
battleship are not known. It is Ger
tain that both her boilers and maga-
] zines exploded, but it is not absolute
/ ly sure that she touched a mine, al
I though the weight of opinion at the
admiralty is that such was the case
and that if so it was a Russian and
not a Japanese mine. A high official
of the admiralty said:
Tt is evident the powder magazine
/ exploded because a jet of flames went