Willmar tribune., 1904-02-24
Three Thousand Russian Troons
Said to Have Been Drowned
While Crossing Ice.
Believed ALEXlEff WILL FALL
BACK ON town OF HARBlD
Port Arthur, Vladivostok and Whole
Of Southern Manchuria Is to Be
Abandoned to Representatives,
Activity in Great Britain and 9th
er Countries Creates Comment.


crossing Lake Baikal. according to a
dispatch received by the Narodni Listy
from its St. Petersburg correspond
ent. No particulars of this new dis
aster to the Russian troops marching
to Manchuria are given.
Recent dispatches have said that the
ice on Lake Baikal was breaking up
in spots due to heavy storms. and
that this was delaying the ice railroad
the Russian forces are trying to build
across the lake. 1t was probably be.
cause of this that the three regiments
were lost.
This is the second great disaster
that is reported to have befallen the
Russian army on Lake Baikal. Pre-
vious dispatches told of 900 Russians
having been frozen to death while on
a 22-mile march across the ice to re.
pair a break in the railroad.
1t is believed that the three regi.
ments said to have been drowned were
aboard train on the ice railroad,
that the ice gave way under the huge
weight, and that train and all went
to the bottom
Russian Reply Received.
St. Petersburg, Feb. 20.-Russia's re-
apply to Secretary Hays note on China
was handed to Ambassador Mccormick
Friday.
The Russian government has abol-
ished the censorship in the cases of all
kilograms going abroad.
The government reports of the naval
action off Chemulpo, Corea (February
3, says the Russian cruisers Variag and
korietz sank Japanese cruiser and a
torpedo boat destroyer and crippled an
other vessel before entering the harbor.
Japan Not Seeking Territory.
London, Feb. 2O.-The Japanese lega-
ton received a copy of the note issued
by the Chinese government giving it's
instructions in regard to the neutrality
Of China, and the reply of the govern
ment of Japan, which is to the effect that
Japan is not seeking any annexation of
:erritory and will respect as far as pos
sible all the Chinese palaces, mausole-
ums and public buildings
Russian Base of Operation.
Paris, Feb. 2O.-A representative of
the Matin who has reached the canter
of the Russian military concentration
at Harbin, after great hardships, due
to the Transsiberian railway trains
being crowded with thousands of SOL
diers, in dispatch dated from Harbin
Thursday, confirms the announcement
that that place will be the main base
of the Russian land operations. Thus
far the base has succeeded in main
tanning communication with Port Ar
thur. The concentration of troops
the correspondent says, proceeds sys.
tematically, and provision has been
made for the speedy arrival of 10000
men from the divisions of Moscow,
Kieff and Varsovie. Before II days
shall have elapsed. the Russians will
have disposed of an army of 100000
men through Manchuria. Intense de-
moralization exists among the popu.
lace, and the people of the surround.
ing villages are f1ocking into the town,
seeking to reach western Russia The
railway trains, however, are blocked,
and over 1000 voyagers are thus held
up. The intense cold prevailing In.
creases the suffering and adds to the
difficulties of bringing forward troops.
Russian Families Leaving.
Harbin, Manchuria, Thursday. Feb.
1S.-The Russian troops are concen-
trated in the lower Yalu valley. Every.
body is in high spirits, and daily ex-
pecting reenforcements. Russian fam.
lilies are leaving Manchuria. owing to
the dearness Of provisions, all of
which are required for the troops.
The Manchurian, and especially the
,Transbaikal railroads cannot cope
with the demands for transportation.
Women and children are unable to get
trains, and many are waiting at the
stations, suffering from cold and hun.
ger.
japanese Repulsed.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 20. -- The JAP
anese attack on Port Arthur February
16 was feint to cover a landing at
Talienwan bay. The landing from
Japanese transports was repulsed, ow-
Ing to the heavy fire from the Russian
guns on the hillsides commanding the
bay. An unconfirmed report has it
that 200 Japanese soldiers succeeded in
landing at Talienwan, but that two
thirds of their number were killed. The
rest retreated to their boats.
Troops Due at Harbin.
Harhin, Manchuria, Feb. 20. - One
hundred and twenty thousand men of
the army corps whose headquarters
are in Moscow and Kief are expected
here. Within IL days 100000 Russian
soldiers will be in Manchuria.
Alexief Still in Command.
Paris, Feb. 20. - The st. Petersburg
correspondent of the Journal says in
q disDatch that War Minister Kuro
patkin has been appointed to the chief
command of the troops in Manchuria
He will be under Viceroy Alexief.
AlexieR to Fall Back.
London, Feb. 2O.-1t is now believed
both In London and on the continent
that Viceroy Alexieff has decided to fall
back upon Harbin, practically abandon
ing Port Arthur, Vladivostock and the
whole of southern Manchuria to the
Japanese, and that he is perhaps hoping
that the reduction of Port Arthur and
Vladivostock will occupy the enemy
while he is concentrating his forces at