Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-16
THE WAR NEWS.

II seems TO be clear now, from the
dispatches, that the Russian squadron
at Port Arthur made a desperate at
tempt on the 10th Of this month, to
break through the Japanese naval
lines, and that the squadron was badly
beaten and scattered, after valorous
fighting on both sides. Some Of the
lines, and that II was very badly
crippled. Others took refuge In neu-
tral ports, while others were captured.
There appears to have been no less
than ten Russian big ships in the en-
gagement, viz, six batleships, the Ret
vlzan, Pobieda, Peresviet, Seyastapol'
Czarevitch and Poltava; one armored
cruiser, named Bayan; and three pro-
tected cruisers named Askold, Diana
and Novik. or these, five are reported
TO have returned TO Port Arthur, and
the rest are separated, without pros
pect OF ever being reunited for this
war. The Retvlzan and the Pobieda
are reported as seriously damaged The
Czarevitoh reached the German port Of
lSiao Chau, disabled and unseaworthy
ON top OF these reports comes the news
that the Japanese have also crippled
the Vladyostok squadron. 1t would
appear, then. that Russia's naval llw-
err In those waters is about entirely
gone, for the Japanese viii have no
difficulty In hunting the scattered ships
and overpowering each of them. The
next news Of Importance from tho seat
of war win be that Of the surrender Of
Port Arthur.
The Cheefoo affair Is n consequence
Of the desperate sortie. One Of the
fugitive Russian torpedo boat destroy
ers entered that Chinese harbor and
was there seized by the Japanese pur-
suers. Russia protests vigorously
against this breach of the rules of neu-
trallty. The account Is given by both
aides. According to the Russian report,
the japanese commander acted very
treacherously. Russia's protest, how
ever, will not be needed The entire
policy OF that country IN eastern Asia
has for the last few years been one Of
violation Of not only rules OF neutrality,
but Of promises ana pledges that
should have been sacred The pot
should not call the kettle black. Japan
win not be specially tender as to tech
nlcallties when an advantage ls to be
gained. Russia has furnished the pre-
oedents for disregard of rules,
1t is interesting at this time TO notice
that the French sympathIzers with
Russia have by no means given up the
hope of Russian final success in this
struggle They point out that General
Kuropatkin's plan from the first was
TO gradually withdraw before the adj
Nancmg Japs, and to hold Port Arthui
as long as possible, merely to arrest tho
progress of the enemy and give Rus
sia time II is pointed out that Russia
was, when the war broke out entirely
unprepared for the struggle and tina
the only feasible plan was to dclal
the onward march OF the enemy unit
enough Russian soldiers had been sen
into the field TO commence an aggrcs
sive movement. This, 1t is supposed
Kuropatkm has been doing success
fuzzy. and IL is not doubted that, whel
the time comes a different story vii
be told from the seat of WIZ Accord
ing to the Paris Temps everything iu
Guiding the surrender OF Port Arthur
was ON the program. That paper says
"In the fact OF the superior forces o
the Japanese, ID was necessary 20 adop
the tactics Of 1912 and to retire con
tnually but not 10 offer battle unit
the time came when circumstances per
mitted the Russians 10 advance every
here with considerable numcrica
superiority General Kuropatkn fore
saw the crlticlsma his plan would I'M
spire, and he even reokonod upon M
possibility Of the capture OF Port Ar
thur by the Japanese. That * VIII
he remarked, AZ the time of his depur
ture for the 'front.' chat ho would "a
first be accused Of incapaclty In mo-
having prevented the advance OF III
Japanese, and subsequently of treaSo
b.. having handed Port Arthur over {
the enemy. These criticisms have al
ready commenced I'm ST. Petersburg
and efforts nre being made 10 brin
them 90 the attention of the Car
Another feature OF this conflict de-
serves notice, Il Is claimed that Ia
Japanese now are marching 10000 Oh
nese soldiers from Fornosa against N
Russians. This Is the FIRST time Tia
Chinese are put into the field und'
the leadership of expert Japanese o
lcers II Is well TO keep Am eye o
them and see how they behave und,
FIRE. II Japan wins this war, she ma
not conhne her leadership to the Oh
nese Of Formosa.