The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-22
AMERICA IS
 RESPONSIBLE View of Russia as to ChemulpO Disaster. vICKSBURG ALLOWED IT Her Captain Refused to Join Others in Protest. Appointment of Kuropatkin and the Mission of Alexis Looked Upon as Deposition of
 viceroy Alexief.
 
vICKsBURG ALLOWED IT

St. Petersburg, Feb. N.-The action of the commander of the United States gum boat Vicksburg in declining to join the commanders of the other foreign warships in a conference against the attack Of the Japanese fleet at ChemuIpo, which result ed In the sinking of the Russian cruisers Veriag and Korietz, promises to cause much discussion here.
 The Novoe Vremya's London corre- spondent cables that the protest of the British captain against the Japanese attack on the ground that 1t was breach of neutrality, proved intellectual, because of the American commander would not assent.
 The appointment of General Kuropatkin who was yesterday relieved of his func- tions as Minister of War, to the chief command of the Russian army in the Far East. was gazetted this morning.
 Kuropatkin Popuar.l
 With the possible exception of General Dragominoff formerly Governor General of Kieff and later member of the Council of State, General Kuropatkin is the most popular man in the Russian army. As . 6 bluff old soldier who has fought his way up from the bottom to be Minister of the War, he Is the idol of the enlisted men. Not one of the Czars' army has Z seen more fighting, and no one can tell "a story better. There is never dull mo- ment in his company, for he intermingles the humorous incidents of his campaigns with tales of the self-sacrifice of the men whom he led with Skobeloff over the parched wastes of Geok Tepe or over the icy slopes of Plevna. Deposition of Alexief.
 The appointment of General Kuropat- iSin to direct command in the field has been received with enthusiasm. and his leadership inspires complete confidence that there will be no mistake and Rus sian armies will be carried to success on land.
 General Kuropatlxin will be accompan- led to the front by the Grand Dukes Boris. Alexis. Nicholas and Michael Nicholaie- witch. The Emperor and the Empress gave a luncheon today to General Kuras patlin.. and the Grand Dukes at the Alex dry Palace. Trasske-selo, and bade them farewell .-s. ls- .gs.
 The exact mission of Grand Duke Alexis is unknown, but it is undoubtedly an i'm portant one, as he has been in supreme command of the Russian navy as Presi- dent of the Board of Admiralty, taking an active part in the negotiations preced- ing hostilIties. He presided at the spe- ciaI council which prepared Russia's un- delivered reply to Japan.
 With General Kuropatkin's appointment as commandsr-in-chief of the army and the presence of the Grand Duke Alexis in the Far East. the opinion Is strength- ened that while Admiral Alexief may re- main as Viceroy the active direction of operations will pass out of his hands.
 Kurino's Significant Words.
 Newspapers here are laying great stress on the personal note of M. Kurino. the Japanese minister at St. Petersburg, to Count Lamsdorff. the Russian foreign minister, on the occasion of the notifica- tion of the severance of diplomatic rela- tions in which M. Kurino expressed the hope that the rupture would be of brief duration. They point to this incident as a proof that Russia had no reason to be- lieve that Japan intended to follow up the rupture with actual hostilities.
 Oflcial news received here confirms the report that none of the crew of the Ko- rietz was lost.
 An immense congregation attended the requiem mass today for Count Nimrod, the only officer killed aboard the Variag. The count was a great favorite in St. Pe- tersburg society