The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-21
PEOPLE FLEEING
FROM PORT ARTHUR
TRAINS LEAVE CROWDED.
CORRESPONDENT REPORTS UPON
CONDITIONS THERE.

Less Than 80 Per Cent. of the For
mer Population of Port Arthur Is
Now to Be Found There-Repairs
Upon the Russian Warships Pro-
grcssing-Russia Is Rushing Her
ReinfOrcements Eastward.
Yin Kow, Feb. 2O.-By means of
special PERMISSION obtained from Maj.
Gen. Plug, Viceroy Alexieff's chief of
staff, a newspaper correspondent sue
ceeded in passing the lines under Off
clal escort and visited Port Arthur,
which is closed to all civilians. The
correspondent gives the following &C
count of conditions:
"Only 80 per cent. of the population
remains at Port Arthur, and many of
these are leaving. The trains are
crowded with refugees. Railroad con-
ditions are excellent, and the trains
are running on schedule time. There
are only a few unfinished side-tracks
and one unfinished bridge between New
Chwang and Port Arthur. The penin
sula of Lao Tung is quiet. Adequate
guards are maintained at all culverts
and bridges, and preparations for de-
Tense are being continued. The troops
in the vicinity of Kinchow are active.
A strong force is guarding the narrow
est section of the peninsula.
Russians Took Stores.
1.-THE authorities have mitigated war
conditions at Port Arthur by fixing the
prices of foodstuffs. The prices of other
commodities, however have advanced.
The authorities have taken possession
of all food supplies in the stores, which
were deserted by Chinese and other
merchants. They are providing for
siege by sending wheat milling ma
chinery to Port Arthur, and claim that
there is a sufficient food supply there
for a resistance of two years.
Japanese refugees, under the per-
sonal supervision of the Viceroy and
Gen. Plancon, are leaving Port Arthur
on released ships.
Although the harbors on the Lao
Tung peninsula have been reopened,
the authorities do not expect further
arrivals. The Japanese fleet, which is
sighted at intervals from Golden HILL
completely controls the gulf, and UNI
der the imperfect police system all in
corners are treated as. spies.
Repairs ON Russian Ships.
''The repairs to the Russian fleet are
proceeding. The cruiser NoVik has
been locked, but the condition of the
battleships Czarevitch and Retvizan
remains unchanged. Engineers say that
the Retvizan will be fioated in rev
days.
The official reports commend Capt.
Essen of the Novik and Capt. Bersian
Of the cruiser Boyarin for gallant con-
spite of the fact that no japanese
losses were reported, the Russians did
some damage.
"The city is darkened every night, but
Vlceroy Alexieff's house is lighted, al
though the people understand that ne is
at Hardin. Gen. Valkoff is in command
Of the non-combatant force at Hardin.
Gems Won Dratovitch and Lindevitch
are at Lao Yang (about half way be-
tween New Chwang and Mukden.)
Movements in the Field.
When the Tenth Regiment is near
Kin Chow, the Ninth Regiment near
New Chwang. and the Twelfth Regi-
ment near Lao Yang, it is intended to
commence a simultaneous march to-
ward the Yalu river. While Maj. Gen.
Plug is advancing the troops from
Mukden to the Yalu, he will at the
same time be strengthening his CEN
ter and preparing to defend the rail-
road and the north gulf coast in force.
The military authorities are thor
oughly aware of their unpreparedness
10 rush reinforcements. An enormous
consignment of artillery is reported to
De en- ruote from Russia. and 1t is said
without hesitation that there were not
over 10000 troops in Manchuria and at
Vladivostok when the war began.
The administrative authorities of
Fort Arthur assert that the Japanese
nave landed in Korea onlY."